Bystanders who tolerate abuse are more morally disengaged than guilty or defensive bystanders.

Evidence

Obermann (2011) also found that bystander tolerators of abuse exhibit higher moral disengagement than guilty bystanders and those who come to the defense of victims. The guilty ones see the moral wrongness of bullying but apparently are deterred from intervening. However, empathy for the suffering of others combined with self-efficacy at managing difficult social relationships increases bystanders’ willingness to come to the defense of victims (Gini, Albiero, Benelli, & Altoè, 2008). — Albert Bandura, Moral Disengagement, 284

Categorization

• DEFINE: Distinguishes ‘tolerator’ bystanders (high disengagement) from ‘guilty’ bystanders (see wrongness but deterred) — a useful empirical distinction.