The Los Angeles Times published an opinion article by Dominic Packer, professor of psychology, and Jay J. Van Bavel, NYU associate professor of psychology and neural science, titled "Why do bystanders fail to intervene when they see others in pain?"
In this opinion piece, the authors explain why bystanders fail to intervene when strangers need help.
"Among other factors, people are significantly more likely to assist victims if they believe that they share an identity — a common group membership — with them," they wrote.
Packer and Van Bavel suggest it is not the identity of the person who needs help that matters but, rather, how potential helpers understand their own identity.
"Social identities can cause us to extend altruism and care to people within our boundaries, but also to withhold our concern from people we think are on the outside. But these boundaries are not fixed. They are malleable. They can narrow, but they can also expand," the authors explain.
The full article can be read on the Los Angeles Times website.