: People feel less personal pressure to act because they believe someone else will surely do it.
: Far fewer than 38 people actually saw the attack, and some did try to help by calling out or eventually calling the police. kitty catherine
: Individuals monitor the behavior of others to determine if an emergency is actually occurring; if no one else is acting, they may conclude no action is needed. : People feel less personal pressure to act
In the early morning of March 13, 1964, 28-year-old Catherine "Kitty" Genovese was attacked outside her apartment building in Kew Gardens, Queens. The initial report by The New York Times claimed that 38 neighbors witnessed the attack over a period of 30 minutes, yet none called the police or intervened until it was too late. In the early morning of March 13, 1964,
Social psychologists Bibb Latané and John Darley were intrigued by the reported lack of action from witnesses. They formulated the theory of the , which suggests that individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present. This occurs due to two primary factors:
The name " Kitty Catherine " often refers to , a young woman whose 1964 murder in New York City became a landmark case in social psychology. While "Kitty" is a common diminutive for Catherine, her story is the most academically significant "helpful paper" topic associated with these names.