In China, from what I've been reading, there does seem to be some reluctance to get involved on the part of some Chinese. The reasons as quoted in one article may not point to a lack of compassion, but to a ruling by a provincial judge when an elderly man went to the aid of a woman who had had an accident. The woman accused the man of causing the accident and was seeking compensation, and the judge ruled in her favour. I wasn't there so I don't know how the accident happened.

This is something that troubles me greatly, and you are wise to bring it up. Recently, a baby died in a traffic accident near the school I work...I was irate at gawking idiots taking photos/videos of the accident scene on their mobile phones and told them as much. The ambulance couldn't get through because of poor road design and layout, and people too obsessed with gawking or too arrogant or lazy to move their own cars to let the ambulance through.

I do think it is cultural, and if not my family or inner circle, then not my problem. Indifference,for sure. I always go with what Oscar wilde said, a society can be judged upon how they treat their animals, well, let's not go there......

Cheers,
SMGS