Mark Levine  Social Psychologist 

‘Everything we think we know about the bystander effect is wrong. Our research shows, that actually, despite what people think, humans are incredibly helpful in real-life situations.’ Mark Levine

Mark Levine, whose commentary features in The Bystander Story, is Professor of Social Psychology at Lancaster University.
For more than twenty-five years, he has been researching bystander behaviour. 

Mark’s recent work examines the role of group processes in regulating perpetrator, victim and bystander interactions during violent incidents. Together with colleagues, Mark has analysed CCTV footage of real-life violent incidents and used virtual reality settings to study the behaviour of passersby and bystanders in emergencies. 

More broadly, Mark investigates social identities and behaviour in the digital era, partnering with colleagues across psychology, sociology, computer science, engineering, mathematics and robotics. He has also collaborated with artists—dancers, animators and digital artists— and now a filmmaker. 

Widely published, Mark’s work has appeared in scholarly journals including : Behavioural and Brain Sciences; Psychological Science; American Psychologist; Journal of Personality and Social Psychology; Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin; British Journal of Social Psychology; European Journal of Social Psychology and many others. 

Mark is a frequent commentator on new research into bystander behaviour for media outlets. His work has been widely discussed in electronic and print publications including the BBC, NPR, The New Yorker and LA Times. Mark is currently working on a book about bystander intervention for a broader readership.