Which of the following statements about bystanders is true according to social psychology research?

• A. Bystanders are unaffected by the presence of others when deciding whether to help.
• B. Bystanders are less likely to help in an emergency when there are many other people present.
• C. Bystanders are always the first to intervene in emergency situations.
• D. Bystanders tend to help more when they are in large groups than when they are alone.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of the 'bystander effect' in social psychology, which explains how the presence of others can influence an individual's likelihood to help in an emergency.
2. Recognize that the bystander effect suggests that as the number of bystanders increases, the probability that any one person will help decreases due to diffusion of responsibility.
3. Evaluate each statement by comparing it to the bystander effect: the idea that bystanders are unaffected contradicts the research, as does the idea that bystanders always intervene first or help more in large groups.
4. Identify the statement that aligns with the bystander effect: 'Bystanders are less likely to help in an emergency when there are many other people present' because it reflects the diffusion of responsibility and social influence.
5. Conclude that the correct statement is the one acknowledging decreased likelihood of helping as the number of bystanders increases, consistent with social psychology research findings.