In an emergency, everyone looks to others, who are looking to them, and thus everyone appears calm so we think it is not an emergency. Latané and Darley call this:
A) coactor continuation
B) social facilitation
C) social exhaustion
D) pluralistic ignorance

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Pluralistic ignorance occurs when individuals in a group privately reject a norm, but assume incorrectly that others accept it, and thus go along with it. In the context of emergencies, people may look to others to determine whether or not an emergency is occurring, and if everyone appears calm, they may assume that there is no emergency and not take action. This phenomenon is known as pluralistic ignorance.

In an Emergency, Everyone Looks to Others, Who Are Looking