Herd mentality, mob mentality and pack mentality, also lesser known as gang mentality, describes how people can be influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors on a largely emotional, rather than rational, basis.
Confirmation bias, the tendency to process information by looking for, or interpreting, information that is consistent with one's existing beliefs.
“Sigmund Freud discussed mob behavior as a process that is different from individual behavior. When in a crowd, people will behave differently than they would when alone. There is a joining of ways of thinking into a similar way of thinking for the individuals as a whole. Individual differences go away, excitement builds, and individuals become less aware of their actions.
The herd mentality is said to be different between animals and humans, allegedly because humans have vastly more mentality. But that mentality, or independence of advanced thought, is expected to go away when in the crowd or herd. The crowd does not have intentions or thoughts that are very far away from the intentions and thoughts of the individual, however, in some classic theory. But classic theory does not account for the widely diverse crowds that can form today.
The crowd provides anonymity and the power of the group, leading to different behavior than if the individual is clearly identifiable and operating with no support from others.”
http://www.actforlibraries.org/the-sociology-of-mob-behavior-and-crowd-control/
A common historical example was the Salem Witch trials. They imprisoned 150 people and killed 25; 19 were hanged, one man who refused to enter a plea was crushed under heavy stones, and five died in prison.
Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd. - Bertrand Russell
All due to fear.
Today we have seen what fear and hysteria can cause during the COVID 19 pandemic. How the internet was a breeding ground for such herds without proper information.
Or the opposite that herd denial can increase your risk of survival.
A classic research into the 'bystander effect' and 'diffusion-of-responsibility from the 1970s by Bibb Latane and John Darley showing how the presence of other people can have an inhibiting influence on our behavior and even make us put our own life at risk
In the above video you watch how the herd mentality can affect people. Participant 1 by herself left the room under 1 minute. Participant 2 mixed with at least 6 others took over 20 minutes as smoke filled the room before the researcher had to shut it down.
We see today the stock markets are ran on herd mentality than rationality. Or black Friday fights between seemingly average folks get pumped up to fight over a tv. Or a simple sporting event can have 1 individual start a crowd of doing something typically against the social norm. Or events like the Woodstock music festival led to huge groups going against the societal structure norms. Or even how the LGBT is 3% of the population but yet has proven to stomp rational thinking within the masses of people.
Point is when facing the herd of belief it is extremely wise to investigate the facts even if the herd compliments your beliefs. If emotion becomes your guiding factor then you can easily be led astray as emotion often doesn't focus on the rational.
Confirmation bias, the tendency to process information by looking for, or interpreting, information that is consistent with one's existing beliefs.
“Sigmund Freud discussed mob behavior as a process that is different from individual behavior. When in a crowd, people will behave differently than they would when alone. There is a joining of ways of thinking into a similar way of thinking for the individuals as a whole. Individual differences go away, excitement builds, and individuals become less aware of their actions.
The herd mentality is said to be different between animals and humans, allegedly because humans have vastly more mentality. But that mentality, or independence of advanced thought, is expected to go away when in the crowd or herd. The crowd does not have intentions or thoughts that are very far away from the intentions and thoughts of the individual, however, in some classic theory. But classic theory does not account for the widely diverse crowds that can form today.
The crowd provides anonymity and the power of the group, leading to different behavior than if the individual is clearly identifiable and operating with no support from others.”
http://www.actforlibraries.org/the-sociology-of-mob-behavior-and-crowd-control/
A common historical example was the Salem Witch trials. They imprisoned 150 people and killed 25; 19 were hanged, one man who refused to enter a plea was crushed under heavy stones, and five died in prison.
Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd. - Bertrand Russell
All due to fear.
Today we have seen what fear and hysteria can cause during the COVID 19 pandemic. How the internet was a breeding ground for such herds without proper information.
Or the opposite that herd denial can increase your risk of survival.
A classic research into the 'bystander effect' and 'diffusion-of-responsibility from the 1970s by Bibb Latane and John Darley showing how the presence of other people can have an inhibiting influence on our behavior and even make us put our own life at risk
In the above video you watch how the herd mentality can affect people. Participant 1 by herself left the room under 1 minute. Participant 2 mixed with at least 6 others took over 20 minutes as smoke filled the room before the researcher had to shut it down.
We see today the stock markets are ran on herd mentality than rationality. Or black Friday fights between seemingly average folks get pumped up to fight over a tv. Or a simple sporting event can have 1 individual start a crowd of doing something typically against the social norm. Or events like the Woodstock music festival led to huge groups going against the societal structure norms. Or even how the LGBT is 3% of the population but yet has proven to stomp rational thinking within the masses of people.
Point is when facing the herd of belief it is extremely wise to investigate the facts even if the herd compliments your beliefs. If emotion becomes your guiding factor then you can easily be led astray as emotion often doesn't focus on the rational.
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