[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-50210-en":3,"doc-seo-50210-105":29,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":93},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":4,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":20,"is_downloadable":20,"audit_status":20,"page_count":21,"language":22,"language_code":23,"site_id":24,"html_lang":23,"table_of_contents":25,"faqs":26,"seo_title":13,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":27,"read_time":28},50210,7971461741311,"Ophelia","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/74000253aff267980c6?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1779345379180704826",7,"Healthcare","Don't Be a Bystander","“The bystander effect” describes why people may hesitate to help during emergencies when others are present, leading to delayed action and tragic outcomes. The text cites research from the British Heart Foundation about CPR and calling ambulances, and discusses the Kitty Genovese case as a widely known example. It explains mechanisms such as diffusion of responsibility and pluralistic ignorance, then emphasizes self-awareness as the best antidote: act as you would when alone—call for help or an ambulance immediately.","# Don't Be ABystander\n\nThe bystander effect seespeople simply standingby rather than helping incase of an emergency  \nONE OF US like to thinkwe'd walk on by whensomeone needed ourhelp.But sometimeswe behave in ways wewouldn't expect when confrontedwith a situation we are unsure about.While we might like to think wewould rush to someone's assistance,we know from studies that oftenpeople hang back and this can havetragic consequences.  \nResearch from the British HeartFoundation has suggested that a  \nMax is a hospital doctor,author and columnist.Hecurrently works full-time inmental health for the NHS.His new book,TheMarvellous Adventure ofBeing Human,is out now  \nthird of people would not performCPR if they saw someone collapse onthe street,with some even admittingthey wouldn't call an ambulance.I don't blame people for this—it'seasy to see how this can happen.Weconvince ourselves we aren't the bestperson to help,or that maybe we areoverreacting or misunderstand what'shappening.We don't want to lookfoolish or wade in when the situationis already in hand.Yet this cansometimes mean that no one helpswhen,in fact,someone desperatelyneeds it.  \nOne of the most famous examplesof this is the tragic case of KittyGenovese who was fatally stabbedin Kew Gardens,New York,in 1964.  \nSubsequent investigations concludedthat several people saw or heardwhat was happening,but did nothingto intervene [although some of thedetails have since been called intoquestion].This has been termed the“bystander effect”—a well-knownpsychological phenomenon wherebyindividuals are less likely to offer helpto someone when other people arepresent.The more people there are,the less likely they are to help.  \nFollowing this case,psychologyexperiments were done to explorethe bystander effect in more detail  \nONCE PEOPLEAREAWARE OF THEBYSTANDER EFFECT,THEY ARE LESS LIKELYTO BE AFFECTED  \nand they found how widespread itwas.I've actually come across manyseparate examples of this during myworking life.  \nWhen I worked with homelesspeople,I remember often comingacross individuals collapsed on thestreet whom people were literallystepping over.One of them died infront of me as I called the ambulance.Who knows if she'd still be here ifsomeone had called them earlierrather than stepping over her.  \nThere are various factors  \ncontributing to this effect—peoplethink that others will get involvedor intervene(called “diffusion ofresponsibility”).Afterwards peopleoften say they did not feel qualifiedor senior or important enough to bethe one to intervene.It is also partlydown to “pluralistic ignorance”一since everyone is not reacting to theemergency,they don't need to either;it's not serious because no one else isdoing anything.  \nAfter a serious incident wherepeople have been affected by thebystander effect,they are oftenhorrified that they didn't do  \nanything—they can't believe they hadnot realised it was more serious orthat they didn't think to get involved.The important thing to understandthough is that other studies haveshown that once people are awareof the bystander effect,they are lesslikely to be affected by it  \nSelf-awareness is the best antidoteto it.When confronted with an  \nemergency,think to yourself how youwould behave if you were on yourown.Ignore everyone else and howthey are behaving and go with yourgut—if you'd call an ambulance,doit.If you'd run for help,do it.If that'show you would have behaved whenyou were on your own,then that'sprobably the right course of action.  \nThe worst that can happen isyou'll look a little foolish at havingoverreacted.You might also savesomeone's life.■","cbCaiu0JlSY25xrL","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiu0JlSY25xrL","pdf",695974,1,2,"English","en",105,"# Don't Be a Bystander\n## Key findings and research\n## The Kitty Genovese case\n## Why people hesitate\n## Self-awareness as an antidote","[{\"question\":\"What is the bystander effect and how does it affect emergency response?\",\"answer\":\"The bystander effect is a psychological phenomenon where people are less likely to offer help when other people are present. The more bystanders there are, the less likely individuals are to intervene.\"},{\"question\":\"What research is mentioned regarding calling an ambulance and performing CPR?\",\"answer\":\"Research from the British Heart Foundation suggests a third of people would not perform CPR if they saw someone collapse, and some would not call an ambulance.\"},{\"question\":\"What factors contribute to people not intervening?\",\"answer\":\"The text highlights diffusion of responsibility, where people assume others will step in, and pluralistic ignorance, where people think the situation isn’t serious because nobody else reacts.\"},{\"question\":\"How can someone reduce the risk of freezing during an emergency?\",\"answer\":\"The text recommends self-awareness: when faced with an emergency, imagine how you would act if you were alone, then follow your instincts—such as calling an ambulance or running for help.\"}]",1783579951,5,{"code":4,"msg":30,"data":31},"ok",{"site_id":24,"language":23,"slug":32,"title":13,"keywords":33,"description":14,"schema_data":34,"social_meta":88,"head_meta":90,"extra_data":92,"updated_unix":27},"dont-be-a-bystander","",{"@graph":35,"@context":87},[36,52,66],{"@type":37,"itemListElement":38},"BreadcrumbList",[39,43,46,49],{"item":40,"name":41,"@type":42,"position":20},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":44,"name":45,"@type":42,"position":21},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",{"item":47,"name":12,"@type":42,"position":48},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":50,"name":13,"@type":42,"position":51},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/dont-be-a-bystander/50210/",4,{"url":50,"name":13,"@type":53,"author":54,"headline":13,"publisher":56,"fileFormat":59,"inLanguage":23,"description":14,"dateModified":60,"datePublished":60,"encodingFormat":59,"isAccessibleForFree":61,"interactionStatistic":62},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":55},"Person",{"url":40,"name":57,"@type":58},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-07-09",true,{"@type":63,"interactionType":64,"userInteractionCount":4},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":65},"ViewAction",{"@type":67,"mainEntity":68},"FAQPage",[69,75,79,83],{"name":70,"@type":71,"acceptedAnswer":72},"What is the bystander effect and how does it affect emergency response?","Question",{"text":73,"@type":74},"The bystander effect is a psychological phenomenon where people are less likely to offer help when other people are present. The more bystanders there are, the less likely individuals are to intervene.","Answer",{"name":76,"@type":71,"acceptedAnswer":77},"What research is mentioned regarding calling an ambulance and performing CPR?",{"text":78,"@type":74},"Research from the British Heart Foundation suggests a third of people would not perform CPR if they saw someone collapse, and some would not call an ambulance.",{"name":80,"@type":71,"acceptedAnswer":81},"What factors contribute to people not intervening?",{"text":82,"@type":74},"The text highlights diffusion of responsibility, where people assume others will step in, and pluralistic ignorance, where people think the situation isn’t serious because nobody else reacts.",{"name":84,"@type":71,"acceptedAnswer":85},"How can someone reduce the risk of freezing during an emergency?",{"text":86,"@type":74},"The text recommends self-awareness: when faced with an emergency, imagine how you would act if you were alone, then follow your instincts—such as calling an ambulance or running for help.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":50,"og:type":89,"og:title":13,"og:site_name":57,"og:description":14},"article",{"robots":91,"canonical":50},"index,follow",{"doc_id":7,"site_id":24},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":94},[95,99,103,107,111,116,119,124,129,132,136],{"id":20,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":45,"category_name":96,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":98},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":21,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":45,"category_name":100,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":51,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":45,"category_name":104,"show_sort_weight":105,"slug":106},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":28,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":45,"category_name":108,"show_sort_weight":109,"slug":110},"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":112,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":45,"category_name":113,"show_sort_weight":114,"slug":115},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":11,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":45,"category_name":12,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},40,"healthcare",{"id":120,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":45,"category_name":121,"show_sort_weight":122,"slug":123},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":125,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":45,"category_name":126,"show_sort_weight":127,"slug":128},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":45,"category_name":130,"show_sort_weight":127,"slug":131},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":133,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":45,"category_name":134,"show_sort_weight":133,"slug":135},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":137,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":45,"category_name":138,"show_sort_weight":28,"slug":139},19,"General","general"]