The 1964 murder of Kitty Genovese in Queens first alerted people to what became known as the "bystander effect." The original reporting by the New York Times, that her death was witnessed by 38 witnesses who did nothing, was debunked a long time ago, but the story has still resonated as a sort of parable about the callousness of urban living. 

Harold Takooshian, Ph.D., a professor of psychology, talks about why the Genovese case continues to resonate today, and what psychologists have learned about the "bystander effect."

Harold Takooshian on Kitty Genovese and the Bystander Effect

FordhamNotes