Diffusion of responsibility occurs when people who need to make a decision wait for someone else to act instead. The more people involved, the more likely it is that each person will do nothing, believing someone else from the group will probably respond.

What is the diffusion of personal responsibility?

Diffusion of responsibility refers to the fact that as the number of bystanders increases, the personal responsibility that an individual bystander feels decreases. As a consequence, so does his or her tendency to help.

What is diffusion of responsibility example?

The diffusion of responsibility can also pop up in work environments. For example, you might notice that an entry-level worker is being mistreated in some way. Perhaps they are being overworked, underpaid, or harassed. ... The witnesses did not call for help or try to aid Kitty due to the diffusion of responsibility.