Nir’s Note: This guest post is by Max Ogles, who writes at MaxOgles.com.

On March 27, 1964, Kitty Genovese was brutally attacked and killed in the open streets of New York City. What makes Genovese’s story so tragic is that police later discovered numerous people were aware of Genovese’s distress but never came to her aid. Though the total number of witnesses is disputed, the story stands as an example of the bystander effect, the psychological phenomenon where people are less likely to assist if they know others are around.

But there’s good news. A 2011 research study showed that the bystander effect can actually be reversed. While it’s unlikely you’ll witness a murder, the bystander effect can occur online as well as off. Understanding how to get people to help one another