Bystander Awareness Month ~ Film Screening and Discussion
If you witnessed an emergency happening right before your eyes, you would certainly take some sort of action to help the person in trouble, right? While we might all like to believe that this is true, psychologists suggest that whether or not you intervene might depend upon the number of other witnesses present. This phenomenon is known as the Bystander Effect and greatly impacts our willingness to take action and help someone in a time of need.
August is Bystander Awareness Month … the perfect time to bring to investigate the Bystander Effect, as well as how to be an Active Bystander. Some psychologists suggest that simply being aware of this tendency is perhaps the greatest way to break the cycle. When faced with a situation that requires action, understand how the bystander effect might be holding you back and consciously take steps to overcome it.
As part of the ongoing Awareness Month Film project, IDE(A)2 and the SMCM Library are pleased to present Confronting Discrimination and Prejudice, from the popular series What Would You Do, as the August film offering. The series is a fascinating look at the Bystander Effect and the impact an Active Bystander can have on a complete stranger’s wellbeing.
We invite the entire community to join us for a virtual lunchtime screening on Thursday, August 19 at 12:00 pm. Bring your lunch and join us for the viewing of Confronting Discrimination and Prejudice. After the viewing, you are invited to join the group discussion focused on the question “What would you do?”, and why (or why not).
Event Details:
– Thursday, August 19, 2021
– 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
– Virtual (Zoom)
Registration Required: https://smcm.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYqfu2uqzMtEtx78wByysr8xpb1RitSXZpl
About the series: Using hidden cameras, host John Quiñones observes and comments on how ordinary people behave when they are confronted with dilemmas that require them either to take action or to walk by and mind their own business. Various scenarios are created that force people to make split-second — and often surprising — decisions, and variations of the situation (such as changing the genders, races. or clothing of the people involved) are often featured to see if different reactions are elicited.
About the Episode (37 minutes): Various scenarios put actors into exchanges with unwitting bystanders, generating a wide range of responses—from overt hostility towards other races and cultures to acts of genuine compassion. Scenes include a bakery clerk’s refusal to serve a Muslim woman wearing a headscarf; cruelty towards an overweight woman seated on a boardwalk; a very public argument that threatens to become violent; and a purse-snatching in a crowded square, after which witnesses are asked to view a suspect lineup. Repeating the two latter situations, producers achieve varying reactions among onlookers by switching the races of the actors.
On-demand Viewing:
This episode is available for on-demand viewing through the SMCM Library portal:
https://fod-infobase-com.proxy-sm.researchport.umd.edu/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=39471&tScript=0#
(Must have valid SMCM ID to access Films OnDemand portal)
If you have questions or need further assistance, please contact Sarah Cannavo (slcannavo@smcm.edu) or Kat Ryner (khryner@smcm.edu).
