Final answer:
A bystander is someone who is present but does not take part in an event or incident. The bystander effect is a psychological concept indicating that people are less likely to help when others are present due to diffusion of responsibility. It's important to recognize and overcome this effect to ensure assistance is given in times of need.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term bystander refers to a person who is present at an event or incident but does not take part. Important to note is the bystander effect, a psychological phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present. The concept is closely linked to diffusion of responsibility, where each individual's sense of responsibility to act decreases as the number of witnesses increases.
This effect was famously studied after the 1964 murder of Kitty Genovese, where it was believed that despite many witnesses, no one intervened to help. Later research showed that some did indeed try to help or call authorities, which has led to a reevaluation of the bystander effect. Nevertheless, the case remains a classic example of how our propensity to intervene can be influenced by the presence of others.
We observe this behavior in various situations such as in emergencies, where it is mistakenly believed that others must have already reported the incident. Social psychologists encourage us to be aware of this bias and take active steps in emergency situations, overriding the bystander effect to ensure help is provided to those in need.