Cosmo is walking home on a busy downtown street when he notices a woman lying on the sidewalk who appears to have lost consciousness. Which of the following obstacles to helping would best explain why he did not interpret the event as an emergency?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Pluralistic ignorance occurs when individuals in a group mistakenly believe that their own thoughts, feelings, or behaviors are different from those of the group, leading them to dismiss an emergency situation as non-threatening because no one else seems concerned. In a busy downtown setting, if others pass by without aiding the woman, an individual might assume the situation is not an emergency, thus not interpreting the event as one requiring intervention.

Cosmo Is Walking Home on a Busy Downtown Street When