You have an important presentation to give out today at 8:45am. The warm drink you had makes you feel relaxed for it. You are dressed in your most professional attire, your back straightened. You are rehearsing your speech in your head: you feel ready for the day. \n\n\n[[Head to the door.|ready]]
<<silently>>\n<<set $points = 30>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou woke up with a jolt. Although your mind is still hazy, you register the dread creeping up on you: has your alarm not gone off this morning? \n\nYou hastly look at the clock: 7:55AM.\n\nYou breath out in relief: you actually woke up a couple minutes before your alarm. You are off to the same routine again, getting ready to go to work. \n\nWhich morning drink should you have today? \n\n[[Coffee, as usual|coffee]]\n\n[[Tea, for a change|tea]]
You took a shortcut and saved 2 minutes. \n\n\n[[Keep going|east]]\n<<set $points = $points - 3 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
You are halfway through mentally repeating your presentation when you get distracted by muffled yelling. There are two angry voices coming from your front [[neighbors|yell]]. \n\nIf you concentrate hard enough, you can hear snippets of their fight: “...asshole…” “...crazy…” “...don’t touch me...”\n\nYou check your watch-- it is 8:15am. \n\n\n\n\n[[Step out of apartment|door]]\n\n\n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
<<set $points = $points - 1 >> \n\n\nYou exit the metro, take a deep breath, and focus your energy back on the imminent presentation. You are almost there. Checking the time, you realize you still have some time (more precisely, <<print $points>> minutes) before the presentation. \n\nIt seems like today will be a good day. \n\n[[Walk towards the escalator|escalator]]\n\n\n\n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
You get closer to check if the person on the ground is okay. But the closer you get, the more you smell alcohol. Frowning, you notice that this person’s clothes are quite used and dirty.\n\nYou cannot tell from his position whether he is sleeping, passed out drunk, or passed out for other reasons. Around you, the others simply walked by the figure: there seem to be a general consensus that it is simply a homeless person drunk and sleeping. \n\nYou spend four minutes to figure out what to do. \n\n[[Better not disturb him since he is sleeping (right?)|headback]]\n\n[[Head back for your own safety, if he is drunk, he might be aggressive: you need to do your presentation without a bloody nose|headback]]\n\n[[Help out somehow|but how]]\n\n\n<<set $points = $points - 4 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
Fearing for the life of the fallen person, you acted on impulse and decided to jump in and pull the person out. The moment you moved towards the tracks, a bystander next to you called out for help. In a moment, a large group of people joined in, jolted out of their paralysis. Some waved frantically at the nearing metro. Some calling security. Others jumped in the tracks to help you lift up the limp person. With the help of the ones around you, the rescue is successful!\n\nEveryone is safe and sound. \n\nA loud cheer resonated in the metro station. \n\n[[Hourray!|hourray]]\n
\nHere are some statistics on the bystander effect:\n\n<img src="http://q.likesuccess.com/96/4799872-bystander-effect-statistics.jpg">\n\nIn fact, a study from the University of Minnesota shows that “the average person only helps 20% of the time when others are around”. On the other hand, 80% of people are more willing to help if they are alone. When we find ourselves surrounded by a mass of people and we fall victim of the bystander effect, we immediately assume that somebody in that crowd is more adequate, stronger and better at offering help than us. \n\n\n<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_GCrQMM4RWuU/SteMKqZHnuI/AAAAAAAAASo/4SF3Gen5jtA/s320/BystanderEffect.gif">\n\nThe above chart emphasizes this concept furthermore by presenting statistics of the bystander effect and portraying how the general individual is more willing to help if they are not surrounded by other people. \n\n[[back|stats]]\n
The bystander effect is a social-psychological phenomenon: in a moment of urgency, as the number of bystanders, people present but not involved in a situation, increases, the likelihood of those bystanders helping out decreases. \n\nThere are many factors that causes the bystander effect, some of which you have experienced in this game, <i>Witness</i>:\n\n<ul>\n <li>Consciousness of the surroundings: one may be afraid to be judged by other people in public and therefore not take immediate action</li>\n <li>Getting distracted by other things: not having time, chatting with people/focusing on something else etc. </li>\n <li>Mis-interpreting the event, especially when the event is ambiguous</li>\n <li>Pluralistic ignorance: conforming to what everyone else is doing even if the player disagrees with it </li>\n <li>Diffusion of responsibility: someone else must have helped, it is not just my responsibility if nobody else did</li>\n <li>Ability to help: thinking that someone else should be more qualified or better suited to help </li>\n <li>Judgment of risk: being afraid of the outcome and the fact that you might get hurt in the process</li>\n\n</ul>\n\nThe bystander effect affects everyone. Here are some [[statistics|statistics]] and real life [[cases|cases]]\n\nLuckily, simply knowing about the bystander effect helps to reduce it. Here are some other [[things you can do|solutions]].\n
You barely reach the escalator when a loud scream pierce through your music. Alarmed, you take off your earphones and turn around. In front of you, a mass of people are crowded near the tracks, seemingly frozen. There are a lot of movements around you but you fail to pinpoint where they come from. \n\nAll you realize is that a person has jumped down the tracks. \n\nYou must decide quickly. \n\nYou..\n\n[[Wave at the approaching metro driver|wave]]\n\n[[Call security/someone strong/someone in charge|call]]\n\n[[Jump in and help pull the person up|jump in]]\n\n[[Head up the escalator|alternative ending]]\n
Fearing that another metro might come in, but without the necessary strength to pull the person out, you immediately decide to reach someone in charge, to look for somebody who looks strong in the crowd. \n\nYou called out, voice shaking and coarse:\n\n“WILL SOMEBODY HELP?? PLEASE!!! SOMEBODY HELP!”\n\nA tall man steps out and approaches the tracks in attempt to pull the person up. And just like that, a large group of people joined in, jolted out of their paralysis. A group waved frantically at the nearing metro. Security is called. The brakes squeak loudly as the metro advances towards the fallen person. Hands shaking, you can only watch as the metro stops just on time. \n\nEveryone is safe and sound. \n\nA loud cheer resonated in the metro station. \n\n[[Hourray!|hourray]]
You decide to head to the elevator since their fight is none of your business. Besides, you really do need to be on time for your presentation. \n\nThe elevator arrives right way.\n\n\n[[Exit|exit]]\n\n\n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
You notice a couple in front of you. A young woman and a man who seems a lot older than her. For a while, you wonder how big of an age gap is too big. \n\nThe man has his hand on her thigh.You watch his lips as he whispers something in her ear. The woman lets out a laugh. It sounded nervous to you. \n\nSuddenly, she makes eye contact with you. You looked away immediately by reflex, and realize that you have been caught staring. Though, in that fraction of a second you did look at her, her eyes seemed concerned and her body language uncomfortable at best.\n\n\nYou look around you. Everyone seems to mind their own business. Maybe they are pretending to not see it...\n\nOr maybe they were here before you, and they can tell that these two are just a couple joking around. \n\n[[Call the old man out|assaulter]]\n\n[[Enjoy the music|music2]]\n\n\n<<set $points = $points - 3 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
You decide to not disturb the man and to head back to work. There are many logical reasons why you decided so. Besides, you are already running late. \n\n[[Head east|east]]\n\n\n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
With music blasting through your ears, you wait for a few minutes before entering a rather full wagon and sitting down on the only available seat left. \n\nAlthough you are trying to rehearse your presentation, your thoughts repeatedly drift off to your neighbors: are they okay? It did seem like a pretty big fight. You hope nobody got hurt. What about the figure lying on the ground, is he really just sleeping? You shake your head in an attempt to shake your thoughts away. \n\n[[You decide to look around you|sexual harassment]]\n\n\n<<set $points = $points - 5 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
You’re not sure if you’re qualified to help: what if you provide inaccurate help and worsen the situation? \n\nAfter realising that you have lost two minutes of your time, you decide that there must be a more qualified person on the street that will help. If it really is an emergency, someone must have called 911 already. This is a busy street after all. \n\n[[Head to work|east]]\n\n\n<<set $points = $points - 2 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
You exit the building. \n\nMany people must be heading to school or to work now: you can see it in their hurried footsteps. Looking around, you see a local market at the north side with a narrow passage, a sort of shortcut to get to work. West, there seems to be a [[figure lying on the ground|person]]. To your east, you can take the main road to work. It will take 5 minutes if you walk up the main road. \n\n\n[[Take the shortcut|shortcut]]\n\n[[Head east|main road]]\n\n\n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>\n
You always walk past the same high school on your way to work. \nYou notice some kids playing around, shoving each other and laughing. It seems like they’re playing tag… Or could it be that one of them stole the other’s lunch? \n\nHah! This brings back memories...you remember your high school days with Ace and Noah. You would fool around and tease each other all the time. \n\n[[Head to the metro|metro]]\n\n\n<<set $points = $points - 2 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
After an inner debate, you decide that calling 911 is far too much out of your comfort zone. Besides, you have read stories online, stories of people getting offended that their neighbors called the police on their private affair. \n\nOh well, it doesn’t sound all that much like an emergency in anyways. \n\n\n\n\nYou have lost one minute.\n\n\n[[Nevermind then|exit]]\n\n\n<<set $points = $points - 1 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
You have an important presentation to give out today at 8:45am. The warm drink you had makes you feel energized for it. You are dressed in your most professional attire, your back straightened. You are rehearsing your speech in your head: you feel ready for the day. \n\n\n\n\n[[Head to the door.|ready]]
As soon as you step out of the door, you hear a loud crash coming from the neighbors. A silence. Then sobs. \n\nYou wince. Are they okay?\nIt sounds like their fight is a little more aggressive than usual… \n\nYou realize that you might be late for work if you don’t leave right now. \n\nYou...\n\n[[Go to the elevator|elevator]]\n\n[[Knock and ask|knock]]\n\n[[Call 911|911]]\n\n<<set $points = $points - 1 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
You took the main road and it took 5 minutes.\n\n\n[[Keep going|east]]\n\n\n<<set $points = $points - 5 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
Seeing that another metro is coming forward, you impulsively decide to start waving uncontrollably at the driver. In the back of your mind, you know that you may not have the necessary strength to pull the person out.\n\n“Please STOP!”, you yell.\n\n“STOP!! THERE’S A PERSON ON THE TRACK!!”, the man next to you joins in and yells as well. \n\nIn a moment, a large group of people joined in, jolted out of their paralysis. The brakes squeak loudly as the metro advances towards the fallen person. Hands shaking, you can only watch as the metro stops just on time. A person jumps down in the track and pulls the fallen person out. Security is called. \n\nEveryone is safe and sound. \n\nA loud cheer resonated in the metro station. \n\n[[Hourray!|hourray]]\n
You hesitate and decide to head to work, convincing yourself that with so many people in the metro, someone must have helped, called the police, and so on. You did not want to add on to the mess. Nevertheless, you feel worried throughout the day.\n\nYou arrived on time. Unable to shake off your worries, you delivered a poor presentation. \n\n[[What went wrong?|stats]]\n\n\n<<set $points = $points - 5 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
Witness
Here are some horrendous examples of how the bystander effect acts out in real life events: \n\n <li>“Thirty-eight people passively watched as a man stabbed and killed Kitty Genovese in New York City in the 1960's, prompting a famous trial.”</li>\n <li>“In a June 2000 parade of almost 1 million people in New York's Central Part, a group of men sexually attacked nearly 60 women. No-one offered assistance or even dialed 911”</li>\n <li>“ On October 24, 2009 as many as 20 people watched as a 15 year old girl was brutally assaulted and raped outside a homecoming dance in Richmond, California.”</li>\n <li>“In April 2010 a 79-year-old man was assaulted by 2 attackers on a Toronto subway, in full view of other subway passengers. No one offered assistance or called for help.”</li>\n <li>“Psychological research argues that fear, apathy and indifference are simplistic answers, contending instead that people are often restrained by a complex web of social pressures and group norms, particularly in crowds”</li>\n\n\n<a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/wired-success/201110/why-we-stand-and-dont-help"><b>Source</b></a> \n\n\n[[back|stats]]
You hesitate.. After all, this is your neighbors' private affair. As for the crash you heard, they most likely accidentally bumped into something, causing it to fall. \n\nBesides, what can you even say if they open the door? You don’t even really know them…\nyou do not want to imagine the awkward conversation you might have. \n\nAre you sure you want to knock?\n\n[[Yes|nosy]]\n\n[[Nevermind|exit]]\n
Heading into the metro station, you realized that your palms are sweaty and you feel a certain level of distress. Maybe, it is because of your upcoming presentation. You decide to listen to music to calm down a little. Which type of music should you listen to? \n\n[[Instrumental piano|music]]\n\n[[Popular music|music]]\n\n\n
You decide to just enjoy your music since the two individuals are probably just a couple joking around. After all, everyone else seems to know so..\n\nYou also think about the embarrassment you would have felt if you called out a happy couple, the judgment they will unavoidably cast on you, the judgment of the other passengers at your exaggeration... \n\n[[Exit the metro|exit metro]]\n\n\n<<set $points = $points - 3 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>\n
You feel rather nosy for knocking. You can’t tell if this is to satisfy your own curiosity or to help your neighbors out. You can’t even tell if you will be able to help. \n\nYou stand in front of the door for a while,hesitating. If anything, the fight doesn’t seem to bother your other neighbors, does it? \n\nWhile you were thinking, it seems like it has quieted down... \n\nYou have lost three minutes. \n\n\n\n[[Nevermind then|exit]]\n\n\n<<set $points = $points - 3 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
A person in middle of street.. That is a bit unusual in this neighbourhood.\nYou notice that other people are passing by, minding their own business.\n\n[[Get closer to check|check]]\n\n[[Back|east]]\n\n\n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
You come to the conclusion that it’s probably just a couple joking around. The fact that nobody around you is reacting to this must mean that it’s not something serious, that you’ve missed some healthy interactions between them.\n\nYou also think about the embarrassment you would have felt if you called out a happy couple, the judgment they will unavoidably cast on you, the judgment of the other passengers at your exaggeration... \n\n[[Exit the metro|exit metro]]\n\n\n<<set $points = $points - 3 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>\n
You smile.\n\nYour body is still shaking from this experience. Seeing the relief on everyone’s face, and knowing that no one got hurt, your heart is filled with happiness and gratitude. It feels good to be able to help out.\n\nYou think back to your neighbors, the man lying on the street, the school bullies and the uncomfortable woman on the metro. Next time, maybe you can do something for them too, in a way or another. \n\nYou gave a good presentation at work. \n\n[[And you weren't all that late neither|stats]]\n\n\n<<set $points = $points - 15 >> \n<p align="right">Time left: <<print $points>> minutes</p>
Melisa Badea\nRuiting Ji
This isn’t the first time that you hear them fight. You ponder over their relationship and how long it will last. As least, you have seen them happy before… After all, every couple has their fights (better than not communicating at all). \n\n\n[[Back|ready]]
Here are some things you can do when you witness an emergency:\n\n<img src="https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/709b3311377463.560f6cc05ab24.jpg">\n\n<img src="https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/adce7811377463.560f6b8c4d776.jpg">\n\n<img src="https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/79dfc111377463.560f6bb688c22.jpg">\n\n<img src="https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/6afe0111377463.560f6b07bdacd.jpg">\n\n<img src="https://mir-s3-cdn-cf.behance.net/project_modules/disp/ae2a7911377463.560f6b085067c.jpg">\n\nSource: Lin Looi (2013) \n<a href="https://www.behance.net/gallery/11377463/The-Bystander-Effect"><b>Project link</b></a> \n\n\n[[back|stats]]