The Bystander Effect: Does It Affect The General Public?

What is the bystander effect? How does it affect the general public? The bystander effect is the influence of another person's presence, which discourages an individual from intervening in an emergency. Many states are attempting to combat conformity and whether or not there should be a law regarding the argument “should citizens be forced to help a person in need?” However, a law like this would hinder a person’s choice; nevertheless, it could also force people to intervene in situations that they may or may not be educated to handle or provide assistance that can be beneficial. With this, the state of California should not have a law requiring an individual to “report or assist” a person in trouble or need or face serious criminal charges,
To begin with, what if interfering with issues at hand is not in everyone’s nature? All of society should be able to decide if they should personally intervene in a situation requiring assistance to avoid injury or death. However, what if they're not capable? In Steven R. Quartz's article, “The Neuroscience of Heroism,” Quartz explains the science behind the bystander effect. How a split-second decision to assist during a crisis isn't always an automatic reflex. There are many different reasons why people don't feel the need to help, such as the lack of empathy, self-absorption, and mental obstacles to conformity. These psychological barriers emphasize the importance of closely examining the law surrounding bystander intervention that would supposedly do more good than harm. This law could result in negative consequences, hurting those that are attempting to intervene and or making the situation worse if they are not well equipped. People should not be obliged to be morally good; individuals must act on their