Why we still look away: Kitty Genovese, James Bulger and the bystander effect
More than half a century later, the death of Kitty Genovese continues to remind us of the disconnect between what we believe about ourselves and how we really act under pressure. The murder of the 28-year-old outside her apartment in the Queens neighborhood of Kew Gardens in the early morning of 13 March 1964 rippled through New York City and around the world. How could a young, independent woman who lived on her own terms be so easily struck down? How could so many neighbors look on and turn away as she was stabbed repeatedly on the street and in her apartment building? What did that collective inability to act reveal about ourselves, our communities, and our belief systems? Genovese’s killer, Winston Moseley, died in prison this week, bringing the case and its implications back into the spotlight.
What Is the Bystander Effect?
If you witnessed an emergency happening right before your eyes, you would certainly take some sort of action to help the person in trouble, right? While we might all like to believe that this is true, psychologists suggest that whether or not you intervene might depend upon the number of other witnesses present. What Is the Bystander Effect?
5 steps for overcoming the crippling "bystander effect"
Given the choice, Kitty Genovese would rather not have become the subject of social psychology research. As she was returning home from work on March 13, 1964, Kitty was approached by a man who attacked and stabbed her. She screamed repeatedly for help. At least a dozen people heard her screams, but it took a full thirty minutes before someone contacted the police. Four years later, researchers John Darley and Bibb Latane, fascinated by the Kitty Genovese case, first demonstrated the bystander effect in the lab.
Why People are Afraid to Help Each Other - MIR-Method
Contributing to someone else’s life is the purpose of life. I believe this. It’s effortless.
How to Overcome the Bystander Effect
Psychologists have long been interested in exactly why and when we help other people. There has also been a tremendous amount of interest in the reasons why we sometimes don't help others. The bystander effect is a social phenomenon that occurs when people fail to help those in need due to the presence of other people. In many cases, people feel that since there are other people around, surely someone else will leap into action.1
The bystander effect is being made worse by people filming violent events on their smartphones
On April 9, 2017, a video of a man being dragged off a United Airlines flight was posted on the internet and went viral. But I don’t need to tell you that. Each of your most outspoken Facebook friends probably posted about the event, highlighting the aspects of it that best reinforced their worldview. The incident was covered all over American media and even sparked outrage in China.
The Bystander Effect - The Psych of Social Psychology
Who was Kitty Genovese? An easy way to understand the Bystander Effect in Social Psychology is to relate it to an actual case in history. The most widely popularized "bystander effect" case, is the story/case of the murder of Kitty Genovese
How Bystanders can Help Stop Cyberbullying – Social Media Stories
“Someone made an Instagram account that said: “You’re a slut and you should kill yourself.” And I was the only person they followed.” In 2016, social media and mobile apps have made it simple, cost-effective, and fun to connect with anyone, anywhere.
