Effects of others? consciousness and empathy on helping behaviour of bystanders in bullying

A purpose of this study is to clarify the effects of others? consciousness and empathy as a promoting factor in the helping behaviour of bystanders in bullying.It is important that the number of bystanders was reduced and the number of mediators was increased in solving the bullying problem. It has been reported in the international comparative study of the bullying that there is the tendency that bystanders in bullying decreases after the establishment of the self. However, there is a tendency that bystanders are increasing continuously, rather than mediators, even after the establishment of the self in Japan. Bystanders are classified as implicit bystanders and as arbitrary bystanders. It is important to reduce the amount of implicit bystanders and evoke helping behaviour as arbitrated bystanders.In this study, the fact that others? consciousness, empathy and helping norms are affecting behaviour of bystanders in bullying was assumed. As a methodology, a questionnaire of 300 ordinary citizens was carried out.As a result of the survey, as for empathic concern for bullying, empathic concern in general, personal distress and others? consciousness, there were significant differences between the bystanders with helping behaviour and bystanders without helping behaviour. However, as for fantasy, perspective-taking and helping norms, there were no significant differences between the bystanders with helping behaviour and other bystanders.?In addition, as for psychological traits, such as others? consciousness, empathy and helping norms, there were no significant differences between the bystanders who was bullied and bystanders who wasn?t bullied. However, as for fantasy, empathic concern for bullying, repayment helping norms and helping norms of relief of the weak, there were significant differences between the bystanders with bullies and bystanders without bullies.In conclusion, to the effort to raise others? consciousness and empathy evoke helping behaviour of bystanders in bullying. To stop bullying, it is important to encourage the imagination and empathy for the plight of the weak and to bring up the helping norm of mutual benefits, the helping norm of compensate for the weak and the helping norm of relief of the weak.