A man in a wheelchair is waiting at a subway station with several other people,when he gets swarmed by a group of unruly teens-they poke fun at him and race him up and down the station platform in his chair.Why do the witnesses do nothing?
A) The more bystanders there are,the less responsibility each person feels to intervene.
B) People might have assumed the victim was acquainted with his assailants.
C) People do not like to interfere in other people's business.
D) Everyone is too frightened to intervene;they all fear for their own safety.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This situation is an example of the bystander effect, where the presence of multiple bystanders decreases the likelihood that any one individual will intervene. The diffusion of responsibility among the witnesses reduces their sense of individual responsibility to intervene in the situation.

A Man in a Wheelchair Is Waiting at a Subway