What is described as the diminished personal responsibility one feels when in a group?

The phenomenon described as the diminished personal responsibility one feels when in a group is known as diffusion of responsibility. This concept emerges particularly in group settings where individuals may feel less accountable for their actions or inactions because they perceive that others in the group are also responsible. As a result, an individual might refrain from taking action in situations that require assistance, believing that someone else will step in or that their contribution is not crucial.

This behavior is often observed in emergency situations, where the presence of multiple bystanders can lead to individuals feeling less compelled to offer help. The tendency to share responsibility among a group may diminish the urgency to act because people assume that the responsibility will be distributed or that someone else will take charge.

In contrast, conformity refers to aligning one’s attitudes or behaviors with those of a group, while deindividuation involves a loss of self-awareness and inhibition in group contexts, often leading to behaviors that are inconsistent with personal norms. Ethnocentrism pertains to evaluating other cultures based on the standards of one’s own culture, which is unrelated to the feeling of personal responsibility in a group context.