The Bystander Effect Essay

1795 Words4 Pages

Medically unnecessary: The bystander effect Stacy T. Goldean Liberty University Abstract This paper is a look at the definition of the bystander effect and how it can affect anyone. Included is a personal illustration of how the bystander effect touched the author. This paper also reviewed two peer-reviewed articles. The first article explains how the bystander effect can influence medical professionals from an insiders point of view. The second article defines the bystander effect and conducts research on the most influential causes of the bystander effect. Medically unnecessary: The bystander effect The bystander effect is also known as bystander apathy. This theory holds that individuals are not as likely to offer assistance to a victim …show more content…

Several years ago, I was getting out of my vehicle in the busy parking lot where I worked. I slipped on ice, my legs went in opposite directions and I fell hard on my right kneecap. While I was laying on the ice, a man walked up and asked “Are you okay? Do you need help?’ Through my tears, I said yes that I needed help and he just walked away. I eventually found my phone in my purse and called a co-worker who I knew was already inside. Luckily, I worked across the street from the hospital and a member of the rescue squad saw me laying in the parking lot and ran over to help. I was eventually transported to the hospital across the street and found out that I had broken my kneecap. “LaTane and Darley (1970) developed a five-step tree that describes how people decide whether to intervene in an emergency.” (Aronson, Wilson, Akert & Sommers, 2016). The five steps include: (1) Notice the event, (2) Interpret the event as an emergency, (3) Assume responsibility, (4) know appropriate form of assistance, (5) and Implement decision. (Aronson et al., 2016). It was obvious that the first man that asked if I needed assistance noticed me laying on the ground and interpreted the event as an emergency, but is appears that he did not want to assume responsibility. Even though he asked if I was okay and needed help, it seems that he never actually called …show more content…

1 James 2:14-16(NIV) states “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” This passage tells us that we must treat each other with the same care and compassion that we would like to be treated with. Surely, spreading the example of God’s wonderful love is more important than just preaching it. We should not pass by someone in need and say “I’ll pray that you get better soon,” and do nothing to help. The Bible commands us to be our brother’s keeper. This compassion for those who are injured or in need can also be found in 2 Psalm 82:4 “Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” The Bible is not asking us to help if we have the time or if we can spare a few minutes away from social media, instead it is instructing us to help those we

Open Document