Individuals in Groups
Something happens to individuals when they are in a group.
They think and act differently than they would on their own. Most people, if
they observe some disaster or danger on their own—a woman being stabbed, a
pedestrian slammed by a hit-and-run driver—will at least call for help; many
will even risk their own safety to intervene. But if they are in a group
observing the same danger, they hold back. The reason has more to do with the
nature of groups than the nature of individuals.
In one experiment in behavioral psychology, students were
seated in a room, either alone or in groups of three, as a staged emergency
occurred: Smoke began pouring through the vents. Students who were on their own
usually hesitated a minute, got up, checked the vents and then went out to
report what certainly seemed like a fire. But the students who were sitting in
groups of three did not move. They sat there for six minutes, with smoke so
thick they could barely see, rubbing their eyes and coughing.
In another experiment, psychologists staged a situation in
which people overheard a loud crash, a scream and a woman in pain, moaning that
her ankle was broken. Seventy percent of those who were alone when the
“accident” occurred went to her aid, compared with only 40 percent of those who
heard her in the presence of another person.
Psychologists call this “diffusion of responsibility” or
“social loafing.” The more people in a group, the lazier each individual in it
becomes. Often, observers think nothing needs to be done because someone else
has already taken care of it, and the more observers there are, the less likely
any one person is to call for help.
Adapted from “In Groups We Shrink”
by Carol Tavris. Originally published in the Los Angeles Times, 1991.
Sample Essay Response
People are not the same when they are in a group. A person is
smart, responsible, reasonable, and hardworking. A person cares for others and
knows his or her moral standing. People are unintelligent, scared, lazy and on
looking. People seem to think that it’s always some else’s problem All they can
do is watch so thats what they will do. Yes, a person is less likely to act if
no one else is acting. Even if it is the moral or professional duty of a person
to help or act, they may fail if they feel out numbered.
Carol Tavris says from her “In Groups We Shrink” that, in
groups, people have, what Psychologist call, “diffusion of responsibility” or
“social loafing.”
Experiments show that students, in a room filling with smoke,
would be more likely to call for help if they were alone. This is contrary to
the test with multiple students who would sit there and allow the smoke to fill
the room. In a real life situation the people who do not act upon smoke is not
likely to survive.
This behavior is not restricted to young college or high
school students which have little life experience. In a surveillance video of a
parking lot, a man was stabbed and then mugged. The assailant escapes leaving
the man bleeding. The man gathered enough strength to stumble in front of the
traffic going though the parking lot. He might have thought to himself that
this would be a fast way to get help. The drivers proved him wrong. Cars would
drive around him to avoid him. Perhaps these people did not want to hold up
traffic. Each minute wasted is more blood drained. Even a school bus carefully
tried to avoid him. The man knelt down hold his arms up with blood on them finally
a lone man got out of his car and assisted the man to the hospital. It took
almost an hour for someone to decide to help and it was during a gap where the
savior was alone with no traffic behind him and no passenger.
At the hospital one could be treated for whatever ailments
one may have. That is why the stab victim wanted to go so badly. But even at
the hospital there is no guarantee. At one New York City hospital, a elderly
woman collapsed due to a heart condition in the lobby. All the people waiting
watched as she hit the floor. However they returned to whatever they were
doing. Minutes go by and activity around her remained normal. Doctors were seen
walking passed and then disappearing past the camera. Almost an hour passes and
finally a guard is seen feeling her pulse. After ten minutes a stretcher comes
to take her away. What took so long? Whatever the case may be the assured
thought was that some else must be handling it.
There are cases of individuals who would help despite other
people. But the general masses are always onlookers. As seen, students seem to
disregard their own life from laziness. Even adults and professionals are
guilty of this. This is the nature of people. That is why there are heroes in
the world. There needs to be balance.
