Psychology professor Darley cited in three-car crash

Psychology professor emeritus John M. Darley, 74, was cited by police for allegedly causing a three-car accident Tuesday morning in town. No one was injured.

Darley, who is known for his research on the actions of bystanders in emergency situations, allegedly ignored a red light at the intersection of Harrison Street and Franklin Street, according to Borough Police Captain Nicholas Sutter.

Sutter said Darley’s 1997 Audi crashed into a 2011 black Kia driven by Mary Greenberg, 61, a Princeton resident. Darley’s car knocked Greenberg’s vehicle onto its side. Then Greenberg’s car made contact with a third vehicle belonging to Danielle Otis, 43, of Princeton.

“Sadly, I was in a fender bender,” Darley said when reached at his home. “Everybody’s fine. Nobody was hurt.”

The incident took place at 9:40 a.m. on Tuesday about a block away from the Princeton Shopping Center.

After the incident, the Borough Police cited Darley for disregarding a traffic signal.

Darley joined the University’s psychology faculty in 1968. He is a distinguished social psychologist who studies social interactions and the moral implications of people’s actions and decisions. Recently, he has conducted research on criminal justice and its relation to ordinary people's moral judgments.

He is most known for his work on bystander intervention in emergencies. He co-published an influential book, “The Unresponsive Bystander: Why Doesn’t He Help?” in 1970. The book examines the frequent failure of individuals to respond and assist people in emergency situations, most notably during the murder of Kitty Genovese in 1964 in which no witnesses called the police.

Darley and co-author Bibb Latane won the Socio-Psychological Essay Prize by the American Association for the Advancement of Science for their research.

He has also received numerous national honors throughout his career, including the Society of Experimental Social Psychology Distinguished Scientist Award.