Bystander Effect - people watch girl being abducted

When there's only one person around in a situation, they're much more likely to lend assistance to people in need, whether it's to help pick up something they're dropped or something more important like warn them they're about to step into traffic, etc.

When there's a group of people, though, no one acts. They all expect someone else will do it, so no one volunteers or pauses.

This is honestly a chilling video to watch. I don't have kids but it catches my breath when the two men catch on that something's going on and without any verbal communication between them, only similar body language (ie their mutual movement in that direction) it's amazing to me that, while they're both intently watching the man they are approaching, there is a single second when they Both launch into action, again without communicating anything verbally, but something triggers the same response from both men. How fascinating! It reminds me of wild lions in Africa who are following their prey but something simultaneously all animals involved and they leap to action.

I'm teaching a Social Psychology class right now and am really getting intrigued by the idea of how we send and receive communication without speaking. What is it about that situation that influenced those men though others around them didn't bother? And what was it in that single second where they both jump into a run? Was it that the man let the girl's arm go and started to run off himself? It's amazing to me.

See what you think? I showed this to a fellow teacher who has two daughters. It's scary to think that people would pass. The girl int his video was doing everything right - yelling over and over "You're not my dad! Someone help me!" It didn't do her any good, did it?

• Category

  Education

[EMANON92993]

Kudos to those black dudes they were about to kill that guy

[Eric Hunter]

Nah, just humans, more human than those other people that walked on. More heart.

[BoM45]

There really are a lot of racists on this page, two white couples DO NOT represent the entire Caucasian race, in the same way that negative videos objectifying African Americans or Hispanics DO NOT represent their respective races either. Instead of being racist pricks how about everyone praise the HUMAN BEINGS who tried to save the girl, and criticize the HUMAN BEINGS who ignored her cries. Leave race at the door, it has NOTHING to do with this video.

[jaremyhawk]

wow he sounds like peter grifen LOL haha

[Louie Bruno]

Those black guys would have vaporized that guy

[Kailah Chavis]

There the ones your afraid of who your stereotyping African american people. But there also the only one who saved your kids life.

[vicki robin]

Id help that kid no matter what, fake or not.

[Justin Venn]

No you'd end up getting abducted too. And they'd chop you up in little pieces

[Justin Venn]

Go Suck a Dick Fag!

[RastabanPrincess89]

3 dudes. The last guy was in the car... He would have had to park and those other idiots were just walking by. That dude was ready to just jump straight out of his car. Awesome.

[AauRaReVo]

at least there is some goodness in the world

[Hanna Evans]

unbelievable !!!! so proud of those men at the end