Have you ever noticed that when you see a piece of clothing in the mall and want to try it on, the person next to you will follow you to the fitting room? Or when you order a dish in a restaurant, the people around you will follow you and order the same dish? Or when you see a hot topic on social media, you will also follow along and express your opinion? These phenomena are all psychological phenomena calledThe Law of the Flock
The law of the herd, also known as:Herd effectorThe herd effectIt means that people tend to follow the behavior of others in collective behavior, just like a flock of sheep, the first sheep will go to **, and the sheep behind will also follow **. This behavior is sometimes motivated by rational considerations, such as using other people's information to reduce one's own uncertainty or risk; Sometimes it is due to irrational impulses, such as being influenced by the emotions or pressures of others, and lacking one's own judgment or assertion2.
The law of the herd is very common in human society, and it can occur in various fields and levels, such as financial markets, consumer behavior, voting choice, ** formation, fashion trends, and so on. The law of the herd can sometimes bring positive effects, such as promoting social coordination and stability, enhancing people's sense of belonging and identity, and improving people's efficiency and effectiveness; But sometimes it can also bring negative effects, such as leading to waste and misallocation of resources, stifling people's innovation and individuality, triggering market bubbles and crises, and even causing group blindness and violence.
So, why do people have the law of the herd? Psychologists have come up with different theories and explanations for this, such as social identity theory, social influence theory, social learning theory, cognitive dissonance theory, and so on. These theories analyze people's psychological motivations and behavioral mechanisms in groups from different perspectives, such as people's lack of confidence in their own abilities and beliefs, people's sensitivity to others' evaluations and expectations, people's compliance with group norms and values, and people's adjustment of their own behaviors and attitudes.
So, how do we deal with the law of the herd? Should we abandon the law of the herd altogether, or should we submit to the law of the herd altogether? The answer is, it depends. Sometimes, the law of the herd is beneficial, such as when we lack enough information or experience, we can learn from the choices of others to make better decisions; Sometimes, the law of the herd is harmful, such as when we are faced with a major problem or opportunity, we should stand up for our own judgments and opinions, rather than blindly following the opinions of others. In short, we should find a balance between the law of the herd and the law of self, both respecting others and ourselves, being gregarious and independent, rational and emotional, so that we can make the choice that best meets our own interests and values.