Diffusion of Responsibility occurs when:

• A. People feel less personal responsibility when multiple bystanders are present
• B. People feel more personal responsibility when there are many bystanders
• C. Responsibility is predetermined by rank
• D. Everyone acts immediately

Answer: (A)

Diffusion of responsibility is about how the presence of others changes how much each person feels they personally must act. When many bystanders are nearby, the sense that “someone has to help” gets spread among the group, so each individual feels less personal obligation to intervene. That’s why the statement that people feel less personal responsibility when multiple bystanders are present best captures the concept.

The other ideas don’t fit: simply having many bystanders isn’t going to make someone feel more responsible, responsibility isn’t set by rank, and emergencies don’t guarantee immediate action by everyone.