I will remember The Bystander Effect along with the related pluralistic ignorance and diffusion of responsibility. I remember hearing about the story about the 16-year-old girl that became an tragic victim of bystander nonintervention. It is so sad! Reading about bystander nonintervention is really scary...because I noticed myself nodding along, agreeing! I would like to think of myself as a helpful, good person the wouldn't hesitate to help someone in distress, but now I have to wonder. I know I've experienced pluralistic ignorance. Granted, it wasn't in a serious situation, but I am still surprised at how easily I dismissed a situation simply because nobody else was reacting...its a vicious cycle. And, unfortunately, I've experienced the diffusion of responsibility. My most vivid memory of this is from childhood when my brother and a few of our neighbor-friends thought it would be a good idea to have a water fight...in our bathroom. And when the possible punishment and ruined bathroom (outcome) seemed less of a big deal when there were more people implicated in the situation. While most of my experiences are laughable, I will remember these concepts in order to avoid a more serious situation where a person, rather than a bathroom, could be at stake. Thankfully, the enlightenment effect offers hope that keeping these concepts in mind will actually help me avoid them.
