Why does Spectator Syndrome make people not help others?

How the scattered responsibility effect explains why people are less likely to intervene when there are many witnesses around

Imagine the situation: you walk down the street and see how a person has become sick. There are many people around, everyone sees the same thing, but no one is in a hurry to help. You hesitate: maybe someone has already called an ambulance? Why doesn't anyone act? This is a classic example viewer's syndrome <TAG1> psychological phenomenon that makes us not interfere when other witnesses are also present.

Spectator syndrome (or extraneous effect) – is a phenomenon where a person is less likely to assist in an emergency if there are other observers nearby. The more witnesses, the less likely someone is to intervene.

The phenomenon was first investigated in the 1960s by social psychologists John Darley and Beebe Latane after the horrific murder of Kitty Genovese in New York. The woman was fatally shot by the assailant near her home, and although the attack lasted about 30 minutes, none of the numerous witnesses intervened. The case became a symbol of the indifference of the crowd, although it was later revealed that some people had tried to call the police nonetheless.

The main cause of viewer syndrome – is scattered responsibility. When a person is alone with a problem, he realizes that the solution depends on him. However, if there are many witnesses, responsibility seems to dissolve between all those present. People think:

This mechanism works even at the level of small things –, for example, if someone needs to take out the garbage in the office, but no one takes it because everyone thinks someone else should.

In addition to scattered responsibility, there are other factors that influence a person's decision to help or stay away:

🔹 Fear of doing something wrong <TAG1> people may be afraid to intervene because they don't know how to act correctly or fear condemnation from others. <TAG1> Social comparison <TAG1> if others don't react, then the situation may not be so serious. We subconsciously look for clues in the behavior of others. <TAG1> Anonymity <TAG1> in a large crowd, people feel less responsible, because their personality seems to dissolve among others.

Yes! There are ways to help overcome this effect and make society more responsive.

✔ Contact people personally <TAG1> if you need help, don't just call in general, but point to a specific person: – You're wearing a red jacket, call an ambulance!«✔ Take the initiative <TAG1> if you see no one acting, take the first step. This can provoke others to join the aid.✔ Raise awareness <TAG1> understanding the effect of scattered responsibility alone helps people consciously make decisions to help, even when others are silent.

Spectator syndrome – is not a manifestation of indifference, but a natural psychological effect that occurs due to scattered responsibility. However, we can consciously oppose it if we learn to take the initiative and act even when others are passively watching. Sometimes one bold action can change someone's life – or even save them.