Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE) Practice Test

Diffusion of responsibility leads individuals to believe that:

1. They are solely responsible for a situation

2. Someone else will take action

3. Only trained professionals can intervene

4. Every individual must act independently

The correct answer is: Someone else will take action

The concept of diffusion of responsibility suggests that when a situation requires intervention, individuals often feel less personal responsibility to act, particularly when they are part of a larger group. This phenomenon occurs because people may assume that someone else will step in to help or take charge, which can lead to inaction. In scenarios where multiple people are present, individuals might think that their own contribution is not necessary; someone else will certainly handle the situation. This can be observed in emergencies, where the presence of bystanders can lead to less likelihood of anyone taking action, known as the bystander effect. In contrast, the other options do not capture this idea effectively. For instance, the notion that someone is solely responsible for a situation or that only trained professionals can intervene does not align with the diffusion of responsibility, as it does not consider the collective presence of others. Similarly, insisting that every individual must act independently contradicts the fundamental premise of this psychological phenomenon, as it emphasizes individual responsibility where diffusion occurs.