Final answer:
The bystander effect and diffusion of responsibility are psychological phenomena that describe how individuals are less likely to offer help in emergencies when they are part of a group, due to a shared sense of responsibility and influences of the social context.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of the bystander effect and its underlying mechanism, diffusion of responsibility, are significant topics in social psychology. The bystander effect occurs when individuals in the presence of others are less likely to help someone in distress due to a perceived diffusion of responsibility across the group. Notable experiments by Latané and Darley (1968) and the tragic case of Kitty Genovese illustrate how the number of witnesses can inversely relate to the likelihood of intervention. Furthermore, concepts like deindividuation can also impact social behavior, where individuals feel less accountability and restraint, possibly leading to less prosocial behavior.
When discussing prosocial behavior, it's important to mention the role of social influence and the decision-making process in emergency situations. Social psychologists argue that the decision to help is primarily influenced by the social context rather than individual personality traits. This explains why in some situations, such as witnessing a cyberbullying incident or an accident on the freeway, people may assume that others will take action, reducing the likelihood that they will intervene themselves.