Behavior in Crisis Situations the Lack of Essay

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Behavior in Crisis Situations

The lack of concern for fellow citizens becomes a terrible habit (Darley). Darley and Latane explained a bystander to an emergency with a decision tree consisting of three questions; notice to the event, interpretation of the event as an emergency, and concluding whether they had responsibility to the situation or not. Only one path leads to intervention. Whether a victim receives help is also determined by how many bystanders are present. The more bystanders around, the less likely a victim will receive help.

Americans consider it bad manners to look too closely at people in public. Growing up teaches us to respect privacy and, when among strangers, to close our ears and avoid staring at people. This causes people in crowds to be less likely to notice potential emergency situations. Bystanders tend to react the same way as everyone else in the crowd. In dangerous situations, everyone appears more unconcerned than they really are. Mounting danger can cause one person to react and ignore the calmness of the crowd. But, in general, a crowd can force inaction on members through passitivity and apparent indifference. Members have tendency to wait until someone else reacts. If no one reacts, members of the crowd do not act. Other bystanders can inhibit intervention by making a person feel his responsibility is diffused and diluted.

In the case of Matthew Buford deciding to end his life by jumping from a bridge, the videographer acted out of obedience to the television station he worked for. His job was to report the news. He also conformed to the crowd in respects that he did not act the help the victim.

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Based on the decision tree, the videographer noticed the event, and maybe interpreted it as an emergency, but obviously did not conclude that it was his responsibility to act to help the victim.

The rescue team in the situation also acted in conformity with the crowd. They knew the victim and the fact he had been in trouble before. They knew the victim had stated that he did not want to be saved. They also feared their own safety in respects to the possible disease of the victim. But, they did not act to save Garrett Couples from acting to help the victim. This shows that they were acting on behalf of the crowd consisting of the rescue team. Because no one in the crowd responded to aid the victim, other members felt their responsibility to the situation diffused and diluted.

Garrett Couples' response was based on the facts that he noticed the event, interpreted as being an emergency, and concluded it was his responsibility to help the victim. He did not conform to the crowd. Instead, he ignored the calmness of the crowd based on the conclusion of….....

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