<p>It's called the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect">bystander effect</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The bystander effect, or bystander apathy, is a social psychological
  phenomenon that refers to cases in which individuals do not offer any
  means of help to a victim when other people are present. The
  probability of help is inversely related to the number of bystanders.
  In other words, the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely
  it is that any one of them will help.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It was highlighted by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Kitty_Genovese">Murder of Kitty Genovese</a>, which is part of the negative image of New Yorkers as apathetic, and is therefore sometimes also called "Genovese syndrome".</p>

<p>The bystander effect is a sub-type of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion_of_responsibility">Diffusion of responsibility</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-03T22:47:23.830Z
Thanks. I wanted the correct term for a discussion at the amatuer orchestra I'm in. there are way more first and second violinists than any other section in the orchestra (e.g. there's one harpist, two bassoonists, and nine second violinists). But last week none of the violinists showed up! I'm guessing that's a 'diffusion of responsibility' issue.
dumbledad
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-03T22:19:03.650Z
2016-10-03T22:19:03.650Z
Arnon Weinberg
<p>If you are in a crowd and you hear someone call for help you assume that someone else will deal with it. If you are alone and you hear someone call for help you go and help them. What is that effect called?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-03T16:45:55.817Z
Meh, someone else will answer this question.
Arnon Weinberg
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-03T18:31:41.940Z
Isn't this just Apathy on the part of the person doing nothing?
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-03T18:41:32.513Z
Coincidentally, I know that some talked about this in a TEDx-talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHXc-HlL0t4 It is not a scientific explanation - the talk is rather one of the motivational kind - but it may be a nice start.
Robin Kramer-ten Have
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-03T20:17:23.260Z
@ArnonWeinberg  :))  - would be interesting to hear your thoughts on this, though. I sense a kind of boredom (high mehness factor :-) in your comment, but for the common ground troops it's actually an interesting question :) +1
AliceD
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-10-03T22:23:47.480Z
OK sure @Christiaan, you've cajoled me into action by singling me out. :-)
Arnon Weinberg
<social-psychology>
What is the effect called whereby people don't offer help when in a crowd because they assume someone else will help?
dumbledad
# What is the effect called whereby people don't offer help when in a crowd because they assume someone else will help?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-10-03)

If you are in a crowd and you hear someone call for help you assume that someone else will deal with it. If you are alone and you hear someone call for help you go and help them. What is that effect called?

**Tags:** social-psychology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Meh, someone else will answer this question.  
> **username_2**: Isn't this just Apathy on the part of the person doing nothing?  
> **username_3**: Coincidentally, I know that some talked about this in a TEDx-talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHXc-HlL0t4 It is not a scientific explanation - the talk is rather one of the motivational kind - but it may be a nice start.  
> **username_4**: @ArnonWeinberg  :))  - would be interesting to hear your thoughts on this, though. I sense a kind of boredom (high mehness factor :-) in your comment, but for the common ground troops it's actually an interesting question :) +1  
> **username_1**: OK sure @Christiaan, you've cajoled me into action by singling me out. :-)  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2016-10-03. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

It's called the [bystander effect](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bystander_effect):

> The bystander effect, or bystander apathy, is a social psychological
> phenomenon that refers to cases in which individuals do not offer any
> means of help to a victim when other people are present. The
> probability of help is inversely related to the number of bystanders.
> In other words, the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely
> it is that any one of them will help.

It was highlighted by the [Murder of Kitty Genovese](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Kitty_Genovese), which is part of the negative image of New Yorkers as apathetic, and is therefore sometimes also called "Genovese syndrome".

The bystander effect is a sub-type of [Diffusion of responsibility](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diffusion_of_responsibility).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks. I wanted the correct term for a discussion at the amatuer orchestra I'm in. there are way more first and second violinists than any other section in the orchestra (e.g. there's one harpist, two bassoonists, and nine second violinists). But last week none of the violinists showed up! I'm guessing that's a 'diffusion of responsibility' issue.  

---

