Bystander Apathy and Intervention in University Students
Aamillya Joseph
Co-Presenters: Individual Presentation
College: College of Liberal Arts
Major: Psychology and Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Faculty Research Mentor: Joshua Burnett
Abstract:
In a perfect world, someone would always step up to help others in difficult situations. Unfortunately, bystander apathy—a phenomenon where individuals are less likely to intervene in the presence of others—prevents this. This effect is particularly prevalent among college students, driven by fear of escalation, public judgment, and avoiding responsibility (Hortensius & Gelder, 2018; Liebst et al., 2019).To explore this issue, a mixed-method study was conducted at Kean University to assess the prevalence of bystander apathy among first-year students. The study hypothesized a negative correlation between the number of bystanders and the likelihood of intervention, as well as a strong presence of bystander apathy within this group. Data was collected through surveys and interviews to better understand how this behavior could be minimized.