Witnesses/Bystanders: The Tragic Fruits of Passivity, the Power of Bystanders, and Promoting Active Bystandership in Children, Adults, and Groups

Abstract

AbstractI briefly describe my experiences that gave rise to a life‐long motivation to work on these issues. I then discuss the roots of extreme violence by groups, focusing on passivity by witnesses/bystanders that allows the evolution of increasing violence, including genocide. As an example, I discuss the genocide in Rwanda, and describe work I and my associates have done there to help with healing and reconciliation after the genocide of 1994, and to prevent future violence. I then discuss reasons for bystander passivity and the power of bystanders to make a difference. I describe ways of generating caring, helping/active bystandership, first through positive socialization of children, in the home and in classrooms, and then the development of caring and helping in people who have suffered, “altruism born of suffering.” I then describe interventions based on research that promote active bystandership: the training of police officers to prevent or stop unnecessary harmful behavior by fellow officers, with a successful example in New Orleans; the training of students to stop fellow students from harming others; an intervention in Amsterdam to improve relations between ethnic Dutch and Muslims after intense violence there. In the latter instance, the city government was the primary active bystander. I mention my colleagues’ and my theory and research on constructive (vs. blind) patriotism, and the special relevance of different forms of patriotism in the United States under the Trump Presidency.