How does the bystander effect influence altruistic behavior?

The bystander effect can decrease altruistic behaviour in individuals.

The bystander effect is a phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help in an emergency situation when there are other people present. This is because individuals assume that someone else will intervene and take responsibility, leading to a diffusion of responsibility. This can decrease altruistic behaviour as individuals feel less personally responsible for helping.

Research has shown that the presence of others can significantly decrease the likelihood of individuals offering help in emergency situations. For example, in the famous case of Kitty Genovese, who was murdered in front of multiple witnesses, none of the witnesses intervened to help. This can be attributed to the bystander effect, as each individual assumed that someone else would take responsibility.

However, the bystander effect can be reduced by increasing the perceived responsibility of individuals. This can be achieved by singling out individuals and directly asking for their help, or by increasing the salience of the emergency situation. For example, if someone is clearly in distress and calling out for help, individuals are more likely to intervene.

Overall, the bystander effect can have a significant impact on altruistic behaviour, as individuals are less likely to offer help in emergency situations when there are others present. However, by increasing the perceived responsibility of individuals, the bystander effect can be reduced, leading to an increase in altruistic behaviour.