Kitty Genovese and The Bystander Effect

The brutal murder of Catherine "Kitty" Genovese in 1964 stands as one of the most significant cases in the history of social psychology, fundamentally changing our understanding of human behaviour in crises. This tragic event shocked New York City and led to groundbreaking research into what would become known as The Bystander Effect.

The Case

On March 13, 1964, in the Kew Gardens neighbourhood of Queens, New York City, Kitty Genovese, a 28-year-old woman, was brutally attacked and murdered while returning home from work late at night. What makes this case particularly disturbing is not just the heinousness of the crime itself, but the fact that it reportedly occurred in the presence of numerous witnesses who failed to intervene or even call for help.

The Birth of The Bystander Effect

The Kitty Genovese case became a landmark in psychology and sociology due to its insights into the phenomenon known as The Bystander Effect. This theory was coined by John Darley and Bibb Latané, two psychologists who have conducted extensive research into this phenomenon. They posit this theory that individuals are less likely to help a victim when others are present. The presence of multiple bystanders can lead to diffusion of responsibility, where each person assumes that someone else will take action, resulting in inaction from the group as a whole. The more bystanders observed in an emergency, the less likely anyone will take action to assist the victim.

Research from Darley and Latane

One notable case study is the Intercom Study by Darlye and Latane in 1968, designed to test the prediction that the more bystanders witness the emergency, the less likely any one of them is to intervene and provide help.

The study involved 70 university students as participants, and they were placed in individual rooms with intercom systems to discuss college life issues. These student participants did not know that they were speaking to pre-recorded voices. During the conversation, one of the pre-recorded participants would simulate a seizure, asking for help incoherently. The students were divided into three groups: one with no bystanders, one with two bystanders, and one with five bystanders. The researchers measured how long it took for participants to react and get help for the seizing participant. If the reaction time exceeded 6 minutes, the experiment ended. Afterwards, students were debriefed and completed questionnaires about the study.

It was found that  When participants thought they were the only ones who could help, 85% of them immediately left the room and asked for assistance. However, when there were two other bystanders in the conversation, the number of people who left the room to find help dropped to 64%. In the situation with four bystanders, only 31% of participants searched for help. The number of bystanders had a major effect on the participant’s reaction to the emergency. 

Therefore, it was found that the more people / more bystanders there were, the less likely a person would initiate and find help in response to an emergency, reinforcing The Bystander Effect. 

Modern Reassessment of The Bystander Effect

The Intercom Study could be considered an extremely outdated source, considering it was published almost 60 years ago. But we can still observe The Bystander Effect in today’s society.

In today's interconnected world, the bystander effect has evolved beyond physical spaces into digital realms. Social media platforms have created new contexts where people witness cyberbullying, harassment, or calls for help, yet often fail to intervene. The same psychological mechanisms that affected witnesses in the Genovese case now operate in virtual spaces, where countless users might see concerning content but assume others will report or respond.

The diffusion of responsibility has become particularly pronounced in digital spaces, where:

• Users can easily scroll past troubling content

• The perceived anonymity reduces personal accountability

• The vast number of other users creates a stronger diffusion of responsibility

• Geographic distance from incidents can decrease feelings of urgency to act

  
  

Combating the Bystander Effect can be difficult as it requires addressing not only the psychological barriers that inhibit intervention but also the unique challenges posed by digital platforms. Strategies for countering the modern manifestations of the bystander effect in online environments may involve targeted education on digital citizenship, promoting online empathy and responsibility, and developing algorithms or features that encourage bystander intervention. By acknowledging the evolving nature of the bystander effect and adapting interventions to suit contemporary contexts, we can work towards creating a more compassionate and responsive digital society.

Works Cited

Team, T.A. (2019). Who were Latane and Darley? AP® Psychology Bystander Effect Review. [online] Albert Swag. Available at: https://www.albert.io/blog/latane-and-darley-ap-psychology-bystander-effect-review/ [Accessed 28 Dec. 2024].

Weinman, S. (2016). Why we still look away: Kitty Genovese, James Bulger and the bystander effect. [online] the Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/apr/09/kitty-genovese-jamie-bulger-bystander-effect [Accessed 28 Dec. 2024].