What term describes the phenomenon where bystanders are less likely to take responsibility for helping in the presence of others?

The phenomenon where bystanders are less likely to take responsibility for helping in the presence of others is known as diffusion of responsibility. This concept arises from the idea that when individuals are part of a group, each person feels less personal accountability to intervene in a crisis or to offer assistance because they believe that someone else will take action. This reduction in personal responsibility is influenced by the presence of others, leading to a higher likelihood that no one will help at all, as people tend to look to each other for cues on how to behave.

Recognizing diffusion of responsibility is crucial for understanding social behavior in emergency situations and can explain why an individual might not act when witnessing someone in need. The presence of others often creates a sense of shared responsibility, which can diminish the motivation to engage, leading to the unfortunate outcome where help is delayed or not rendered at all.

In contrast, the other terms provide different insights into social interactions. Audience inhibition refers to hesitation to act because of the presence of others who may be watching, social influence describes how individuals change their behavior based on others in a social context, and groupthink is a mode of thinking that occurs when a group values harmony and conformity over critical evaluation, leading to poor decision-making. These are separate concepts that