The Bystander Effect

[Blitzwolf44]

thats why my favourite quote is:

"Next time you ask yourself why doesn't someone do something - Just remember YOU are that someone"

that way when i'm in this situation i can snap myself out of the dreaded 'Bystander Affect' by asking myself that very question.

[88dragons88]

Really stupid. Its bad that you didn't say anything. That person might NEVER help another again, just like "the sheep who cried wolf". trje246 says so too

[ch3ckm8]

Aka the ''mind-your-own-business'' effect

[johnnyboy756O]

yes, smile when you get up so everyone around you know your a dumbass at the mall on the ground

[cyrcles00]

music ruined it.

[xXDeathlyRose90Xx]

What is wrong with people today?

[jewelzqueen]

People are such assholes.

[doctorw2]

the simple answer is this actualy some people are sheep others are leaders its as plain and simple as that.

[takegangsta]

@doctorw2 I think the human mind is a little more complicated than a pre-school metaphor buddy

[doctorw2]

@takegangsta i beg to differ the human mind may be complex organ but too bad the gods wasted the gift of intelligence on mankind a pity really.

[sunny876]

shoot them?! who answers that?

[killarmy101]

nasty kid actually puts his face on the ground

[TheMafiaRing]

i would love to say that i would stop and help if somone was in need of help but.....

i have never bein in that situation but i dont know wich scares me to think wat if

i just stand there and do nothin like most the people how sad

[IDropYouFool]

Thumbs up if you muted the music in the begining.

[Rhiorrha]

@IDropYouFool Ramblin' Man was a good song. They could have done this study better instead of just jumping up all "LOL PSYCH!" and walking off like assholes. They should have let themselves be assisted to a place to sit, then thanked the people and after they went on their way THEN gotten up and walked away.

[turockandar]

I think that the PHD's hypothesis could be correct but is not necessarily right. There may be other variables and forces at play. For example what if the larger the crowd the more each individual feel that the urge to intervene and help is invalidated by the group's indifference? This would mean that their natural impulse to help would be inhibited and mitigated by a form of group pressure; if no-one else seems worried then maybe the person doesn't need help..i.e. my reaction was alarmist.

[brokenlexus]

That isnt a proper experiment that it just a laugh

[whoyoube305]

WHATS THE POINT OF STUDYING SOCIAL PSYCOLOGY?

[Robbythewondercat]

this isn't about helping someone in need, its about whether or not you'd wake a guy whose napping in the middle of a plaza

[mbison83]

BAD AUDIO at the beginning!

[kesakahn]

would be nice to see a psychological explanation why ppl tend to be so rude on internet :)

guess it's the anonimity. nice response there fecuckulate420 wishing someone's family died.

gg

[alexwoffle2]

I agree with other comments, they should of told the people it was an experiment.

[FaeryRibbon]

If I saw someone lying on the ground like that, I would probably assume they were either being stupid or they had a mental illness, and they just felt like lying down on the ground.

[va602sw]

i wouldnt help the people lying on the floor as i wouldnt think any was wrong other than some prick lying on the floor, i woould think you was doing some like that it a shit failed badly excuted

[FULLALCHEMIST1]

EPIC FAILURE ! FAILED FAILED FAILED

If this is a field experiment, then the person's acting were suppose to be professional...

I CAN ARGUE THIS IS NOT A VALID CASE...why?

1) We only saw the video when the man was already lying there, we don't know how he fell or if he just went there and literally placed himself on the floor.

2) This setting is happened in an environment containing ONE PARTICULAR RACE.

3) When the women approach the man to help him, he just walked off.

4) Its a same day study.

[FaeryRibbon]

@FULLALCHEMIST1I think this was just a small experiment. It didn't have to be perfect.

[midwesternmom]

"mindless shoppers" .... really?

[daneron71]

try this in a different country. Americans are non social people.

[CDMATHISSR]

FAIL.....the way you walked off from the lady once she tried to help you , make a valid point as to why some people don't help.Did you even talk to her and EXPLAIN to her what you were doing? Some people do stuff like this as pranks and YOU just made it seem like that was the case here. Body positioning was waaaaay off and other things as well. Try it again this time But have a control and a VARIABLE for comparison .E for EFFORT though.

[arsecunt101]

i think the more people know about this "by-stander effect" the more chance there is you are going to help..because they wont want to be like other people and NOT help..well thats me anyway

[hard666one]

Experiment 4of4 - Single room lit by one light bulb. Light bulb secretly controlled by researchers to go "off" as if it burned out. 100 Social Psychologists in room. Light goes off. All 100 Social Psychologists find ladder and then find new bulb. Ladder is crushed as all of them attempt to climb ladder together. 27 more ladders are subsequently crushed as all 100 Social Psychologists again attempt to 'help'. Light never gets changed. Social Psychologists still 'in the dark'.

[hard666one]

Experiment 3of4 - Single room lit by one light bulb. Light bulb secretly controlled by researchers to go "off" as if it burned out. 500 normal people in room. Light goes off. Two people find ladder and two others find new bulb. 496 people 'stand by'. Bulb successfully changed in 3min, 8sec. Social Psychologists' conclusion - when in even larger groups, tendency is even less likely for people to help fix a problem (only 8/10 of 1% helped (.008%)).

[hard666one]

Experiment 2of4 - Single room lit by one light bulb. Light bulb secretly controlled by researchers to go "off" as if it burned out. 100 normal people in room. Light goes off. Two people find ladder and two others find new bulb. 96 people 'stand by'. Bulb successfully changed in 3min, 14sec. Social Psychologists' conclusion - when in a group, tendency is not to help fix a problem (only 4% helped).

[leonicc]

@hard666one Well, you can't have 100 people help put up one lightbulb...

[hard666one]

Experiment 10f4 - Single room lit by one light bulb. Light bulb secretly controlled by researchers to go "off" as if it burned out. One normal person in room. Light goes off. Single person finds ladder and new bulb and successfully changes bulb in 7min 23sec. Social Psychologists' conclusion - when people are alone they tend to help fix a problem.

[andersv20]

I think this demonstrates the bystander effect rather poorly. Several more factors could have been introduced making people even less inclined to help. He was laying out on the ground as if by a stroke or something. Had the situation appeared somewhat less in demand of immediate attention, although serious, fewer people (like the man rushing to assist) would help. Also, if it seemed to be self-caused in some way or other (he was a junkie, shabby clothes etc.) NO ONE would freakin help.

[valdezmj10]

people are just cwards

[jthekiller111]

4:34 lol, good guy :)

[Dam1000Dam1000]

DEMAND CHARTERISTICS....

[ocerg1111]

fear is at the ehart of their answers.

[yliveable]

Why didn't they include the footage showing how they got on the floor? Did it look suspicious? Did they just calmy get on the floor and lay down? I would like to see entire situation if not it is bias.

[Ryan92Ex]

something like this happened around me. Some guy on a bike that had a ton of luggage fell in front of a big crowd of people. But in this case about 4 or 5 people had run up to help in about 3 seconds. I would like to think i didn't because of the people that had run up before me, but i dont know.

[jacdc202]

2:18 She has a point, most people just play the bystander role because they're afraid to be sued. These days its just easier to sue than to work. SMH

[trje246]

heard of "the boy who cried wolf"? Someone actually offers their help @4:08 and you just get up and walk away?!?!?!?! next time they might think "screw it, i wont help them, i'm just being played" you could have AT LEAST explained that you were conducting an experiment then tell them they got a 'pass' for actually helping! This is the essence of human nature, its like a conditioned responce i guess. So praise is good for a good deed if you want that behaviour to continue.

[ruiutomy1]

@trje246 You are certain this video should be: MAKING PEOPLE IN DIFFERENT REGARDLESS!! Peace!!!

[Bladewing10]

"Shoot 'em!" Lol!

[3t3rn4ldr34m1ng]

Most of you people here say you would jump out and help him no matter what, but try that in a REAL situation. You people are just trying to act tough, but you people have no idea what it's really like to be pressured SO much. Do I do it, CAN I do it? Do I want to do it? Will I be able to do anything? What should I do? Will I be harmed if I do go help? What's the situation? So many nthings will be going on in your head. Although, yes only a FEW, 1/100 will actually help.

[coronet67]

Subtle visual cues-

Most people can discern a teenager lying on the ground from an unconscious person. Even in the video I can see the muscles are tense and the person appears to be conscience. I would assume it was a teenager joking around and would probably walk on by. You would be suprised how much people pick up from subtle infomation.

[IWantMyVisionBack]

maybe I should do this lying on my back without a shirt on, revealing my defined abs, biceps, pecs, etc.

I bet the first female who sees me will help LOL.

[mymarkis666]

@IWantMyVisionBack You mean your one pack and man boobs.

[thetrueturnip]

i think the reason people didnt help the dude was cause they are scared of getting embarrased. like when the dudes on the floor and you rush over to him shouting 'are you ok' then he just stands up and walks away it makes you look a bit stupid. and people see pranks like this more than actual emergancys. so they must be thinking . mabye hes just fucking around.

[Var1ety]

What a crap video...in what circumstances did they go too ground? How long before they got up off the ground?

Fucking shit video.

[u2ber212]

when you ask people 90% of the time they will say yes, but when it comes to an actual sitution 90% wont do a damn thing.

[nomainreason]

You gotta love America! You can be sued for helping someone..

[parallelpinkparakeet]

@nomainreason Actually in most situations Good Samaritan laws in the US will protect someone from getting sued if they're trying to help someone who's in "imminent peril." Some states even have laws that require you to assist.

[TREBOR070607]

Nice job

[Fight4Privacy]

After watching this I won't be the ignorant bystander I will be the man who helps his fellow man. We are all one family of humans and we need to look after each other.

[SockReaper2000]

They kind of just looked like they were taking a nap or fooling around.

[jaymejamjar]

well, maybe people would help more if everytime someone helped you didn't make them look like an idiot by standing up and walking away!

[6I6Am6A9red9Pill9]

that's why in a war situation all good people will love the killings. and they will keep killing until their group wins.

[LittleJeannie]

Where are the ethics... were the subjects that attempted to help debriefed afterwards?? The footage seems to show that in the first instance as soon as someone attempted to help you, you walked off?

[Insidious1]

I think this is a good thing, because someone, even if it's only a couple of people, will help and if the help is actually needed there won't be 100 people crowded around when paramedics come. If there is someone trained, you know they will be helping also. A doctor or nurse isn't going to just stand there and watch.

[nappybiscuit]

All I see is Clint Eastwood kicking a man on the ground in front of everyone telling him to get up. Can't remember the movie though.

[tc123123]

@nappybiscuit gran torino? or something like that idk

[VenomessA]

this is pretty weak to be honest. these people helping you put themselves out there and your only faking it, which is fair comment for the experiment but you could say its crying wolf and they wont help when there is a true emergency

[AllOutHomeMade]

did anyone see the random flash of Green at :40

[chifylube]

No control group?

[mlbossy]

i dont think that this experiment of laying down on the floor was as efficient as it could have been. it is not clear to the people walking by whether something is truly wrong or not. if there was blood under the person, that would indicate that there is probably a true emergency, but without any clear indicators, people are hesitant to do anything because they dont know if there is truly an emergency

[SuperLegalTender]

@mlbossy: for all intents and purposes, i dont agree with you 100% ...people SHOULD help a person LYING ON THE GROUND IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION or on any floor without having to look close enough for "blood under the person." Come on man, thats ridiculous, look for blood UNDER the person???? haha seriously!

[mlbossy]

i know that, but people are hesitant because they rationalize why someone would be laying on the floor. it is unclear whether it is a true emergency, its a hazy type of scenario. i agree that they should help whether or not they know if its a real emergency, better to be safe than sorry. i'm just saying that since it wasnt obvious that an emergency was occurring, it's a different psychological concept.

[robertwc82]

he should have faked a fit

[balencesto17]

@mlbossy  i agree. that was pointless what they did.

[DEMODICK35]

shoot em, put em out of my misery. thats classic

[melledoe]

Theres also a duty law that says that you have to help if you are qualified to (in an accident, etc) like if you have first aid training....which a lot of people have these days. People are scared to be the first but if you start, others will join

[melledoe]

they have laws called the Good Samaritan Acttthat protects a person against liability to help others (in canada anyway, and I think US). In Quebec you can be charged if you DONT help!

[AlanTTT3]

Something that reinforces the bystander effect nowadays is the sense that if you get involved you could end up in trouble - especially if you do something wrong due to lack of training or expertise. When it comes to crime the police (in the UK) advise never get involved - call the police instead.

In the UK you can even end up serving a prison sentence for defending yourself or your own property. The message we get from authority and therefore society - is dont get involved.

[cbricks009]

thats some bullshit if you saw someone beating up yo momma what would you do sit their and call the police hell no

[MoonAharshMistress]

Balls.

I think youll find that if you have real accidents people go to help...you think peole are fooled by fake accidents, of course not..humans dont like to be made fools of. Thats why people shake their heads..they know these people are acting.

If youwanted to test the real premise youwould observe peoples reactions in real accidents.psychologists....you must be idiots...pretty unperceptive

[undermanager]

You shoul check out the Kitty Genovese murder in 1964 where 38 neighbors watched and listened but did not act or help or call police.

[runawayagent]

Yeah i herad about that a couple years back. thats sum fucked up shit 200 people wouldnt do shit for that lady.....

[Ainulph]

I'm sure the people saying "Shoot them" are just being ironic.

[JimRome90210]

if a kid drops a pass, in a pickup game, because he's fat! FAT!!!

WAR me

[bossoholic]

@JimRome90210 What? LOL

[poptarts47]

makes sense at the end what the Dr. said.

[FoziaAbdi]

I think it's easy to beat the effect, if you keep thinking that that tradegy or whatever happened could happen to you and the people you love, and that you are doing the right and saving lives, i keep thinking that when bad situations occour so i can run and help the best i can, like if a toddler in front of me on the sidewalk with her mother trips, im already there picking up the toddler bringing her to her mom. Just keep positve and you can beat the effect

[TheoryReviewGuy]

Well I don't want to get involved. If someone is murdering someone I wouldn't want to stop it because I might get into legal trouble.

What I do? Not get involved in anything and stay quiet. That way, I'd never get in trouble. :)

[refuckulate420]

You wouldn't help someone being murdered because of LEGAL TROUBLE?!

You are one sick piece of shit, fucking coward. I hope something horrible happens to you and your family, you sound like some that deserves it. Fucking piece of shit coward.

[TheoryReviewGuy]

Ha, yeah mate. Last time I just accidently bumped into someone I was being sued for 15 years for assault.

Go away with your little YouTube trolls, lawyers and detectives.

[refuckulate420]

Ever heard of the good samaritan law? Fucking moron. Pieces of shit like you don't deserve good lives, you are what's called SELFISH.

[bordierij]

your obviously a liar or whoever sued you is a dumbass. Im sure you did more than bump into them.obviously lol

[Skyswinger]

@refuckulate420 In one sentence you call him/her a sick piece of shit and in the next you hope something horrible happens to his/her family.........can you see the point i'm trying to make?

[refuckulate420]

@Skyswinger

Fuck you prick.

[Skyswinger]

@refuckulate420 your clever little comeback gives you all the credit you deserve......NONE!

[refuckulate420]

@Skyswinger

Fuck you prick.

[fuckcomments]

@refuckulate420 I have some videos of real life stonings of people, there is no helping them or you will surely be attacked as well. You call people cowards but you have no idea. Usually the people you try to save in life threatening situations are panicking so badly that they end up killing or trying to kill their rescuers, not on purpose, but by using the rescuer as a flotation device or choking them to death by accident. Keep being a hero behind his computer LOLOLOLOLOLOL

[refuckulate420]

@fuckcomments

Troll harder dipshit.

[fuckcomments]

@refuckulate420 Ha ha it sucks when reality comes into play doesn't it mighty hero?

[refuckulate420]

@fuckcomments

You just fail at trolling. I didn't take one bit of what you said seriously, and I couldn't care less what you think either.

[fuckcomments]

@refuckulate420 Everything I said wasn't trolling it is based on fact. I was trained as a life guard when to know that you should ditch the person you are saving because they are panicking so badly that they do not care who dies as long as they live, if that means using your dead body as a flotation device, so be it. Mobs will also quickly group you with the person they are hurting if you wish to try and help him, then what? Who will save you? Nobody. You'll die.

[fuckcomments]

@refuckulate420 People standing up to help get killed all the time. You watch a lot of BATMAN cartoons don't you?

[refuckulate420]

@fuckcomments

Not a big fan of Batman actually. You need to try harder, troll.

[virtuouszero]

wow are you fucking kidding. I just helped some guy from getting his ass whipped today while everyone else was standing around like a fucking retard. Im glad I helped him out, I hoped off my bike and kicked his ass. Im this way because my dad was a cop

[dLimboStick]

Sounds like a survival mechanism to me. Tribe is walking. lagger gets eaten by saber tooth tiger. One or two try to help tiger victim, the rest of the tribe continues and tribe survives, while victim and helpers may or may not survive.

[TheoryReviewGuy]

I would... try to help him or her... 2:13 LOL!

[theabomation]

The bystander effect is a social psychological phenomenon in which individuals are less likely to offer help in an emergency situation when other people are present. This is so interesting what does this say about human nature...

[purplestoner]

it doesnt only happen in the usa, it happens everywhere its a universal human phenomenon, perhaps due to the increasingly busy and selfish lives we lead. its scary.

[LeroyakaLilpac]

It's not because of either of those reasons.

[keithtay98]

it is because of diffusion of responsibility and they are less likely to intervene because other observers fail to react and other people think that it is a signal that it is not appropriate to react.

[candieondabch]

shoot em? what?! wow.

[MauricioPerez1969]

wow. only happens in the usa?

not true.

Here in the us when theres an emergency, many bystanders that try to help, may get charge with doing the crime or end up been victims themselves.

there is even a law that protects the Bystander called the Good Samaritan Law. It is really difficult specially when u hear abut someone getting shot trying to help some one.

We need to be prepared, before the situation presents itself. GBY.

[NarutoDetective]

okay iam a filipino and ive been living here in the states for 3 years now and iam proud to say that i have never seen the bystander effect back home... when someones in trouble everyone wants to help out or go near the distressed. But here in the states i dont know if its the culture or what but it sure is present here. Iam proud i dont have the bystander syndrome!

[inuyashavsnaruto]

What was wrong with that guy who said "shoot 'em"? Is he that heartless?!

[seth3po]

i´v tried the same in my contry several times!

and we were never able to get such results!

so the conclusion is: its more a cultural question than social true!!!

Its all abaut the cultural mean on wich you live!!!

[seth3po]

Sory, but that only happens in america!

[creten69]

i like taking pictures of people in need,like i thougth 911 was a fantastic photo op,but then i never got to see the great vids,WHY mother fukn WHY thats truth and thats the christ way.

[TheOrangePanda]

cheers for making such an experiment ^^!

[amanda6610]

Nice video...however i do think that you could have made it alittle more believeable and less comical.

[libertyandjusticenow]

like social loafing?

[lilbugz13]

It is called Diffusion of Responsibility. Social Loafing is when you are doing a group task, like Tug of War, and you will try less hard, i.e. pull less, because you think other people will pull your weight.

[Rkooner]

their own safety and whether there are any risks imposed on them if they help. As the doctor said in your video, when theres more people around, individuals feel less responsibility, and feel that if they don't help they can get away with it, coz they won't be identified to have any relation to the situation.

Cheers again, nice video!

[Rkooner]

Hi, im currently studying psychology at uni. Great experiment i have to say.. you also have to take into consideration, the 'bystander effect' would be different in every new circumstance, not only the location, the seriousness of the situation and also the victim. I remember reading up on another study done where an attractive female dropped her books and all the men helped, where as when the obese woman dropped her books, everyone walked past. Also the bystanders take into account their own

[ifukyouintheass]

If I saw some shit goin down I would help. But if I saw some sketchy lookin kid passed out on the floor in a mall I wouldn't give a fuck. Why would I?

[traumateam2]

Why not take the 5 minutes to call 9-11. You don't have to stay.. but you can make a call. Just because he is looking sketchy doesn't mean that is why he is laying on the floor passed out. He could have diabetes and is in diabetic shock or come. He could have just had a seizure. He could have passed out from a heart condition.

Take the time to call 9-11 even if you aren't going to stay at the scene. That simple thing could save a life!

[traumateam2]

Diabetic coma** Not diabetic come.

[tnsfmj15]

bystander effect:

the bigger the group of bystander the less likely people will help.

[maximususer]

fake or not, look at the environment it is happening in. The mall was really crowded. In addition to the mall we tried the same set up at a fair, train station, and the movie theater all with the same outcome.

[eb352mm]

@maximususer very fucking corny, stop sucking on your teachers nutsack@@

[XionnoiX1337]

People don't help because people like you make experiments and we all think its fake!!!

[codyo2]

interesting

[Drunkmike420]

bunch of bullshit most of those people dont give a shit and could care less

[Hardcoreehh]

well, its all an example of the bystander effect, people feel like they shouldn't go help because they may be offering unwanted help, or that someone else will help them first. Its very common where I live, nobody offers help, thats also rudeness though. :P

[dreemLight]

i thought it was quite cruel to actually get up and smile. i mean give a thought to the guys who came to help. you wanna tell them we're just toying with you?

like have a friend come by and carry him off or something. thank them.

[IchiBahnSan68]

subject: *lays on ground* girl 1: omg is he ok? guy 1: *passes by while staring* guy2: dude should we help him? guy 3: i think he passed out.. guys 2: should we call 911? girl 3: omg what happened???? guy 3: i dont think we should call 911, come on we gotta go guy 4: oh wow guy 5: *touches the subject* hey man, are you alright? subject: *gets up* yeah im coo :D

[Foamy4life]

That is sick, shoot them.

[dham83]

This video is a good example of why people won't help others in need of aid. Most people are like sheep, while only a selected few of us are "leaders". The leader-type people are more inclined to help where as the sheep are not. Therefore: if you see someone in need, don't heed the conformist in you, assist.

[nashvegas20]

awesome comment

[PirateXzibit]

that is sick.

[imacoony]

WTF? why are people just watching???? call 911!