The Bystander Effect: The Psychology of Courage and How to be Brave

(Paperback)

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Fantastic It explains the misperception of stacked odds and personal powerlessness that stops individuals challenging bad behaviour. Stunning. Humbling. Thought-provoking
Kathryn Mannix, author of With the End in Mind

In the face of discrimination, bad behaviour, evil and abuse, why do good people so often do nothing
Every day, we see examples of bad or immoral behaviour from sexual harassment to political corruption, from negligence to bullying.

Why did no one stop the abduction of Jamie Bulger, despite many witnesses reporting they felt uneasy seeing the two-year-old's distress How did the USA gymnastics team doctor, Larry Nassar, abuse hundreds of young women under his care for so long Why didn't anyone intervene when David Dao, an innocent sixty-nine-year-old man, was forcibly removed from his seat on a United Airlines aeroplane and dragged down the aisle by security officers How did large crowds of men get away with sexually assaulting an estimated 1,200 women in Cologne during the 2015 New Year's Eve celebrations

In The Bystander Effect, pioneering psychologist Catherine Sanderson uses real-life examples, neuroscience and the latest psychological studies to explain why we might be good at recognising bad behaviour but bad at taking action against it. With practical strategies to transform your thinking, she shows how we can all learn to speak out, intervene, think outside the group mentality and ultimately become braver versions of ourselves.

Courage is not a virtue we're born with. A bystander can learn to be brave.

Reviews

Look out for this fantastic book, due April 2020. It explains the misperception of stacked odds and personal powerlessness that stops individuals challenging bad behaviour. Stunning. Humbling. Thought-provoking.
Kathryn Mannix, author of With the End in Mind

A fascinating look at why some of us will go to others aid, while others do nothing very readable encouraging a surprisingly positive book Sunday Times

An examination of moral courage and its disappointing scarcity Economist

In this powerful, well-written book, Catherine Sanderson explains what psychology has taught us about why good people so often do nothing If you have ever regretted being silent (and who hasn't) this is the book for you
Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice

Thoughtful and beautifully written A smart and practical guide to becoming a better and braver version of ourselves
Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness

Catherine Sanderson, like no other psychologist, invades our minds. Her riveting storytelling challenges us to rethink why we avert our eyes to evil, tolerate bullying, and excuse unforgivable workplace behaviour
Walter V. Robinson, former editor of the Pulitzer-winning Boston Globe team

Brilliant The unrelenting rigor of her analysis, sweeping breadth of research and evocative lucidity empower us to act and also give us hope. This book comes not a moral moment too soon
Cornell William Brooks, former President of the NAACP

Makes a powerful argument for building, as early as possible, the ability to stand up for whats right in the face of peer pressure, corrupt authority, and even family apathy. Citing case after case revealing how easy it is for peoples moral instincts to be muted, and detailing how that silence is visible on brain scans, Sanderson guides readers toward her inevitable conclusion: We can do better
Psychology Today

Author Bio

Catherine A. Sanderson is the Manwell Family Professor in Life Sciences at Amherst College. Her research examines how social norms and their misperception influence health-related behaviour on campus, including safe sex and disordered eating. An experienced speaker, Dr. Sanderson gives talks on the science of happiness and the psychology of good and evil to groups and businesses around the country. She has been chosen by Princeton Review as one of America's Best Professors and is the author of The Positive Shift: Mastering Mindset to Improve Happiness, Health, and Longevity. She has published dozens of articles and written widely read high school and college text books, including Psychology in Action and Real World Psychology. Her work has been featured in the Atlantic and Washington Post and on CBS and CNN.