Understanding Bystander Behavior: The Influence of and Interaction Between Bystander Characteristics and Situational Factors

Author: Brewster, M.; Tucker, J.M.

Description: Most researchers point to the death of Kitty Genovese in 1964 as the genesis of interest in studying bystander response to crime (Laner, Benin, & Ventrone, 2001; Levine, Cassidy, Brazier, & Reicher, 2002; Moriarty, 1975; Schwartz & Gottlieb, 1980). Since then, researchers have examined the role of situational variables and of victim, perpetrator, and bystander characteristics on whether or not bystander intervention occurs. In the present study, the researchers used a factorial design to determine whether the self-reported likelihood of bystander intervention and type of intervention (passive/active) varied by the location of the offense, time constraints, and bystander characteristics (e.g., height/weight, self-defense training, and life-saving training). Results suggest that gender, race, location of offense, self-defense training, and height and weight play a role in self-reported bystander behavior. An interaction between gender, location of offense, and self-defense training was also evident.

Subject Headings: bystander intervention, bystander strategies, helping behavior, violence prevention, bystander decision making, self-defense training, crime prevention

Keywords: Understanding Bystander Behavior: The Influence of and Interaction Between Bystander Characteristics and Situational Factors

Publication year: 2016

Journal or book title: Victims & Offenders

Volume: 11

Issue: 3

Pages: 455-481

Find the full text : https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15564886.2015.1009593

Find more like this one (cited by): https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cites=13332191137186144721&as_sdt=1000005&sciodt=0,16&hl=en

Type: Journal Article

Serial number: 2646