diffusion of responsibility

(noun)

Diffusion of responsibility is a socio-psychological phenomenon whereby a person is less likely to take responsibility for an action (or for inaction) when others are present.

Related Terms

  • anomie
  • bystander effect

Examples of diffusion of responsibility in the following topics:

  • Noninvolvement and the Diffusion of Responsibility

    • Diffusion of responsibility is a phenomenon in which a person is less likely to take responsibility for an action when others are present.
    • Diffusion of responsibility tends to occur in groups of people above a critical size and when responsibility is not explicitly assigned.
    • The bystander effect is another phenomenon that is closely related to diffusion of responsibility.
    • This type of positive diffusion of responsibility constitutes the basis of the Nazi defense in the international Nuremberg Trials.
    • Give examples of the bystander effect, diffusion of responsibility, and anomie in contemporary society
  • Diffusion

    • Diffusion is the movement of particles from regions of high concentration towards regions of lower concentration.
    • Diffusion is the movement of particles move from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration until equilibrium is reached .
    • Diffusion explains the net flux of molecules from a region of higher concentration to one of lower concentration.
    • However, diffusion can still occur in the absence of a concentration gradient.
    • The result of diffusion is a gradual mixing of material.
  • Diffusion

    • Diffusion is a process of passive transport in which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to one of lower concentration.
    • Diffusion is a passive process of transport.
    • You are familiar with diffusion of substances through the air.
    • While diffusion will go forward in the presence of a concentration gradient of a substance, several factors affect the rate of diffusion:
    • A variation of diffusion is the process of filtration.
  • The Diffusion of Innovation

    • The diffusion of innovation theory seeks to explain how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread through cultures.
    • The diffusion of innovation is a theory that seeks to explain how, why, and at what rate new ideas and technology spread through cultures.
    • The origins of the diffusion of innovation theory are varied and span multiple disciplines.
    • Everett Rogers, a professor of rural sociology, popularized the theory in his 1962 book Diffusion of Innovations.
    • Thus, it is quite important for a marketer to understand the diffusion process so as to ensure proper management of the spread of the new product or service.
  • Molecular Transport Phenomena

    • This type of diffusion is called free diffusion, because there are no barriers inhibiting it.
    • The rate of diffusion is proportional to the concentration difference.
    • The rate of diffusion is also proportional to the diffusion constant D, which is determined experimentally.
    • Some of the most interesting examples of diffusion occur through barriers that affect the rates of diffusion.
    • Diffusion through membranes is an important method of transport.
  • The Respiratory System and Direct Diffusion

    • As animal size increases, diffusion distances increase and the ratio of surface area to volume drops.
    • In order to be a feasible means of providing oxygen to the cell, the rate of oxygen uptake must match the rate of diffusion across the membrane.
    • In other words, if the cell were very large or thick, diffusion would not be able to provide oxygen quickly enough to the inside of the cell.
    • Their cells are kept moist so that gases diffuse quickly via direct diffusion.
    • This flatworm's process of respiration works by diffusion across the outer membrane.
  • Limiting Effects of Diffusion on Size and Development

    • The exchange of nutrients and wastes between a cell and its watery environment occurs through the process of diffusion.
    • If the cell is too large, then diffusion is ineffective at completing all of these tasks.
    • An important concept in understanding the efficiency of diffusion as a transportation mechanism is the surface-to-volume ratio.
    • The larger the size of the sphere, or animal, the less surface area for diffusion it possesses.
    • This has an effect on diffusion because it relies on the surface area of a cell: as a cell gets bigger, diffusion becomes less efficient.
  • Intracellular Hormone Receptors

    • Lipid-soluble hormones diffuse across the plasma membrane of cells, binding to receptors inside the cells where they alter gene expression.
    • Lipid-derived (soluble) hormones such as steroid hormones diffuse across the lipid bilayer membranes of the endocrine cell.
    • At the target cell, the hormones are released from the carrier protein and diffuse across the lipid bilayer of the plasma membrane of the target cells.
    • The hormones diffuse across both the plasma membrane and the nuclear envelope, then bind to receptors in the nucleus.
    • In the nucleus, the hormone-receptor complex binds to a DNA sequence called a hormone response element (HRE), which triggers gene transcription and translation.
  • The Role of Passive Transport

    • The passive forms of transport, diffusion and osmosis, move materials of small molecular weight across membranes.
    • In solutions containing more than one substance, each type of molecule diffuses according to its own concentration gradient, independent of the diffusion of other substances.
    • Many factors can affect the rate of diffusion, including, but not limited to, concentration gradient, size of the particles that are diffusing, and temperature of the system.
    • In living systems, diffusion of substances in and out of cells is mediated by the plasma membrane.
    • Diffusion is a type of passive transport.
  • Transport of Electrolytes across Cell Membranes

    • Ions cannot diffuse passively through membranes; instead, their concentrations are regulated by facilitated diffusion and active transport.
    • A teaspoon of table salt readily dissolves in water.
    • It is directly proportional to the number of solute atoms or molecules and not dependent on the size of the solute molecules.
    • Water passes through semi-permeable membranes by passive diffusion, moving along a concentration gradient and equalizing the concentration on either side of the membrane.
    • Facilitated diffusion of solutes occurs through protein-based channels.
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