Diffusion of Responsibility

[bongo_man]

Last year in my anthropology class we learned about a social phenomenon called diffusion of responsibility. Diffusion of responsibility usually occurs in large groups where the responsibility to take action is diffused amongst the persons. A distinct example our teacher gave us was the stabbing and raping of Kitty Genovese:

 

 

Genovese had driven home from her job working as a bar manager late on the night of March 13, 1964. Arriving home at about 3:15 a.m. and parking about 100 feet (30 m) from her apartment's door, which was around the rear of the building, she was approached by Winston Moseley, a black male who worked as a business machine operator.^[2] Moseley ran after her and quickly overtook her, stabbing her twice in the back. Genovese screamed, "Oh my God, he stabbed me! Help me!" Her cry was heard by several neighbors but, on a cold night with the windows closed, only a few of them recognized the sound as a cry for help. When Robert Mozer,^[6] one of the neighbors shouted at the attacker, "Let that girl alone!", Moseley ran away and Genovese slowly made her way toward the rear entrance of her apartment building. She was seriously injured, but now out of view of those few who may have had reason to believe she was in need of help.

 

Records of the earliest calls to police are unclear and were certainly not given a high priority by the police. One witness said his father called police after the initial attack and reported that a woman was "beat up, but got up and was staggering around."^[7]

 

Other witnesses observed Moseley enter his car and drive away only to return ten minutes later. In his car he changed his hat to a wide-rimmed one to shadow his face. He systematically searched the parking lot, train station, and small apartment complex. Eventually he found Genovese who was lying, barely conscious, in a hallway at the back of the building where a locked doorway had prevented her from entering the building. ^[8] Out of view of the street and of those who may have heard or seen any sign of the original attack, he proceeded to further attack her, stabbing her several more times. Knife wounds in her hands suggested that she attempted to defend herself from him. While she lay dying, he raped her. He stole about $49 from her and left her dying in the hallway. The attacks spanned approximately half an hour.

 

A few minutes after the final attack a witness, Karl Ross, called the police. Police arrived within minutes of Ross' call. Genovese was taken away by ambulance at 4:15 am and died en route to the hospital. Later investigation by police and prosecutors revealed that approximately a dozen (but almost certainly not the 38 cited in the Times article) individuals nearby had heard or observed portions of the attack, though none saw or were aware of the entire incident.^[9] Only one witness, Joseph Fink, was aware she was stabbed in the first attack, and only Karl Ross was aware of it in the second attack. Many were entirely unaware that an assault or homicide was in progress; some thought that what they saw or heard was a lovers' quarrel or a drunken brawl or a group of friends leaving the bar when Moseley first approached Genovese.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_Genovese#Attack

The individuals who heard or observed the portions of the attack had the mindset, "It sounds like someone may be in trouble, but I'll let the other neighbours take care of it."

 

Do you find yourself diffusing the responsibility when in large groups? Or do you take action before a situation elevates?

 

I find that in situations where action must be taken I want to help, but think I can't. I end up fearing the repercussions I'll face if I do take action and end up diffusing the responsibility on to someone else.

 

 

[Lenticular_J]

I like to be a leader. I take action if I know how to, and if I don't I attempt to find out or just wing it. It's helpful in dangerous situations - I've broken up a couple of fights that might have ended up worse than they did.

 

I think it would be fun to go help out a fire crew or something like in Mr. Deeds, but I'm pretty sure they actually stop you if you try.

[SeanyTheSailor]

I witnessed a fight once, and i think i was going to intervene if it was getting out of hand, but in all honesty I kinda thought the kid deserved it. So would I have? I don't know.

 

Also on a related note, I think that it's in New York City women are told to yell "FIRE!" if they're being raped, because people will come running.

[warri0r45]

Also on a related note, I think that it's in New York City women are told to yell "FIRE!" if they're being raped, because people will come running.

 

That might just be inventive enough to work. People generally don't like confrontation with criminals when they're doing stuff like this, hence why you see diffusion of responsibility. I'm not saying I'm any better - I'd probably be scared if I saw someone get stabbed/attacked. The most I'd do is call the cops and report what I had seen.

[1_man_army]

It depends on what is the situation is for me, if it was something important I tend to speak up and I would like to think I'm quite assertive. That being said, everyone can say that they would do these things but when it comes to it happening they might react in a way that they didn't expect.

[pegpenguin]

The individuals who heard or observed the portions of the attack had the mindset, "It sounds like someone may be in trouble, but I'll let the other neighbours take care of it."

 

From reading the article I was under the impression the neighbors had the mindset "must be a drunken brawl or a lovers quarrel, nothing to get involved in"

 

And people are cowards, you can't get around that. When it comes to a "fight or flight" situation, humans are more likely to just run for their lives, which is understandable.

 

I'd have called the cops probably, but I know I would never have gone in to investigate myself, I'm 6'5" and weigh a measly 170 lbs. and I'm a pacifist at heart, so I'm not a fighter...

 

And honestly it's the right way to do things. When we get into big civilizations we put a few select people in charge to protect us.

[Bloodstain]

The individuals who heard or observed the portions of the attack had the mindset, "It sounds like someone may be in trouble, but I'll let the other neighbours take care of it."

 

From reading the article I was under the impression the neighbors had the mindset "must be a drunken brawl or a lovers quarrel, nothing to get involved in"

 

And people are cowards, you can't get around that. When it comes to a "fight or flight" situation, humans are more likely to just run for their lives, which is understandable.

 

I'd have called the cops probably, but I know I would never have gone in to investigate myself, I'm 6'5" and weigh a measly 170 lbs. and I'm a pacifist at heart, so I'm not a fighter...

 

And honestly it's the right way to do things. When we get into big civilizations we put a few select people in charge to protect us.

 

The Kitty Genovese case was a known psychological phenomenon where you assume that someone has already/will do something.

 

Eg. You are in a big city and see someone's car broken down on the side of the road, yet do not help. Why? You think someone else will or already has

 

 

However, if you are in a small town you are more likely to help out because there is fewer people around

 

 

Bystander Effect

[Riku3220]

If someone is going to scream "Help! I've been stabbed!" then I'm calling the cops. No reason to be a hero if it just means we'll both be killed.

[aquariusman]

I like to think I'll do something when a situation arises like that. Whether it is simply calling the cops or even going so far as to confront the attacker/help the victim. Of course I can never be sure what I'm going to do in extreme situations, but I've found that I'm willing to enter a conflict in order to end it. Thankfully, I'm a big guy, so I'm never really scared of physical injury when it comes to fights, etc.

[sarg1010]

 

The Kitty Genovese case was a known psychological phenomenon where you assume that someone has already/will do something.

 

Eg. You are in a big city and see someone's car broken down on the side of the road, yet do not help. Why? You think someone else will or already has

 

 

However, if you are in a small town you are more likely to help out because there is fewer people around

 

 

Bystander Effect

There are so many different answers to that question that it makes it irrelevant. You don't know anything about cars so you don't know what to do. That person is just acting, and could possibly rob you when you get out. You are late for a huge meeting, and can't stop to help. So many answers.

 

Honestly, unless it was something pretty big, I probably wouldn't get in the middle of it. What is the point in fighting a person with a gun when they will probably kill you and the person they were going to shoot anyway? Plus, I'm not very strong, and don't like violence much, so I tend to stay out of that situation.

[Bloodstain]

 

There are so many different answers to that question that it makes it irrelevant. You don't know anything about cars so you don't know what to do. That person is just acting, and could possibly rob you when you get out. You are late for a huge meeting, and can't stop to help. So many answers.

 

Honestly, unless it was something pretty big, I probably wouldn't get in the middle of it. What is the point in fighting a person with a gun when they will probably kill you and the person they were going to shoot anyway? Plus, I'm not very strong, and don't like violence much, so I tend to stay out of that situation.

 

Not really. It doesn't matter that you don't know anything about cars, you could pull over and give them a lift, help push their car off the road and into a parking lot, check if they need to use a (cell) phone, etc.

[pegpenguin]

I only said I got the impression they were under a different mindset because the people said it themselves in the article >.> And I live in a small town, but I'm still probably not going to confront someone >.<

 

And it's hard to generalize anything in this world, people are just too different >.>

[Veiva]

I first heard of this when I first read Watchmen. Very terrible incident.

 

I don't know what I would've done in such an incident. For sure I would have called the police, but other than that, I don't think I'd have intervened; not because of diffusion of responsibility, but more out of fear and selfishness. I would love to say I'd have helped, but I can't say honestly that I would.

[Jodie]

My mind set is: Responsibility begins at home. With that being said, situations similar to the one being presented here are definately something I would do something about. If, after quickly analysing the interaction, I thought the party being injured would benefit from my physical involvement, I would step in. If I thought I, too, would be overwhelmed with no hope of actually being successful in helping the party, I would call the Police.

 

It is one thing to take responsibility for keeping your community safe. It is just as important to consider your family during your decision-making process. The latter is a must! (If I had no one else depending on me for their survival, I would definately step in personally wherever and whenever I saw a need.) No "diffusion" here; just priorities considered.