Carly Hamilton Blog 1

1. Darley and Latane's "diffusion of responsibility" theory is basically when a person surrounded by other people or in a crowd feels that his or her responsibility to take action is less needed because they figure that there's so many other witnesses that someone else will take charge and their own assistance isn't necessary. The problem is that when everyone thinks this to themselves, there leaves no one left to help. In the Kitty Genovese case there were about 40 neighbors who all heard the screams and witnessed what was going on, yet no one called the police or went down to help Kitty most likely because they figured someone else would take responsibility and do it for them. No one wanted to take the extra effort when they think someone else will do it for them, that's just how people are. Unforuntately, all the neighbors had this same mindset and Kitty suffered because of it. I found a case where a female high school student was drinking with a few guys at school when they suddently started to attack and rape her. apparently there were about 7-12 attackers and at least 12 otehr bystanders. The bystanders just stood there and watched as the girl got gang raped right on school grounds. No one tried to stop the attackers or go and get help at all. Some people even videoed the scene on their phones like it was some source of entertainment. This is an extreme case of "diffusion of responsibility" because the bystanders were probably afraid that if they were the ones to step up and try to stop the attackers then they themselves would be attacked. I think it's terrible what happened to that girl and the fact that NO ONE tried to stop it on a crowded high school campus amazes me. Personally, I would have at least slipped away quietly and gotten a teacher or principal or someone to help.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfY-wndYO5E

2. Although most people fall into the diffusion of responsibility effect, there are always some people who are willing to help under any circumstances. I found a case where a women collapsed in an airport baggage claim from a sudden heart attack and several other passengers (strangers) came running to her aid and found a defibrilator and saved her life. The woman easily would have died without the assistance of the otehr passengers. So as you can see, there are still caring people in the world. A case I witnessed personally also reassured me of this because I was at the beach and there was a couple next to us drinking (pretty drunk) with an almost newborn baby laying in the sand with no shade and crying with sand in its eyed. The mom was passed out in the sand and the dad didn't seem to care so another couple came over and questioned the people and then called the cops because the couple was not cooperating very well. The cops came and i think they even took the baby. This would not have happened if the people didn't come to help the baby and who knows where that baby would be today.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-X07G_NV8w