From Bystanders to Heroes: The Role of Social Media in Influencing the Bystander Effect

Abstract

The Bystander Effect refers to the phenomenon where the presence of other bystanders dissuades an individual from intervening in an emergency situation. Extensive research has demonstrated that increasing numbers of bystanders during an emergency situation decreases the likelihood of someone providing assistance. This paper aims to thoroughly analyze and evaluate the effects of social media, specifically the motivation and opportunity for fame, on the Bystander Effect. Social media has become an ubiquitous part of teenager's life; it plays an influential role in shaping consciousness and spreading information that impacts cognition and behavior. The widespread use of social media creates the opportunity for attaining overnight fame and becoming an "internet hero." This notion of fame and "heroism" propagated through social media may act as a temptation for teenagers and considerably impact their decision to intervene in emergencies. We closely examined this phenomenon utilizing two regression analyses on an anonymous survey questionnaire categorized by age, gender, social media usage duration, and content type, distributed to 82 randomized teenagers. This comprehensive approach enabled us to determine teenagers' motives and reasons for helping or not helping in various scenarios. Results suggest the presence of social media does not significantly affect the Bystander Effect, as concerns for self-protection play a more prominent role in the decision to intervene than the potential benefits of internet fame. Further research into psychological and emotional factors behind intervention decisions is warranted.