So, have you ever walked around and felt sudden pain in your stomach, and plenty of people were around you, and no one bothered to ask you what's up, even though they looked you groaning, stumbling, or finding a place to sit?

Well, humans are very interesting to observe and try to figure out. The reason why if something has happened to you, such as; suddenly felt dizzy, was running away from preparatory...and so on, yet no one asked for help or stopped for a minute to ask if you're okay. Psychology calls this Bystander Effect.

The bystander effect really means diffusion of responsibility and apathy. The more people are around you, the less likely you'll get help. How many times our parents told us go to a place where there are so many people, rather than enclosed spaces, with few people? Plenty of times! At least to me.

But now, I realize that the more people are there, the less likely I'm going to get help. Why? Because everyone expects the other person will do the call, step up and ask what's wrong...to the point that no one does!

I had an incident a couple of years ago. I fell off the stairs, and hurt my foot pretty badly. With around 30 students were in the building, if not more, yet no one, even the people who were right next to me when I fell, bothered to ask me if I'm okay, and if I can walk! How crazy does that sound?

May seem really crazy, but in reality, it's just plain bystander effect.

One of the very famous incidents that occurred was Catherine's (Kitty)'s incident. She was attacked by a man, several times before anyone called for help, and it was too late a the time when the police received the call. Note that, most of the neighborhood was watching from their balconies, yet no one called the police, expecting that someone else has.

Do you ever wonder when you drive, and see a fire, you think about calling the police, yet you hesitate expecting such big news has already been reported to the police? Wrong.

Another factor that makes people not help other people according to what's socially acceptable.

(Education purposes , not to be racist!)

In a case I was taught, whereas a black man was lying on the ground, and seemed in distress. When there were blacks and whites on the scene, the whites didn't help, expecting the more socially acceptable people to help -the black people.

While, when there was only a white woman on the scene, she approached the man and asked him what's wrong.

One last thing, another factor is;

• If someone noticed the incident (more likely to help)

• percieved it as an emergency (more likely to help)

• Was alone or with few people around him/her (likely to offer help)

Quite interesting. So next time you're out there, and someone looks in distress don't second-doubt yourself about asking them for help, because despite the people around him/her, the chances he/she get help is slim.