An explanation from back when America was great.
The 1964 murder of Kitty Genovese in NYC, initially reported as having 38 silent witnesses, inspired psychologists
John Darley and
Bibb Latané to define the "bystander effect". This phenomenon suggests that the presence of others inhibits individuals from intervening in emergencies due to a
diffusion of responsibility. While foundational, this case is now known to be inaccurately reported.
Key Details Regarding the Incident and Effect:
- The Incident (1964): On March 13, 1964, Kitty Genovese was stabbed to death outside her Queens apartment. A subsequent New York Times report claimed 38 witnesses saw or heard the attack, yet did nothing.
- The Bystander Effect Defined:
Psychologists John Darley and Bibb Latané used this case to study why people fail to help in emergencies
. They found that the more people present, the less likely any one person is to intervene (diffusion of responsibility)
.
- Social Influence: Individuals in a group monitor the reactions of others to determine if a situation is a true emergency, often leading to inaction (pluralistic ignorance).
- Historical Inaccuracies: Later investigations found the original Times report to be highly exaggerated; there were not 38 witnesses, and some did try to help or call the police.
- Legacy: Despite the factual errors, the case remains a landmark in psychology for highlighting how social context impacts individual action.
