In the Genovese case, what term describes the people who watched but did not intervene?

• A. Observers
• B. Neighbors
• C. Witnesses
• D. Bystanders

Answer: (D)

The key idea is the bystander effect: when others are present, people often feel less personal responsibility to help. In the Genovese case, many observers watched the assault without intervening. The term for people who are present but do not act is bystanders. This label captures the passive role these onlookers played during the incident and is central to understanding why such situations can lead to inaction, especially when multiple people are involved. While terms like observers, neighbors, or witnesses describe being aware of what’s happening, bystander specifically describes the nonintervening onlookers in this social-psychology context.