The 'Bystander Effect'

This morning I went out with Jack (my dog) for our usual morning walk. It was about 7am and as I left the house I heard some really loud screaming. It was the sound of a child obviously in some sort of trouble. The screaming was coming from down the street to my left and I so I went in that direction. I didn't have any purpose in mind, mostly I was curious and a little worried. As I walked down the hill I saw 2 women with 3 small children running and around them a couple of young golden retrievers. The group ran into a nearby house and closed the gate and as I approached with Jack (who was on a lead) the 2 dogs turned their attention from the children to Jack and came prancing playfully up to us. They started getting to know each other, as only dogs do, and then when they got tired with that game, they loped off in search of new adventures.
The 2 women who had run inside when I arrived then called me over and asked me whether they were my dogs or if I knew to who they belong because one of the children was frightened out of his wits by the dogs. She claimed that the dogs had attacked the children but it was clear to me that it was the dogs being playful (as young dogs often are) but as they were large they overwhelmed the small children and caused them all to panic - hence the screaming. When I appeared on the scene with Jack they turned their attention to us and forgot about the children and then when I gave them the order 'HOME' they turned around and left.
Although in this case nothing really happened and the fact that I turned up was really neither here nor there, it made me think about the 'bystander effect' -
When I came out of the house and I heard the screaming child I could have simply ignored it and walked in the other direction - as it happens it would have made absolutely no difference whatsoever to my story - but who knows...

Bystander Effect

What is the Bystander Effect?

Bystander Effect

10 Notorious Cases of the Bystander Effect

What would you do?

The Matrix (1999)

Oracle: I'd ask you to sit down, but, you're not going to anyway. And don't worry about the vase.
Neo: What vase?
[Neo turns to look for a vase, and as he does, he knocks over a vase of flowers, which shatters on the floor]
Oracle: That vase.
Neo: I'm sorry...
Oracle: I said don't worry about it. I'll get one of my kids to fix it.
Neo: How did you know?
Oracle: Ohh, what's really going to bake your noodle later on is, would you still have broken it if I hadn't said anything?