In the bystander effect, how does increasing the number of bystanders affect the likelihood that someone will help a person in distress?

• A. Decreases
• B. Increases
• C. Stays the same
• D. Increases then decreases

Answer: (A)

As the number of bystanders increases, the likelihood that any one person will intervene decreases. This happens because responsibility is spread among the group, so everyone assumes someone else will help and their own personal obligation weakens. In larger crowds, people also look to others for cues about how to act; if no one else reacts, individuals may interpret the situation as less urgent (a phenomenon called pluralistic ignorance). All of this lowers the chance that someone will step forward to assist, compared to when there are fewer or just one bystander. Of course, if the situation is unmistakably urgent or if someone is clearly in a position to help, intervention is more likely.