The Death of ‘Little Yue Yue’—An Analysis of Public Commentaries on an Iconic Case of Bystander Apathy in China

Datos Bibliográficos

ID6434273
AutoresWanhao Cheng (0000-0001-6590-3428, Department of Psychology Lancaster University Lancaster UK, autor de correspondencia), Richard Philpot (0000-0001-6556-1413, Department of Psychology Lancaster University Lancaster UK), Mark Levine (0000-0002-3682-711X, Department of Psychology Lancaster University Lancaster UK)
Año2025
Volumen35
Número4
Fecha de publicación2025-06-25
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaJournal of Community & Applied Social Psychology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1052-9284 • E-ISSN: 1099-1298
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1002/casp.70139
OpenAlexW4411704769
IdiomaEN
Referencias citadas41

We know very little about how bystander behaviour is portrayed in the media outside the West. Here, we analyse 379 articles in Chinese media (identified through a systematic search of Chinese databases Baidu, Weibo, CNKI and Zhihu between 2011 and 2021) on the case of ‘Little Yue Yue’—a Chinese toddler killed in a hit‐and‐run accident. We coded for the presence of concepts from Western bystander theories (Five‐Step model, Arousal: Cost‐Reward model, Social Identity), laws, government, trust and technology‐use. A multiple correspondence analysis showed how these different bystander concepts clustered together in three overarching factors. Our paper reveals the way Western social psychological concepts can structure the popular understanding of an iconic bystander event in the Chinese context. Please refer to the Supporting Information section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement

Apathy · Bystander effect · China · Criminology · Political science · Psychiatry · Cultural Differences and Values · Emotions and Moral Behavior · Law · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Psychology