Ordinary Heroism

Education without limits, a programme with a beginning and an end

Who is it for? For the general public | students in Grades 7-9, high school students, special-interest groups

How long is it? 120 min 

How much does it cost? CZK 1200/group | CZK 900/school group or CZK 90/student for 11 or more participants, teachers free of charge

When and how to order? Reservations and other information: skoly@dox.cz or 295 568 104 | ideally the programme should be ordered at least 2 weeks in advance

DOX Centre for Contemporary Art
Poupětova 1, Prague 7
Show on map

Widget CTA

An educational programme concerning the bystander effect phenomenon

What do we do when there is a potentially dangerous situation occurring in our vicinity? Do we intervene, or do we leave it up to others? The Ordinary Heroism programme presents a psychological phenomenon known as the bystander effect, which was first described at the end of the 1960s in the USA. The more people are present at a dangerous or bad situation, the less likely they are to intervene and help.

Have you ever experiences something similar? Why does it happen, and can we prepare for such situations and become a “hero”? An initiating event based on a real-life situation is used to develop a reflective dialogue, from which students take away not only an understanding of the common human reaction of being a bystander, but also effective tools to correct it. The experience teaches them how to intervene wisely, avoiding danger but at the same time providing effective help.

The programme uses methodology developed for Professor Philip Zimbardo’s Heroic Imagination Project, which has been systematically studying everyday heroism for several years now.