ABSTRACT
In the Kitty Genovese incident (see Chapter 1) there were thirtyeight witnesses, yet no one helped or called the police. Theories such as those mentioned in Chapter 3 apply to the cognitive processes of an individual, and indeed it is likely that many of the witnesses would have been thinking about whether or not to help. However, probably the most important factor in explaining their inaction was the belief that someone else would help or call the police. The belief that others will help is crucial and so has been investigated in detail by psychologists.
