The Unknown - An Interactive Video Installation

1. AN INTERACTIVE VIDEO INSTALLATION
BY
Muhammad Adib Abu Bakar

2. PROJECT PROPOSAL
DESCRIPTION
The bystander effect, a phenomenon that a person is more likely to help another
person in a distress situation or a situation in need of help, in the public among a
great number of people present.
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
- Urbanise culture has led to people minding their own business.
- People are too busy to help each other when in the public.
- The cases of death affected around the world.
- Prevent crime attempts
TARGET USERS
Young adults, mostly students.

3. PROJECT PROPOSAL
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To understand the relationship between science and the effects of urbanism. We
have to know that the urbanism culture has affected many people, making them
think and do stuff very differently. This also affects their moral values in giving a
hand at strangers. There is a phenomenon called the bystander effect which I feel
the need to create an awareness about this problem and investigate the issues
relating to this culture.
MOTIVATION
My motivation comes from an article regarding a young women, Kitty Genovese,
that was stab to death outside the door leading to her apartment in 1964. What
makes me sad was that she cried for help after getting stab, but no one wanted to
intervene and help her. She was left to died outside the streets due to the
bystander effect.
TARGET USERS
Young adults, mostly students.

4. RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
BYSTANDER EFFECT
The bystander effect, a phenomenon that a person is more likely to help another
person in a distress situation or a situation in need of help, in the public among a
great number of people present.
Why?
Based on studies conducted by American psychologist, there are two major factors
that is the cause to the bystander effect.
First is the number of people presence in the area of distress which makes a
diffusion of responsibility. Since the responsibility to take action is thought to be
shared among others, they do not feel obligated to lend a hand.
The second reason is the need to behave in correct and socially acceptable ways.
This shows when other observers just do not react, they feel there is not a need to
intervene or not appropriate in some cases.

5. RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
Famous Case
Kitty Genovese Hugo Alfredo Tale-Yax Wang Yue
Died from being stabbed Died from being stabbed Ran over by a truck.
While being a good
Samaritan.

6. RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
Experiments
Asch Experiment
An experiment to show people tend to follow
what other people do.

7. RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
Experiments
Died from being stabbed

8. RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
RESEARCH METHOD
The bystander effect, a phenomenon that a person is more likely to help another
person in a distress situation or a situation in need of help, in the public among a
great number of people present.
Why?
Based on studies conducted by American psychologist, there are two major factors
that is the cause to the bystander effect.
First is the number of people presence in the area of distress which makes a
diffusion of responsibility. Since the responsibility to take action is thought to be
shared among others, they do not feel obligated to lend a hand.
The second reason is the need to behave in correct and socially acceptable ways.
This shows when other observers just do not react, they feel there is not a need to
intervene or not appropriate in some cases.

9. RESEARCH & ANALYSIS
FACTS
Timothy Hart and Ternace Miethe used data from the National Crime Victimization
Survey (NCVS) and found that a bystander was present in 65 percent of the
violent victimizations in the data. Their presence was most common in cases of
physical assaults (68%), which accounted for the majority of these violent
victimizations and less likely in robberies (49%) and sexual assaults (28%). The
actions of bystanders were most frequently judged by victims as “neither helping
nor hurting” (48%), followed by “helping” (37%), “hurting” (10%), and “both
helping and hurting” (3%). Half of the attacks that a bystander was present at
occurred in the evening and the victim and bystander were strangers.
Two major factors is the caused of bystander effect.
Bystanders monitor the reactions of other people in an emergency.
Observers all assume that someone else is going to intervene.

10. IDEA DEVELOPMENT
IDEA
I’m inspired with this topic idea because of the current issues happening in
Malaysia and also around the world. I feel there is a need to make people aware of
this social phenomenon which they may not be aware about.
Concept
The media elements used for the installation
-Audio
-Video
-Sound

11. CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
The feeling of being alienated.

12. CONTENT DEVELOPMENT
The video installation consist of three monitors playing a video. The video will give
a brief idea what is bystander effect is to the audience through the headphones. A
projector will basically play a montage video of the bystander effect..

13. CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

14. CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

15. CONTENT DEVELOPMENT

16. CONCLUSION
I hope that my project would help open the eyes of the user on the social issue
such as the bystander effect phenomenon, that has been occurring in urban
community.
As the aim of the project is to leave a good mark, the user should be aware of
situation that need assistance, should not be neglected even if it’s a stranger.