Oh I see. Yes, in that instance, I think you are probably right. Generally speaking, people like to cause the least overall disruption even if the outcome wil

Oh I see. Yes, in that instance, I think you are probably right. Generally speaking, people like to cause the least overall disruption even if the outcome will be sub-optimal. I might be wrong, but I think in the case of stopping a thief or asking someone to be quiet on the train, there may be a fear of not being able to control the situation. So the disruption may escalate. For helping someone who is injured or comforting a lost child, there is less fear and people seem to act more quickly. Even as I write this, I'm not entirely sure of the distinction, though. It is strange :-)