Introduce (5 mins).

How many people have ever been in a situation where someone needed help and
you either didnt help or thought about helping too late?
Were going to be talking a bit about the Bystander Effect one of the most
popular concepts in social psychology

Give scenarios (10 mins).

You are going to be getting into pairs of two. Im going to be giving you 10
scenarios about someone needing help in different situations. Some of them are
very similar, but there are subtle differences so read them carefully.
Once you read through them, put them in order of which one you are most likely to
intervene to least likely to intervene. IMPORTANT - Think about why you would or
wouldnt intervene and be prepared to share that.

Discuss (5 mins).
Which scenario did you put first? Which did you put last? Why?

Give context (5 mins).

How many have heard the story of Kitty Genovese?
o The traditional story was that she was a woman who lived in NYC who was
stabbed outside her apartment building. It has been reported that there were
38 witnesses who did nothing to help her. This story is now a little contested,
its now believed that there were not 38 witnesses, and many people did try
to help.
o That being said, it was a landmark incident in North America that prompted a
lot of buzz and research on what is now known as the Bystander Effect and
the Diffusion of Responsibility
Can anyone define one of those terms?
o BE - 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
o DR - person is less likely to take responsibility for action or inaction when
others are present. Considered a form of attribution, the individual assumes
that others either are responsible for taking action or have already done so.
Does anyone know about any other studies or examples of the Bystander Effect?
o Latane & Darley
o Brock Turner
o Homeless people
Does anyone have a personal experience with this?

Discuss (5 mins).
What factors do you think influence peoples decision to intervene or not
intervene? Talk with your partner for a few minutes about it before we discuss as a
group
Factors
o Notice that something is happening
o Interpret what we are seeing as something that needs our attention
o Decide that we have a responsibility to help
 o Share a common social identity
o Fear harm
o Lack of competence
o Believe someone else will take action
On a bitterly cold day, an older woman struggles to shovel her car out of its
parking spot on a busy street. There are a number of pedestrians on the
sidewalk and cars passing by who notice her.

On a bitterly cold day, a young man struggles to shovel his car out of its
parking spot on an empty street. There are no other cars or pedestrians on
the road that you can see.

As you and your friends exit a bar at 1:00 a.m., several men outside are
arguing. Two of the men are shouting loudly at a third man who appears to
be backing away from them. The two men move toward the lone man and
start waving their arms as he backs up against a wall. There is no one else
around.

As you and your friends exit a bar at 1:00 a.m., a man and a woman outside
are arguing. The man is shouting loudly at the woman who appears to be
backing away from him. The two men move toward the lone man and start
waving their arms as he backs up against a wall. A group of people exiting
the tavern notice the situation.

You wake up in the middle of the night hearing screaming, crying, yelling
and banging from a neighbours house. You have never spoken to these
neighbours before.

You wake up in the middle of the night hearing your two roommates
screaming, yelling and banging from the hall. You have been living with
these roommates for almost a year now, and know they argue frequently.

You are walking home from a party with a friend and see a young student so
drunk that they can barely walk stumble toward a nearby parked car, keys
in hand. You have never seen this person before.
You are working out at the gym and this guy is always there hitting on
women. On this one occasion you notice he is taking a picture of a girls butt
with his cell phone while she is working out on the treadmill.