Imagine, for a second, you are on a crowded train. The train is headed in a direction you are certain is the wrong one. But you don’t get off. You stay on. Why? Everyone on the train appears so certain THEY are headed in the right direction. You stay with the herd…

“Herd behavior” is a term used to describe the tendency of individuals to think and act as a group. Another term is “mob mentality.” The term comes from the behavior of animals in herds, particularly when they are in a dangerous situation such as escaping a predator. The animals band closely together in a group and, in panic mode, move together as a unit. It is very unusual for a member of the herd to stray from the movement of the unit. If they do, often, they are killed.

The term also applies to human behavior, and it usually describes large groups of people acting the same way at the same time. It often connects to irrationality, as people’s actions are driven by emotion rather than by logical thought. Human herd behavior can be observed at large-scale demonstrations, riots, strikes, religious gatherings, sports events, and outbreaks of mob violence. “When herd behavior sets in, an individual person’s judgment and opinion-forming process shut down as he or she automatically follows the group’s movement and behavior.” (full article link below)

Dr. Nicole LePera (@Theholisticpsyc) connects the effects of social media to mob mentality. A recent Tweet of hers caught my attention:  

She’s not wrong, is she?

Following reading this tweet, I had a great chat with a friend. She shared the following wisdom – a great question to ask oneself:

“How would my perception of this situation change if I applied a different lens?”

She continued: “It’s hard to ask that question and self-reflect when you’re running with the pack.”

Look around…

Are you moving with the herd?

Herd Mentality – full article: https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/herd-behavior