Bystander effect
Discussion
It’s a strange one, isn’t it?
Out in Plymouth last night, not late, and walking along a busy promenade by the marina. There’s a shingle beach literally just below the walkway. Lots of people passing by, and a bloke slumped in a slightly un-natural position on the beach just below the walkway. Bit scruffy but not majorly so, and looking like he could have fallen there.
Nobody bloody stopped. Now, my terms of reference are obviously a bit skewed since I’m full time in the emergency services and an on-call RNLI crewman, but I jumped straight down and tried to rouse him, checking for a pulse etc etc. He came to and was fine.
I suppose I was quite confident that me and my 6’7” partner could have handled any potential threat, and I am a lifeboat casualty carer so I knew what to look for.
What’s the line though? Old lady calling for help? Guy in a suit? Would they have warranted a response?
I know people are nervous in everyday life, but come on, how can you walk past someone not really knowing if they’re alright or dying in a heap? Are people really that callous, or scared?
I’m unsure of the moral of the story as the bloke seemed quite ‘vulnerable’ and ended up trying to accompany us to the steakhouse, but my conscience couldn’t have let me pass without knowing...
Out in Plymouth last night, not late, and walking along a busy promenade by the marina. There’s a shingle beach literally just below the walkway. Lots of people passing by, and a bloke slumped in a slightly un-natural position on the beach just below the walkway. Bit scruffy but not majorly so, and looking like he could have fallen there.
Nobody bloody stopped. Now, my terms of reference are obviously a bit skewed since I’m full time in the emergency services and an on-call RNLI crewman, but I jumped straight down and tried to rouse him, checking for a pulse etc etc. He came to and was fine.
I suppose I was quite confident that me and my 6’7” partner could have handled any potential threat, and I am a lifeboat casualty carer so I knew what to look for.
What’s the line though? Old lady calling for help? Guy in a suit? Would they have warranted a response?
I know people are nervous in everyday life, but come on, how can you walk past someone not really knowing if they’re alright or dying in a heap? Are people really that callous, or scared?
I’m unsure of the moral of the story as the bloke seemed quite ‘vulnerable’ and ended up trying to accompany us to the steakhouse, but my conscience couldn’t have let me pass without knowing...
A lot of the time people are just not paying attention. They live in their own bubble and unless someone directly speaks to them they just see everything else as noise.
My wife is like this, she could literally walk past a gold bar, lost child, a dead body, small puppy... ok not the puppy but you see what I mean.
She is not a bad person just lack of observation really.
Then there are the people who refuse to stop and help after they have seen something because they have places too go, their own worries, not keen on confrontation etc etc.
You cant rely on help from anyone these days and a lot of people who do stop the first thing they do is grab their phone and start filming, and not because they want to help either.
My wife is like this, she could literally walk past a gold bar, lost child, a dead body, small puppy... ok not the puppy but you see what I mean.
She is not a bad person just lack of observation really.
Then there are the people who refuse to stop and help after they have seen something because they have places too go, their own worries, not keen on confrontation etc etc.
You cant rely on help from anyone these days and a lot of people who do stop the first thing they do is grab their phone and start filming, and not because they want to help either.
A couple of months ago a woman tripped at the end of an escalator in the underground and face-planted the floor, and she didn't get up straight away. People literally stepped over her rather than see if she was okay. She wasn't really with it when we stopped to help but gradually came to.
Yet, everyone couldn't wait to stop and watch when a young lad threw himself off a car park in Derby a few years ago. They were even kind enough to shout encouragement.
Yet, everyone couldn't wait to stop and watch when a young lad threw himself off a car park in Derby a few years ago. They were even kind enough to shout encouragement.
I was dressed in smart jeans and a smart coat
Crossing the road in the centre of Southampton and lost my footing on black ice
I knocked my head as I remember coming around, think I’d gone out for 1 or 2 seconds
I then remember cars driving around me, not one car stopped to even let me get up, let alone get out and help
I don’t look like a tramp, chav or a drink
I was amazed by how selfish people are
Crossing the road in the centre of Southampton and lost my footing on black ice
I knocked my head as I remember coming around, think I’d gone out for 1 or 2 seconds
I then remember cars driving around me, not one car stopped to even let me get up, let alone get out and help
I don’t look like a tramp, chav or a drink
I was amazed by how selfish people are
Good lad.
I bloody hate this though because i’m first aid trained so always stop and worry that it will be worst case scenario.
Last week I got off the train in London, 7:30am and there was a big lump sat on a bench crying his eyes out. Not being a big lump I alerted the staff just in case but I’d be willing to bet my life savings on it that not a single other commuter paid any attention.
Good on you OP. Be the change you want to see.
I bloody hate this though because i’m first aid trained so always stop and worry that it will be worst case scenario.
Last week I got off the train in London, 7:30am and there was a big lump sat on a bench crying his eyes out. Not being a big lump I alerted the staff just in case but I’d be willing to bet my life savings on it that not a single other commuter paid any attention.
Good on you OP. Be the change you want to see.
HairyMaclary said:
Dominating the promenade!
I like the cut of your gib.
If it had been in Kent, it would have been dominating the Broadstairs..I like the cut of your gib.
I would usually get involved, if only asking if they were ok, but my job is related to the ambulance service, so I am used to seeing people in situations.
red_slr said:
A lot of the time people are just not paying attention. They live in their own bubble and unless someone directly speaks to them they just see everything else as noise.
My wife is like this, she could literally walk past a gold bar, lost child, a dead body, small puppy... ok not the puppy but you see what I mean.
She is not a bad person just lack of observation really.
I wish i was like this. I tend to observe a lot of things which i do not wish to see - drug dealing, scroates on the rob, dodgy drivers, etc. etc. Drives me crackers. My wife is like this, she could literally walk past a gold bar, lost child, a dead body, small puppy... ok not the puppy but you see what I mean.
She is not a bad person just lack of observation really.
Missus also totally in a bubble.
An old dear went artefact over tip in town so I went to help. Fairly deep gash in the scalp though she was compus, if shocked. An ambulance had already been summoned and a local shop brought cushions, which wound up bloodstained. The paramedics took her away in the ambulance.
But no way would I stop for the proverbial damsel 'in distress' in the middle of nowhere. Too many carjackings and too much personal attack risk.
I'd think Wot, no mobile? And drive on.
But no way would I stop for the proverbial damsel 'in distress' in the middle of nowhere. Too many carjackings and too much personal attack risk.
I'd think Wot, no mobile? And drive on.
deebs said:
There's some evidence that the likelihood of people stoping to help can depend not on their morals but on how pressed for time they believe themselves to be.
Source as far as I can remember is "predictably irrational" by Dan Airley.
It's also to do with how many people are around. Source as far as I can remember is "predictably irrational" by Dan Airley.
More people being around makes individuals less likely to act. Everyone thinks that someone else will sort it.
SpunkyGlory said:
A couple of months ago a woman tripped at the end of an escalator in the underground and face-planted the floor, and she didn't get up straight away. People literally stepped over her rather than see if she was okay. She wasn't really with it when we stopped to help but gradually came to.
Yet, everyone couldn't wait to stop and watch when a young lad threw himself off a car park in Derby a few years ago. They were even kind enough to shout encouragement.
Not surprised by the bit in bold - i've seen posters on here over the years, normally on threads / posts relating to motorway / road closures by the Police that relate to potential suicidal behaviour, saying things like the Police should just shove them off if they refuse to move, that people should encourage them to jump, etc, all so that the road can be re-opened quicker Yet, everyone couldn't wait to stop and watch when a young lad threw himself off a car park in Derby a few years ago. They were even kind enough to shout encouragement.
dxg said:
deebs said:
There's some evidence that the likelihood of people stoping to help can depend not on their morals but on how pressed for time they believe themselves to be.
Source as far as I can remember is "predictably irrational" by Dan Airley.
It's also to do with how many people are around. Source as far as I can remember is "predictably irrational" by Dan Airley.
More people being around makes individuals less likely to act. Everyone thinks that someone else will sort it.
There is however quite a lot of emergent studies showing bystander effect may not really exist out in the real world (such as https://www.newscientist.com/article/2207693-bysta...
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