In the context of bystander intervention, what is the meaning of 'diffusion of responsibility'?

In the context of bystander intervention, 'diffusion of responsibility' refers to the phenomenon where individuals feel less compelled to take action in an emergency situation when there are other people present. This psychological principle suggests that as the number of bystanders increases, the sense of personal responsibility to intervene decreases for each individual. They may think that someone else will step in to help, leading to inaction during critical moments.

This is seen in social psychology studies, such as those conducted by Darley and Latane, which demonstrated that when people believe others are witnessing an emergency, they often assume that someone else will take the responsibility to act, resulting in a slower response or no response at all. Therefore, people may be less likely to assist a person in need if they perceive that others are available to help, ultimately contributing to the failure of helping behavior in group settings.