The bystander effect describes a situation where nobody takes action because they believe it’s not their duty, or that there’s nothing to be done. For example, if a person is stabbed in the street in a city, being watched by a crowd, people might not call the police because it seems obvious that someone must have done something.

Those people watching weren’t malicious; they didn’t want harm to be done. Even so, their inaction allowed greater suffering.

When we think about these situations ahead of time, we give ourselves the chance to decide how we will act.

Read the transcript and find important links on the site: A Beautiful Thought - Psychopaths and Heroes: Episode 395