A social psychologist explains why people may be hesitant to help someone in distress following the tragic death of a Regina man who fell off a bus in December.
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The recent death of a man who fell off a Regina bus and remained on the ground for several hours signaling for help as cars whizzed by, has sparked questions from the community as to why someone didn’t stop to help him.
“It is unimaginable how so many people could drive by and not stop or at least phone for help,” said Regina resident Vicki Schoch in a letter to the editor sent to the Leader-Post.
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“Who have we become?” said Gord Brock in another letter. “Dominating public debate locally is the issue of which leisure palace to build next. Meanwhile, a man who fell coming off a Regina city bus freezes to death as passersby ignore his waving for help.”
“How easy is it to simply call 911 when most people have their phones firmly attached to their hands?” wrote Jim Elliott. “Have we lost so much love for our fellow citizens that we won’t even help those in need?”
As it turns out, this question continues to be examined by researchers in social sciences, but the research has found it doesn’t necessarily come down to “bad people.”
Interest in what is now referred to as the bystander effect spiked after the murder of Kitty Genovese in New York City in 1964, where many bore witness to the attack, but none called police, according to media at the time.
Donald Sharpe, a social psychologist at the University of Regina, says that there are a plethora of reasons why a passerby might not stop to assist a stranger who appears to be in distress.
Commonly, people may think that someone laying on the ground might be a homeless person resting.
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“In hindsight, you look at these cases and say “how could you have thought such a thing?” Sharpe said in an interview Tuesday.
But, with homelessness becoming more ubiquitous in urban centres, some might be wary to check if a person is just resting or if they are unconscious in the hopes of avoiding confrontation. Sharpe says someone considering extending a hand might feel naive or embarrassed if the person declines help, especially if it’s in a hostile manner.
Many people are reluctant to take responsibility and engage in what is potentially an emergency situation, but Sharpe says that’s exactly what people must do if they come across someone who might need help.
“People just sometimes freeze,” said Sharpe. “They don’t know what to do.”
Questions like, “What kind of help should I give?” “Should I call someone?” “Who should I call?” “Am I going to be taken seriously?” will rack up in one’s brain, he added.
“The opportunity kind of passes by them,” said Sharpe. “It’s not bad people, it’s a bad situation.”
“People who don’t think about it, they just do it, are the people who respond.”
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Ironically, Sharpe says that when there are more people present, it can actually make it harder for people to determine if a situation is an emergency.
Some may think “if this really was an emergency, why would all of these people keep driving by?” he said.
On the other hand, if there are people around, and one person steps up to help another, others in the group will likely follow.
“All of this doesn’t provide much consolation for the family and the friends of somebody who didn’t receive help,” acknowledged Sharpe. “It still leaves questions, and I think that’s why the research continues to persist. There’s still a part of us that says, “What the heck?”
Those who are more likely to respond are individuals who have experience with these situations.
“If a first responder went by, they’d probably be far more likely to respond than someone else,” Sharpe said. “In part, because they know what to do and in part because they’ve done it before.”
Even someone who may have failed to help another and has felt regret for their past actions are more likely to respond than a person who hasn’t dealt with this kind of situation at all and doesn’t hold that guilt.
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A person in a position of authority, like the mayor or a city councillor or even a teacher, would be more inclined to help as they feel they may have some responsibility or duty to respond, explained Sharpe.
The Regina Police Service (RPS) did not provide further information on the non-criminal investigation into the man’s death, but are reminding the public to call 911 if they see someone in distress, injured or in danger.
“Even if you aren’t sure, but something seems off, please call,” said an RPS statement, noting the police non-emergency line (306-777-6500) is also an option.
If someone is found in distress, and either the finder, or the person they are helping does not want to interact with police, residents can call Mobile Crisis Services (MCS) at 306-757-0127.
Police may still end up being involved depending on the circumstances, but the difference would be that the request would come from MCS, not the original caller, said MCS executive director Jan Thorson in an email.
With a handful of overdoses occurring everyday in Regina and as temperatures remain frigid, knowing what to do and who to call when you see someone who may be unconscious or in distress – and then acting on it – could be the difference between a life saved or not.
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