Psychology MCAT Practice Exam

The phenomenon where individuals are reluctant to help victims when others are present is known as the bystander effect. This concept illustrates that the presence of multiple bystanders can create a situation where individuals feel less personal responsibility to intervene in an emergency. The more people that are present, the more individuals may assume that someone else will take action, leading to a paralysis of collective inaction.

The bystander effect is often cited in psychological studies, particularly following real-life incidents where help was not offered due to a crowd being present. It emphasizes the social dynamics at play in emergency situations, highlighting how the behavior of others can influence an individual's likelihood to act.

In contrast, groupthink refers to a situation where a group makes faulty or ineffective decisions for the sake of reaching a consensus, often overlooking alternative viewpoints or critical thinking. Social facilitation describes how the presence of others can enhance an individual's performance on simple or well-learned tasks, rather than inhibit helping behavior. Diffusion of responsibility, while relevant and a contributing factor to the bystander effect, specifically refers to the reduced sense of obligation each individual feels to take action when more people are present, rather than the broader phenomenon of passive bystandership itself.

Thus, the bystander effect accurately represents the reluctance