The bystander effect is the social psychology finding that people are less likely to help a victim when other people are present. It was first proposed in 1964 after the murder of Kitty Genovese, when a newspaper reported that 37 bystanders had seen or heard the attack without calling for help, a figure that was later found to be wrong. Laboratory research has examined factors such as the number of bystanders, ambiguity about what is happening, group cohesion and diffusion of responsibility. When one person is asked to act alone, they feel responsible and usually respond, while in groups each person feels less responsible and may hold back. Recent studies of real-world events captured on security cameras have questioned how consistent and strong the effect is. Later work also suggests it can extend to workplaces, where subordinates often keep ideas and concerns from managers.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.