Bystander intervention

A bystander will often intervene if another person is in need of help: this is known as bystander intervention. They will often do this for complete strangers, sometimes even at great personal risk.

However, people are less likely to assist if many other people are present. This propensity to passivity in the presence of others is called the bystander effect.

See also:

• first aid
• Good Samaritan
• altruism