Will Doig probes the reasons why people in cities are less likely than people in rural areas to intervene to help a stranger or confront wrongdoing.
Apparently, as Doig reports, there is actually a theory to explain the self-absorbed behavior and lack of concern exhibited by urbanites. "The linchpin of this theory is the Bystander Effect, which suggests that our failure to react is caused by the urban environment. It was first established in 1968 after the notorious murder of Kitty Genovese, the young Queens woman who was killed while dozens of witnesses looked on."
"But in the decades since, our knowledge of the Bystander Effect has evolved even further. Now we can even predict which people - in which cities - are most likely to help out a stranger."
Of comfort to urbanites, Doig points out that the causes for the Bystander Effect have little to do with morality. Two causes, stimulus overload and ambiguity, have a lot to do with the impacts of density. Other causes may be uncertainty about what to do, or fear of intervening.
What's curious, though, is that "the Bystander Effect varies so greatly from city to city - if you're in a place where people are apt to intervene, you probably will too. And if you're not, you won't."
FULL STORY: It’s true: Cities are meaner

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

Rethinking Computing: Researchers Tackle AI’s Energy Demands
USC researchers are reimagining how AI systems are trained and powered — through smarter algorithms, innovative hardware, and brain-inspired designs — to dramatically reduce computing’s energy footprint.

Amazon-Owned Robotaxis to Begin Testing in LA
Los Angeles will become the sixth city where Zoox is testing its autonomous vehicle technology.

New York MTA Says No More Borrowing, Will Cut Costs Instead
The agency says it won’t take out any new loans to finance its planned improvements and is finding other ways to cut costs.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions