No. 122 · People · Human Nature and Judgement
Bystander Effect
The more people who see a problem, the less likely any one of them is to act.
In the Almanac
“The intercom experiment”, 1968 · “Danske Bank”, 2007–2018
Both stories in full, three ways to use it and where it misleads.
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Questions
What is Bystander Effect?
The Bystander Effect is our tendency to hold back from helping when others are around. Each person assumes someone else will act, so responsibility spreads so thin that nobody takes it, in emergencies and in organisations alike.
How do you use Bystander Effect?
To counter it, assume you are the one who must act. Assign clear owners in meetings, speak directly to one person in an emergency, and report problems even when many others can see them.
When does Bystander Effect matter?
Bystander Effect is one of the 60 mental models for people, the situations where you ask: Why do people act as they do, and how do I work with them? Within that, it belongs to “How groups behave”, alongside Chilling Effect, Dunbar’s Number and Groupthink.
What is an example of Bystander Effect?
Two stories show it at work: The intercom experiment (1968) and Danske Bank (2007–2018). Both are told in full in The Mental Models Daily Almanac, which has two stories for each of its 365 models.
Which mental models are related to Bystander Effect?
Free Rider Problem, Directly Responsible Individuals and Groupthink. Bystander Effect itself comes from human nature and judgement.