It’s not an unheard of phenomenon that people follow social tendencies, trends, and crowds. So why is it that people follow the crowd?
A social experiment was carried out to explore this concept.
What is the Asch Conformity Line Experiment?
Solomon Asch wanted to explore the idea of conformity; that is, explore the extent to which people are willing to conform to pressure and social standards. In the 1930s, he carried out the Asch Conformity Line Experiment.
In this study, Asch placed a participant in a group of accomplices, without disclosing that the other participants were actually not part of the experiment. The group was asked to answer a simple and obvious line judgment question: out of a series of lines in a drawing, which one is the longest?
The answer was obvious enough, but all of the “participants” answered incorrectly. The naive participant, completely unaware that the other participants were “in” on the experiment, succumbed to pressure and answered incorrectly as well.
It should have been easy enough to point out the correct answer, but because participants were placed in a group where they were unknowingly isolated, peer pressure got the best of them, and they were seemingly forced into agreeing with the majority, even though the answer was incorrect.
Although this experiment presents some limitations, it does raise the question as to why people feel the certain pressure that they do in the face of a crowd or majority.
In this experiment, for instance, there was a single, obvious answer to a question, yet people denied the truth in the face of a majority. This sort of pressure connects to the idea of mob rule or mentality.
What is mob mentality?
Mob mentality refers to the idea that one isn’t isolated in their thoughts and actions; rather, they are influenced by the pressure of their surroundings.
This concept falls under the umbrella of social psychology, where actions and behaviors are viewed wholly. This broad psychological ideal denies the idea of being in complete control of our thoughts and behavior.
Instead, it stresses that most of our thoughts and actions can actually derive from our environment. The concept of “mob mentality” boils down to the idea that our environment influences the way we think, and therefore, act.
Mob mentality paints a picture of a rioting crowd or mob of people, all marching together in unison. However, this isn’t limited to conscious or dramatic group conformity. In our everyday lives, the foods we eat, music we listen to, or even shows we watch are often the result of simply following what your family or peers do.
Following the crowd is a method that facilitates decision-making. So next time you’re about to watch a new show or listen to music, think about what influenced you to do so.
