Secondary Bystander Effects on Intimate Violence: When Norms of Restraint Reduce Deterrence

Research on bystander effects indicates that bystanders encourage individuals to behave in conformity with norms. In modern Western society, there are norms against stronger actors using violence against weaker actors. To the extent that the presence of a bystander reduces the likelihood that stronger actors use violence toward weaker actors, we suggest that weaker actors may become more likely to use violence toward stronger actors because of their reduced risks from retaliation. In the present study, subjects indicated their own likelihoods of using violence in hypothetical situations of boyfriend/girlfriend conflicts with and without bystanders. As theoretically predicted, the results showed that the presence of a bystander decreased the use of violence by males toward females, and increased the use of violence by females toward males. We suggest that a greater understanding of indirect effects on interpersonal relationships is essential for both social theory and policy.