Bystanders will intervene to help victims of aggressive public disputes
26-JUN-2019
Third-party conflict resolution is a human universal; similar results across three different countries
LANCASTER UNIVERSITY
Bystanders will intervene in nine-out-of-ten public fights to help victims of aggression and violence say researchers, in the largest ever study of real-life conflicts captured by CCTV.
The findings overturn the impression of the "walk on by society" where victims are ignored by bystanders.
Instead, the international research team of social scientists found that at least one bystander - but typically several - did something to help. And with increasing numbers of bystanders there is a greater likelihood that at least someone will intervene to help.
A team of researchers from the University of Copenhagen, the Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement and Lancaster University examined unique video recordings of 219 arguments and assaults in inner cities of Amsterdam (Netherlands), Lancaster (UK) and Cape Town (South-Africa).
More:
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-06/lu-bwi062419.php
