THE SYNDROME OF THE DAY

EPISODE 3: THE BYSTANDER EFFECT (BYSTANDER APATHY)

When everyone assumes someone else will take responsibility!

Have you ever witnessed something wrong happening and found yourself doing absolutely nothing because you assumed someone else would intervene?

Have you ever seen someone in distress and thought, "Surely somebody will help"?

Or perhaps you have been in a situation where everybody is looking at each other, waiting for someone to make the first move, but nobody actually does anything?

Now, here is something even more interesting!

Have you ever complained about poor leadership, corruption, unemployment, insecurity, bad governance and the general state of affairs in your country, but when the opportunity comes to participate in changing things, you assume that other people will do it?

You believe somebody else will register as a voter. Somebody else will turn up on election day. Somebody else will scrutinise the candidates. Somebody else will defend the truth. Somebody else will demand accountability.

And when the dust settles, you are among the first to complain about the outcome!

Well, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the fascinating world of the BYSTANDER EFFECT, commonly associated with BYSTANDER APATHY!

1. What does it mean?

Bystander Apathy is a psychological phenomenon in which people are less likely to offer help or take action when other people are present.

In simple language, when an individual is faced with a situation requiring intervention, they may assume that somebody else will take responsibility.

The more people who are present, the more likely each individual may be to believe that someone else will act.

This phenomenon is closely associated with what psychologists call the Diffusion of Responsibility.

Imagine witnessing an accident involving someone who desperately needs assistance.

You look around and see twenty other people watching.

Instead of immediately helping, you think:

"Surely, one of these people knows what to do."

The person next to you thinks exactly the same thing.

The third person also assumes somebody else will intervene.

And before you know it, twenty people have witnessed an emergency, but nobody has taken responsibility!

Everybody is waiting for everybody else.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is the Bystander Effect!

2. Where did the name come from?

To understand the origins of this fascinating psychological phenomenon, we must travel back to New York City in 1964.

The case that brought the phenomenon to widespread public attention involved a young woman named Kitty Genovese.

Kitty was murdered outside her apartment building in Queens, New York, in March 1964.

Initial newspaper reporting claimed that numerous witnesses had observed the attack without intervening or calling for help.

The reporting attracted enormous public attention and prompted psychologists to investigate why people sometimes fail to help others when other witnesses are present.

Two psychologists, John Darley and Bibb Latané, subsequently conducted influential experiments examining the relationship between the presence of other people and an individual's willingness to intervene in an emergency.

Their research demonstrated that people can become less likely to take action when they believe others are also available to help.

This helped establish what became known as the Bystander Effect. And that is how one of psychology's most fascinating social phenomena entered the public consciousness!

3. Famous experiments and interesting cases associated with Bystander Apathy

One of the most interesting things about the Bystander Effect is that psychologists have actually tested it through controlled experiments.

Here are some notable examples:

1. The Darley and Latané Smoke Experiment (1968)

In one famous experiment, participants were asked to complete questionnaires while smoke gradually entered the room.

Some participants were alone, while others were in groups.

The researchers wanted to establish whether people would report the smoke or simply continue with their activities.

Interestingly, participants who were alone were much more likely to report the smoke quickly than those surrounded by other people who appeared unconcerned.

Imagine sitting in a room filling with smoke, looking at the person next to you, and deciding that perhaps everything is perfectly normal because they are not complaining!

That is the power of social influence.

2. The Seizure Experiment (1968)

In another experiment, participants believed they were communicating with other people through an intercom.

During the conversation, one participant appeared to experience an epileptic seizure.

Researchers observed that participants were less likely to intervene quickly when they believed several other people were also listening.

In other words, the presence of other potential helpers appeared to reduce individual responsibility.

3. The Good Samaritan Experiment (1973)

Researchers John Darley and Daniel Batson conducted an interesting experiment involving theology students who were asked to walk to another building to deliver a presentation.

Along the way, they encountered a person who appeared to be in distress.

Some participants were in a hurry, while others had more time.

The researchers found that being in a hurry significantly influenced whether participants stopped to help.

Here is the interesting lesson:

Even people studying religion, compassion and moral responsibility can sometimes walk past someone who needs help because they are preoccupied with their own schedules!

Apparently, even good intentions can lose a race against a tight timetable!

These experiments demonstrate that human behaviour is influenced not only by personal values but also by circumstances, social expectations and the presence of other people.

4. Can you catch Bystander Apathy? And how does it relate to Kenya?

First, you cannot catch Bystander Apathy like a cold, flu or malaria!

It is not an infectious disease.

It is a psychological and social phenomenon that can influence how people behave in group situations.

But here is where things become particularly interesting as we approach the 2027 General Election!

Can we borrow the concept of Bystander Apathy to examine our participation in Kenya's democratic processes?

Consider the following situations:

• You are unhappy with the state of the country, but you assume that other Kenyans will register as voters and make the right decisions.
• You believe that corruption must end, but you leave the responsibility of fighting it to activists, politicians and journalists (you don’t even pay for the content you consume from them).
• You complain about poor leadership but assume that other people will scrutinise candidates, question political manifestos and hold leaders accountable.
• You believe that your vote does not matter because millions of other Kenyans will be voting anyway.
• You do not bother participating in public participation forums because you assume that other citizens will attend and present your views.
• You see injustice happening but remain silent because you believe that someone more influential will speak out.
• You refuse to participate in civic activities because you believe that change is the responsibility of old people, activists, civil society organisations or the opposition.
• You complain when elections produce disappointing results, yet you made little effort to participate in the electoral process.

Does any of this sound familiar?

Here is the interesting contradiction!

Millions of people may want change, but each individual assumes that somebody else will take the necessary action to bring it about.

Everybody wants a better country.

Everybody wants accountable leaders.

Everybody wants corruption eliminated.

Everybody wants better hospitals, schools, roads, employment opportunities and economic prospects.

But who exactly is expected to do the work?

Who is expected to register?

Who is expected to vote?

Who is expected to demand accountability?

Who is expected to participate in public affairs?

Who is expected to defend democratic institutions?

If everybody is waiting for somebody else, who will eventually take responsibility?

This is where Bystander Apathy becomes a particularly useful way of examining our civic behaviour.

5. How do we protect ourselves as we approach the 2027 elections?

Here are a few survival tips for the politically conscious Kenyan:

1. Stop assuming that somebody else will vote!

Your neighbour's vote cannot automatically substitute for yours. If you are eligible to vote, take personal responsibility for participating in the electoral process.

2. Never underestimate the power of one vote!

You may feel that your individual vote is insignificant when compared with millions of other voters. But elections are ultimately decided by the votes of individuals. Every valid vote contributes to the collective outcome.

3. Register as a voter and verify your details!

Do not wait until the last minute to discover that you are not properly registered or that your details require attention. Follow official electoral announcements and take the necessary steps within the stipulated timelines.

4. Stop outsourcing your democratic responsibilities!

Do not leave everything to politicians, activists, journalists, civil society organisations or political commentators. These groups have their roles, but citizens also have a responsibility to participate in democratic life.

5. Do not assume that silence means satisfaction!

Sometimes, people remain silent because they are afraid, discouraged or convinced that speaking up will make no difference. Constructive participation and peaceful expression of concerns are important ingredients of a healthy democracy.

6. Participate beyond election day!

Democracy is not a five-year event. It also involves public participation, community engagement, questioning public officials, following government expenditure and demanding accountability.

7. Do not allow political tribalism to paralyse independent thinking!

Do not assume that your community, ethnic group, political party or preferred candidate will automatically make the right decisions on your behalf. Think independently and evaluate leaders on their record, policies and integrity.

8. Encourage others to participate!

Sometimes, all it takes to overcome Bystander Apathy is for one person to take the initiative. Encourage friends, relatives, colleagues and neighbours to become informed and participate lawfully in democratic processes.

9. Do not confuse complaining with participation!

Talking about how terrible things are on WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok and X may provide temporary emotional relief, but complaining alone does not constitute civic engagement.

Turn your concerns into constructive action. That’s why we started Inflection – to provide information like this.

10. Remember that democracy has no spectators!

You cannot permanently delegate your democratic responsibilities to other people and then expect to have complete control over the outcome.

A country is shaped not only by those who occupy positions of power but also by the citizens who participate in holding them accountable.

6. The BIG QUESTION!

As we approach the 2027 General Election, I would like to leave you with a few questions to think about:

• If every Kenyan assumes that somebody else will register and vote, who will actually turn up?
• If every citizen believes that somebody else will fight corruption, who will demand accountability?
• If everybody expects somebody else to challenge bad leadership, who will speak up?
• If young people assume that older generations will determine the country's future, and older generations assume that young people will do it, who takes responsibility?
• If you do not participate in choosing your leaders, on what basis will you complain about the choices made by those who did?
• And perhaps the most important question of all: What if the somebody else you are waiting for is actually YOU?

Ladies and gentlemen, the lesson is simple:

A better Kenya cannot be built by citizens who are permanently waiting for other citizens to take responsibility. Do not assume that somebody else will do what you can and should do yourself. Do not be a spectator in a process that determines your own future. And remember, when everybody assumes that somebody else will take responsibility, sometimes nobody does!

WELCOME TO THE SYNDROME OF THE DAY – WHERE EVERY DAY IS A NEW LESSON ABOUT THE HUMAN MIND!