In this interesting book, Sanderson looks at the actions of crowds and why you're more likely to go along with / not call out bad behaviour and not stand up for people when you're in a crowd (especially of people like you) but are more likely to if you're on your own or with a trusted friend. She goes through the psychology of groups, using examples from (mainly US) news reports about fraternity hazing gone wrong and sexual assaults, and then points out that there are usually people who do stand out from the crowd and do the right thing. She references everything and uses examples from the old well-known electric shock tests to up to date neuroscience to look at why people help or don't help others.

There are some fascinating facts, including that taking painkillers can also diminish your empathy for pain and how people perceive the attitudes of their peers versus their own. Once all the groupthink is out of the way we learn why people might be more willing to stand up - the stuff I was really interested in. Apparently it's a combination of strong self-esteem and belief in your own effectiveness, empathy, training and not caring what others think of you (in essence: there's more detail than that and I would encourage you to read the book, not just my summary!).

So an interesting book that gave me some personal insights and is also positive, sharing the fact that training people in what to do in various situations and working on perceptions of what the groupthink is as opposed to the reality can increase people's engagement to help others.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Really interesting book with points to get you thinking. Like to be psychologically challenged so this was right up my street

I had a hard time getting through this book at times and wanted to DNF at times. I did find the concept really interesting and some of the case studies thought provoking. My opinion is that i felt some of the chapters dragged a little and that it was very repetitive.

Catherine Sanderson's book asks the interesting question: "Why don't people intervene?" Whether it's , helping someone in trouble or challenging discriminatory remarks, what makes the difference between those who will step up and those who will hang back?

Sanderson argues that in many cases it's not that people don't care, but that there are a range of factors which inhibit taking action, including fear of social embarrassment or conflict, and misperception of social norms, stressing "how very difficult it is for most of us to defy what we believe to be the norms of our group" (a key word here being "believe"). There's an interesting commentary on the famous Milgram experiments.

Sanderson affirms the importance of speaking up to challenge sexist, racist etc remarks or behaviour, etc, partly because it's important in itself and partly because when this goes unchallenged, onlookers will tend to assume others present who say nothing are in agreement with it, rather than that they actually dislike it but are reluctant to say so. (Perhaps because they fear ridicule, conflict or that they have misjudged the situation.) This contributes to a misperception of social norms, i.e. that more people are okay with offensive speech and behaviour than is actually the case.

It's a very interesting read which also challenges the reader to consider honestly their own willingness to, basically, stand up and be counted. We all like to think we would, but far fewer do so in practice. From my own experience I think I'm far more likely now to take action than when I was younger, as I'm more confident in my views and much less concerned about potential social consequences. I will certainly politely challenge offensive comments and offer help to someone who appears in need of it. As for anything beyond that, I guess the proof would be in the pudding....

Finally a quote: "It's tempting to make the easy choice - to look the other way and assume someone else will act. But we have to live with the consequences of making that choice, of knowing we could have made a difference but chose not to."

This is an example of a book written by someone who is capable of rendering complex theories into an accessible read for the 'lay-person'.

Sanderson writes with authority and insight and provides valuable information about the 'Bystander Effect' and tips on how to move from being a Bystander to being an Ally to a being an effective interventionist.

This is a deeply researched, academic look at the “bystander effect” - the question of why people stand by when other people are in trouble and don't intervene. But it is not a complicated read. It requires attention, but it is a relatively easy read because it is written for the general reader.

The topic is fascinating and the book includes many famous experiments. We learn how people will hurt others, will allow others to be hurt and why few will speak out. But we also learn ways that this can be changed. We learn how schools can set up to protect their pupils against the dangers of social media. We learn how we can change ourselves to become more assertive and not be cowed by embarrassment. I believe if I was in a restaurant now and saw someone apparently choking, I would step up.

Being in a crowd adds anonymity, but if it is a big crowd, we may intervene as we believe we are less likely to be identified. A moral rebel, who will help, is someone who is confident, independent and altruistic, with high self esteem, and a strong sense of social responsibility. If you are truly altruistic, brain scans show that you experience the pain of others as strongly as if it was being inflicted on yourself. This book is full of information which will get you thinking - not a bad thing!

Recommended if human behaviour fascinates you and you want something that will entertain while educating you. I was given a copy of this book by Netgalley in return for an honest review.

The Bystander Effect is an in-depth look at why in the face of serious and adverse situations many people choose to remain silent instead of speaking up or taking action.

This well researched book is written in an accessible way. The psychologist Catherine Sanderson not only uses real life examples, she also provides the tools and strategies necessary for us to change our thinking and intervene in future.

A fascinating book which made me question myself and how I react to events. Some of the cases given as it examples can be difficult to read about - I particularly find the Jamie Bulger case hard to think about - but it was absolutely worth persevering with.

This is an interesting and well researched non-fiction book about ‘the bystander effect’.

I found I dipped in and out of it over a few months as there are a lot of studies and information to take in. It’s accessibly written, but not something I would read for hours on end.

There are a lot of examples given which made me wonder what I would do in that situation and how I could change my behaviour to make a difference.

I didn’t think the book flowed that well and it felt a bit clunky at times. I’m not sure if this was because I took breaks in reading it.

I would recommend this to anyone who’s interested in the psychology of human behaviour.

Thanks to NetGalley and 4th Estate, William Collins for a copy for review.

This is an important book exploring when we do - and most importantly when we don't - intervene in everyday society. Why do good people od nothing when something awful is about to happen? Why it is an important field of psychology is because it makes you the reader question: could the Jamie Bulger murder have been prevented? Why did Nazi officers go along with sending Jews into the gas chambers? Those are just a few examples addressed by Catherine Sanderson. There are many (many!) references to studies which, while fascinating, I feel could have been whittled down a little. This doesn't detract from the compelling nature of this investigation which weaves in neuroscience and looks at why we do what we are told to do or do what is expected of us. Most importantly how differently we behave in certain situations if we are left to our own choices. The conclusion is a strong one - we need more rebels and less bystanders.

The Bystander Effect by Catherine Sanderson examines how in the face of a catastrophic event, many people choose to remain passive. She explores through several scientific research the reason of this silence. This book raises some very important questions: why do people not stand up to bullying, to workplace discrimination or in any place where one person or group of people are in danger? It makes one question their own moral standards forcing them to dig deeper into their own conscience. The Bystander Effect is really an important book especially for the times we're living in.

I've been reading Professor Catherine's book, The Bystander Effect for a while now. It's a book I've spent several hours with, annotating, pondering, nodding my head in agreement and exploring human psyche. To put it simply, The Bystander Effect is a social psychological theory that states a person is less likely to help someone in need when there are other people present. Also known as the bystander apathy, this book examines several social setups from bullying, roadside brawl, harassment, verbal disagreements, and questions why even the nicest people fail to stand up. Through substantial psychological research, the book describes how one shifts the responsibility to another in social situations, believing there are 'other' people who can help, therefore absolving oneself of responsibilities. It's imperative to understand that the very same people who do not help face moral dilemmas, specifically indecision. People aren't inherently evil, they're just not equipped to act, and act on time. This phenomenon of the 'bystander effect' took birth when a young woman in 1964 named, Kitty Genovese, was killed right outside of her New York apartment, in the presence of 38 witnesses who didn't come to her rescue. While the reports of this incident might not be entirely true, one cannot dismiss the role we play as bystanders. Sanderson was prompted to write about this when a student in her son's college died two weeks into the semester because no one came to his aid or called for help. There are several cases where the disaster could have been averted if someone had done something. Myriad complex factors including our presence of mind coupled with societal norms prevent us from taking action. 
The Bystander Effect is present everywhere and not limited to the #MeToo movement where powerful people were outed after several years of abuse or the US Gymnastics Scandal where multiple accounts and witnesses failed to speak up. In talking about what's happening here in India, I don't even know where to begin. From years of systemic caste-based oppression, patriarchal abuse, lack of safety for women, homophobia, islamophobia and sexism, we see injustice prevail in broad daylight. When we refuse to take a stand, even though we intrinsically are opposed to it, we become bystanders. Being silent is complicity. Perhaps speaking out isn't really about heroism but little acts of defiance to ensure we create a space for everyone. I've been thinking about how we navigate online spaces, especially instagram. We're selective in the way we approach things, carefully mincing words, so as to not offend. Sanderson argues that people are heavily influenced by their social setting, mimicking and transforming, according to what will 'feel' right. I couldn't agree more. Our need to be 'liked' or comply to societal standards is deeply ingrained in our minds. We must overcome this social awkwardness and believe our actions, even though tiny, have the power to change the system.

Really detailed and interesting book - right up my street. With lots of excellent real-life examples, this comprehensive book not only reviews mistakes made in the past, but pinpoints the ways we can all become bystanders, and what we can do about this.

This book was great. I have a masters in psychology and so had studied 'the bystander effect' previously. However such was the depth to the book that I still learned a lot.

I wasnt too sure on this read. It went into a lot of detail that you had to really focus on and read a few times to understand. Some things made so much sense and other things I just couldnt understand. It's a very complicated intense read about real issues

As a speaker and author who speaks and writes abut sexual violence to end the shame, stigma and silence; I found this book fascinating!
Catherine Sanderson explores why don't people get involved, speak out or intervene when they know/think they should. It takes a lot to break out of our social conditioning
I love the new term "Moral Rebel" that I learnt whilst reading this book and I feel it describes me well.

I really hope that we can grow a culture of upstanders rather than just being a bystander!

This one wasn't for me unfortunately. These sorts of books are a let down recently. I need to be more selective in what I request going forward.

I enjoyed learning how to be a social rebel! This was quite jargon heavy in terms of statistics and it sometimes felt that this was a book for academics but once you got into it, it was exciting to see how you can take a stand in every day situations. That we are not free until all of us are and we’re responsible for that.

An excellent book that enabled me to think and analyse new concepts without 'losing me' to psychological jargon. A must read for anyone interested in human relationships and bettering ourselves.

The Bystander Effect is a well-researched and informative book which looks at why some people intervene in situations like bullying while others do not. I have a little previous knowledge of the bystander effect and I found this to be an interesting, accessible introduction. My only criticism is that the book was a bit repetitive.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.