Psychology of Emergencies

Most people feel safer in crowds and believe it is more likely that someone will act correctly when needed, as opposed to less populated circumstances. Interestingly, studies indicate the opposite.

The Myth: The more people present at an emergency, the more likely someone will help

One explanation could be that we think other people are more skilled or appropriate and they will act, so we and others don’t.

Nowadays there is a greater likelihood that people present will want to film an emergency rather than rescue you. Possibly for notoriety, fame, or reward.

Studies indicate eyewitnesses typically need two specific things before they will promptly intervene:

1.   Recognise the Emergency is Really an Emergency

For example, if you see someone lying on the footpath you may think they are merely drunk, and not a person dying of a heart attack, particularly if you are in an area where you have seen “derelicts” on the streets before.

 This is known as recognising the context of the situation.

 2.   Other People Also Alarmed

The presence of other people not reacting to the circumstances may inhibit us from reacting quickly to an emergency, as we tend to rationalise that our concerns must be wrong if no one else is panicking.

 A university study found individuals taken to a room to complete a survey acted immediately 90% of the time when smoke came out of the ventilation ducts, but when they were in a group (who were secretly instructed not to act), participants stayed in the room longer, with some staying until the smoke was so thick, they couldn’t read the survey.

Individualists, who are typically people less concerned about peers or social approval and who are less traditional, are more likely to intervene quickly in an emergency, even when others around them don’t react. Tip – stay close to the individualist.

Acknowledgement: Based on article on Popular Psychology by S. Lilienfeld et al, Wiley-Blackwell, 2010