After being held captive for over nine months by a drifter andhis female companion, 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart was finallyrescued by the police. When details of her captivity were widely publicized, some observers publicly questioned why the girl never tried to escape or get the attention of the police. Such responses illustrate an attributional pattern called diffusion of responsibility.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The attributional pattern described in the question is actually known as Stockholm syndrome, not diffusion of responsibility. Stockholm syndrome refers to the phenomenon where hostages develop feelings of loyalty and even affection toward their captors, often as a means of psychological survival during a traumatic experience. Diffusion of responsibility refers to the tendency for individual responsibility to become diluted in group settings, such as in cases of bystander apathy.

After Being Held Captive for Over Nine Months by a Drifter