Herd Mentality does rule in crisis situations because you need radical, fully supported change to truly have an affect on the crisis at hand. And, with people arguing with each other in a non-herd mentality, solving a crisis becomes nearly impossible because of disagreement which hinders possible solutions.
For example, with the French Revolution, there was a MAGNIFICENT group of people who revolted against the French monarchy. They supported radical change and eliminated the people among them who wished for only moderate change or obviously disagreed with them. They wanted very radical, extreme change because that is the only way a nation can truly change from its old, noneffective habits. In with the new, out of the old.
So, you can also in a sense relate that example to our $700 billion bailout. If there was a herd-mentality when voting on the bailout, we would have had a solution to our economic crisis that could possibly work, unlike just allowing the banks to go deeper in debt. With the Dow Jones index losing 777 points yesterday, the economy lost over $1 TRILLION within only one day.
I hope i answered this correctly and understood the question correctly
Herd Mentality can be very dangerous because no body wants to be different from the heard. If the heard is going in the right direction then its fine but if the heard goes in the wrong direction is can be a very scary thing. The problem with herd mentality is it takes the blame off of individuals and puts it on the group. After the holocaust, most german soldiers refused to accept blame for killings of many innocent people. Many said " I was just following orders" When the german soldiers said they were just following orders they were really just following the herd. Nobody wanted to stand out because they were afraid. The Nazis had such control over people that the fear of standing up to them was stronger than the desire to do something right.
The herd mentality always exist but it strengthens in times of crisis. Another example is 911. When 911 happened our country came closer together and looked to our government to do something. Regardless of what you think now of the war on September 11th we all said the same thing we wanted action. Although creating a war in the middle east may not have been the quick fix we wanted, the herd was crying for action and thats how washington responded.
To me heard mentality is never positive. Even if the thing people are following is not necessarily a negative thing, the people will likely conform to another's beliefs once again, and they will eventually do something negative. Heard mentality can cause people to end friendships, start drugs, and waste money. Although we all have experienced some form of it, it is important that we learn to recognize it and stop following people.
Despite my negative thoughts regarding heard mentality, I admit at times it does come in handy. Like Nick, I believe it would be useful in coming up with one answer to a situation. However, I feel that conforming to one answer is not always the best case in crisis situations.
Heard mentality exists in every genocide. There is no one to stand out and solve issues, because they will be punished or scrutinized. Instead people stick to their sides. They continue to kill, despite knowing its wrong.
However, to think positively, heard mentality can save lives. When disasters occur and lives are jeopardized, there is always one person who steps up to be a leader and manages to bring all the other people to safety. While these people may have disputes along the way, they nonetheless succumb to heard mentality. People are saved because they follow a single person who seems to know the way.
Often in the history of man, has the herd mentality been prevalent. Revolutions like the French Revolution is one of the prime examples. I agree with nick on the subject of the French Revolution being a magnificent epitome of a herd mentality. Even the ring leader of that revolution was executed by the mob. Other times, like when people are in danger, or at least think they are in danger, cause paranoia and witch hunts. Figurative and literal. During the Black Plague, anyone who was different was killed including many of the jews in Europe, gypsies, mentally unstable, and others who were used as scapegoats. That was started by people like the flatulents(They hit themselves to apparently absolve there sins). Even throughout American history, there were scape goats. The KKK say that blacks, jews, mentally unstable, homosexuals, and others are to blame for all of America's problems. They act like a herd of animals almost. Right after the civil war they were founded to kill the newly freed blacks.(Time to get back on track). Anyways, The herd mentality will sadly never die and many people will go of a cliff with the rest of the figurative lemmings.And that is just about it for us.
Herd Mentality for sure rules the crisis situations becasue people just tend to follow what other people are doing when in panic. When something wrong is going on people lose themselves and their instences and follow someone who thinks they are doing it right. To them it is easier to follow then to lead and get in trouble. We do it as sudents and adults probably do it as well. For students its mostly an assignment that was not understud and instead of simpliy asking the teacher we ask a friend who might think they understand it but really doesnt. That makes you mess up and others because people then follow your lead. As adults its more of a role model situation. To me in a crisis people just follow someone because they are scared that if they mess up it will be on them. But if they follow someone else, they can point their fingers at the leader and not have the fingers being pointed at them. In a finicial crisis people just go with the other persons ideas and not with their own instincts.
I stongly believe herd mentality rules during a financial crisis because people tend to follow the others under tremendous uncertainty.
Such as the Civil War, when people decided to turn to both Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln, because of uncertainty of what they wanted. The Southerners wanted slavery, because they depended highly on agriculture as for the northerners depended on industry. So, abolishing slavery wouldn’t be a big deal for the north. All Abraham truly wanted was to reunite the north and a south by any means necessary even if it meant allowing slavery.
The northerners, who followed Abraham, were obviously upset about this. This makes herd mentality seem quite negative. As I agree with Sara, herd mentality isn’t always negative. It can be very successful. Even though, Abraham wanted to reunite America no matter what, he still chose to end slavery like the northerners wished. Many people including myself believe that Abraham Lincoln was our best president, because he not only reunited America, but ended slavery as well. Besides, without him coming into office, we still might have slavery down in the south. Abraham didn’t do it all by himself, his followers, the northerners, supported him from beginning to end. Making herd mentality have a positive outcome.
"The term herd mentality is derived from the word “herd,” meaning group of animals, and “mentality,” implying a certain frame of mind. However the most succinct definition would be: how large numbers of people act in the same ways at the same times.”
That was Wikipedia’s definition of herd mentality. My opinion is that it can be acceptable in some ways, but not all. Say there was an asteroid or nuclear bomb heading for earth, a twister even. Everyone heading to an underground shelter would most likely be a good idea. Or if you see everyone huddled together with gas masks, your best bet would be to grab a gas mask and huddle as well. But things like iPods and cell phones are also cases of herd mentality, not necessarily bad, but a good example. Now I don’t know if Mr. Shipley is trying to like this to the stock market, but in the case stock market herd mentality wouldn’t be a good idea. If everyone gathers to the same stock then others will go down, thus the crash of the stock market. If it’s a critical situation like a holocaust then in that instance, go for it, safety comes in numbers. But if it’s a fashion thing or technology then that to me is social herd mentality. Herd is to group, flock, pack, alliance. Mentality is a state of mind, attitude, mindset, and way of thinking. Now things are clearer, herd or a sheep as I like to call it, follow what the current craze or “new in thing” is. New technology, designer brands, or something made popular by a peer is when herd mentality comes into play. In this situation herd mentality is not the best. It’s usually a word that describes the need to fit in and feel as if you belong. Peer pressure can trigger herd mentality because it makes the average individual act on impulse under pressure. Like in the 40’s when they would advertise cigarettes as saying ‘Your not one to be easily persuaded by an advertisement, and strong people like you smoke cigarettes like these.’ That was a Shepard of herd mentality, a peer trying to get people to buy their products. Or like ‘Show Me Your Lark!’ when you drove by and showed your Larks and you were part of a group. Alexa brought up a good point also; another view of herd mentality is 911. That is a great example of herd mentality because everyone was in shock and so furious that they all grouped together and attacked a nation and began a war, you know for a fact people could have vetoed Bushes war plan, but everyone was listening to the seemingly strong people saying ‘Fight fire with fire.’ And because of the pan- Americanism everyone wanted revenge instead of thinking clearly, it was a crisis situation and it was a poor decision made on impulse. Herd mentality does rule in a crisis situation but it is a poor reaction, induced by pressure, lack of common sense and acting on impulse.
"Misconceptions about lemmings go back many centuries. In the 1530s, the geographer Zeigler of Strasbourg proposed the theory that the creatures fell out of the sky during stormy weather (also featured in the folklore of the Inupiat/Yupik at Norton Sound), and then died suddenly when the grass grew in spring.[4] This was refuted by the natural historian Ole Worm, who first published dissections of a lemming, and showed that lemmings are anatomically similar to most other rodents.
While many people believe that lemmings commit mass suicide when they migrate, this is not the case. Driven by strong biological urges, they will migrate in large groups when population density becomes too great. Lemmings can and do swim and may choose to cross a body of water in search of a new habitat[5]. On occasion, and particularly in the case of the Norway lemmings in Scandinavia, large migrating groups will reach a cliff overlooking the ocean. They will stop until the urge to press on causes them to jump off the cliff and start swimming, sometimes to exhaustion and death. Lemmings are also often pushed into the sea as more and more lemmings arrive at the shore."
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH pokay i just thought this was really funny because if you think about it, it says that the first myth was that they were falling from the sky. when you think about it that could have come from them falling off the cliffs! hahahha i just thought that this was really funny, but its also a example of herd mentality
Herd mentality provides a peice of mind during times of crisis and instabbility. I think that herd mentality most definetly rules in any type of a crisis situation. But I think that herd mentality can be either good or bad. It could be good because it gives people a common ground of agreement and a sense of comfort, during a crisis everyone needs something to believe in and to be comfortable with. It keeps people from be coming paranoid or panicked.
but then again herd mentality can be bad. Because of how vunerable people are during a crisis it is a scary thought that influential people can use the fear and panic to their advantage. By using the fear they can make people believe basically what they tell them to. An example of this is after September 11th, President Bush put the fear of terrorism in to the American people and government officals thus convincing us to get involved with the War on Terror. Causing us to be billions of dollars in debt!! yay debt!
In certain situations herd mentality is great but in others not so much.
I think herd mentality definitely rules in crisis situations, because people are searching for the answers to turn the situation around but they do not want to give them. They follow whatever seems about right, whether it really is or not. This could ultimately be bad because if everyone supports a solution without all the facts and it is wrong, then they could be in a worse state than they were to begin with. Obviously when in a crisis situation, you just want the problem to be solved immediately and often times people do not think. Giving five minutes thought though could be helpful, because thinking decisions through could help undo the crisis faster and possibly be better off in the end.
An example of herd mentality is after September 11th, when President Bush frightened everyone more than they needed to be. He issued the different levels of terrorism alerts which scared people more than it had to because every day the news would basically tell you how scared you should be for the day.
Here’s the article I used to try and learn more about herd mentality. http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE48T4WU20080930
"Herd mentality rules during a crisis because people are wired to follow the crowd when times are uncertain."
I think herd mentality does rule in crisis situations because when you're in a situation and you don't know what to do, you tend to look at what the other people around you are doing.
I defiantly agree with you guys with the fact that it can sometimes not be such a great thing. Sometimes people don't fully understand a situation and will believe everything they hear. Which can later lead to a bad decision.
I think most people have experienced herd mentality whether they realize it or not. When you're in a scary situation and you completely loose sense of what is going on, you just follow what other people are doing.
This is the site I used to find out more information. current.com/items/89356313_herd_mentality_rules
Herd mentaily does play a crucial role in crisis situations. Panic spreads quickly through a crowd. If one person panics it spreads to other people around them and so on and so on.
Even if you are a a select few who do not panic from herd mentality initially, the social pressure from others can cause some to cave and give way to the herd's thinking.
However, herd mentality doesn't always spread fear and panic. It can cause some people "wake up" and take action to a serious crisis.
For example, the global warming and oil crisis have caused many companies to go "green." More and more hybrid and fuel efficient cars are being produced. The government and scientists are constantly looking for renewable sources of energy to replace our dependancy on oil and reduce carobon emissions. Marketing has been using less plastic and and reused paper in their products, and of couse, the old classic recycling is on the rise. All this is due to the sense of urgency to help the planet before its to late.
Herd Mentality rules in crisis situations because there is a feeling of uncertainty. This causes people to follow others in search for a feeling of safety and security.
On the site I used to get more information, I found this quote:
"Our brains are really wired to accept the group opinion of the world."
I feel like this explains the concept of herd mentality because it shows how easily influenced people are. It also seems like herd mentality would rule in crisis situations because of the vulnerabilty people have. When they have no where else to turn for guidance, they'll begin to follow others.
Here's the article I used: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080930/lf_nm_life/us_financial_psychology
I think that herd mentality rules in most crisis situations. It rules because during a crisis because most people will follow the crowd when times are uncertain. When information is scarce and threats seem impending, people often stop listening to their own reason and look to see what others are doing and begin to follow them and support them. It did not rule, however, last week when Congress was debating over the $700 billion bailout plan. Instead of coming together and getting a decision, they bickered over the proposed plan.
I found some info on http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=5d5de84e-1dbb-4384-a86c-560aa25a3b5b
I believe herd mentality rules in crises situations because it causes people to act quicker. When everybody agrees things move along faster. I believe that is part of human nature because in crises situations people often need to act quickly to stay alive. Herd mentality is a fundamental part of human nature and is neither a good nor a bad thing.
I believe that Herd Mentality does rule in crisis situations because in when people are forced into a state of panic or chaos, people don't tend to set their own trends, they tend to do what everyone else seems to be doing. People start to follow other people's ways when they are in a situation that puts a lot of pressure on them. It is easier to be a follower when you are in a state of alarm or anxiety, therefore people tend to do the easiest thing. However I do think that in certain circumstances Herd Mentality can be a negative component to our way of life. I feel that Herd Mentality takes away the diversity in the world. I think that in order for the world to keep on a normal cycle you need diversity. I also think that diversity creates different opinions, and different beliefs in the world. All in all i believe that there are many positive and negative aspects of Herd Mentality, it just depends the way you look at it.
These are the sites i used to develop my opinion on Herd Mentality: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_mentality
Herd mentality applies to everything we do in life. Whether it has to do with events in history or something in every persons regular day life, herd mentality affects us. One example of herd mentality affecting people in history is Hitler and the influence he had on the German public. Germany was in an economic and political crisis when Hitler claimed power. He then influenced the entire German populace to begin believing that the Jews, immigrants, and non-Christian blonde hair, blue eyed people were the reason for Germany’s troubles. The Germans began rallying behind Hitler’s wild, and outlandish thoughts. The herd mentality came into affect by making the Germans become scared and blaming all of their issues on the Jews and other “nondesirables.” In everyday life, choosing what to wear in the morning will often lead back to herd mentality. Most people choose what to wear based on what is popular and what other people are wearing. People will not wear something if they think that their friends will not like it. Herd mentality has to do with how people are influenced by their peers. So by wearing what a persons friends will like that is herd mentality.
I have felt the power of herd mentality at times. For example, when all of my friends get the new version of their cell phones and I still have the old one, it makes me want the newer one. People will generally want what their friends have, so that they feel that they are part of their group.
Overall, in a time of fear or crisis, the majority of people will follow any ideas or leader no matter what how insane the ideas or leader is.
AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, what happennnnned????/ I was typing and I was at the end and everything dissappeared and now i have to do everything again. GRRRRR.
A herd mentality is something that describes how people are influenced by their ancestors or family members to adopt certain behaviors, follow trends, and purchase items.
Some banks and AIG are going out of business and need to be herd mentality. Grr, this wasn't I had before, I can't find the information or I just can't put it in the right way. :/
The Dow Jones industrial average dropped in mid-September after it was announced that the FOMC would not lower interest rates. The investors would have to move their money to the stock market and drive their money up. But it is happening the opposite way. Some are described as a pack of wolves.
We lost $1 trillion dollars the other day, that is not good. :(
The Lehman Bros just got bankrupt and lost $639 billion dolllars. Now that is not very good. That was the largest bankrupt in U.S. History. They should stop arguing and start herd mentality and give these banks some protection so they won't go out of business.
I hope this helped you guys learn a little about herd mentality in crisis situations. Well, you should learned at least one word I say. :)
I do believe "Herd Mentality" rules in crisis situations. A quote from a Yahoo news article says “Herd mentality rules during a financial crisis because people are wired to follow the crowd when times are uncertain.” In the situation the country is in now, people do not know what to think because they are uncertain about the stock market and the bailout, so they look to others opinion to form their own. I do agree with Alexa that following the herd can be dangerous because it could be going in the wrong directions but in situations like this people need to listen to each other and get different views so they can understand the situation and not just make up an opinion.
The bad thing about herd mentality is that people can tend to accept a groups opinion because they want to feel accepted and not fight against more knowledgeable people. Sometimes stating your opinion and listening to others can help people become less biased and form a knowledgeable opinion. But from the sources I used to become more informed on this subject I do believe that “Herd Mentality” rules in crisis situations
The article I got a lot of information on is: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080930/us_nm/us_financial_psychology_4
Lets start off by asking, What is herd mentality? Herd mentality decribes how people are influenced by their peers, to adopt certain behaviors, and follow patterns of people. Well now your probably wondering, how does this relate to ruling in crisis situations? Well, as i read in this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_mentality the popular items such as ipods, cell phones, stock market, fashion trends, cars etc. were adopted by people and over the years have spread throughout the world to be huge trends. People today want to be like everyone else. For Example, a cell phone is a great idea to help explain herd mentality. Jonny next door has this sweet high tech cell phone. You don't care if it works or not you just want to be like him and have what he has. Being a follower is not a thing, in some aspects of life, but in others it is. Everybody want to have what is popular so they don't feel like their left out.
As it also said in the article, herd mentality is broken up into two groups religious points of views, and others more liberal; who are influenced my media.
To answer the blog question "Herd Mentality" Rule In Crisis Situations?" Yes it does because because people are wired to follow the crowd when times are uncertain and it becomes a problem. Also, when information gets rare people often become uncertain in their logic and start to look what others are doing, which is not the best idea. A great example of this is the stock market. People are not sure whether it is going to fall or stay steady, so they look to see if other people are dropping out or staying in. This can cause a huge problem because people are relying on other people judgment to help them. Herd Mentality is becoming a problem in crisis situations and ultimately can lead to some devastation and destroy our society.
I do believe that herd mentality rules in crisis situations because individuals tend to follow what other people are doing in times of need or uncertainty. As people have said, this can be a dangerous thought if the herd is being narrow minded and selfish. In general, when I think of herd mentality I look at it as a negative because people are not listening to themselves. They are not following their own gut and instincts. For example, if one is surrounded by people who are making bad choices such as doing drugs, then they might feel the need to go under the influence.
On the other hand, herd mentality can be positive if the people that we are following know what they are doing. In case of an earthquake, if someone tells you to hide under a table or get in between doors, in the long run you will be safer than if you had not listened to that person. In case of an emergency like a fire, if the police comes knocking at your house at 4 in the morning telling you to pack your belongings and leave because of an evacuation, you do it. And by the next morning when you're alive and safe you're thankful that you listened to the policeman. On a lighter note, herd mentality is used with fashion and advertising like the hottest clothes or the best new shoes. Kids might feel pressured to look a certain way in our society. Altogether, herd mentality has both positive and negative effects.
The link that i used was www.livescience.com/animals/050208_follow_leader.html/-48
Herd mentality has the potential to rule in crisis situations. The only force stopping it from ruling however, is the people. Anyone can follow a herd, and therefore call themselves a part of the herd. The only question is, who will lead the herd? In a hypothetical situation, the teacher of a class pulls out a gun and threatens to kill all 30 students in that class. 30 students can easily overtake one teacher and one gun. Now answer the question. Who will lead the herd? The first person to get up and fight back will definitely get hurt. Nonetheless, the rest of the 29 students will have a better chance of overtaking the teacher.
Herd mentality can rule in crisis situations, but someone needs to be willing to make a sacrifice, to face the consequences of their actions.
Herd mentality does rule in crisis situtaions because when one person freaks out then the rest will due the same and then there is mass panic. It is like when you tell a group of 2nd graders that you have candy, all of them go nuts trying to get the candy from you. This finanical crisis is being mad larger due to everyone freaking out about lossing their money and that their bank is bankrupt and forced into government control in order to save your money. If everyone would calm down about the economy and just relax maybe then the system would stabalize and end. But, due to herd mentality it won't and it will keep getting worse.
Herd Mentality is a huge factor in everyone’s lives, from the clothes we ware, to music we listen to, heard mentality comes into play with nearly everything. If you haven’t read in someone else’s blog by now, heard mentality “describes how people are influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors.” I belive that this is even more true in crisis situations. The word crisis is synonomys with words like hystaria an confusion. In desperate times people do not have time to react they just follow others. I think the OTHER Nick was smart to tie it in to the bailout, but I think it is the herd mentality that allowed the bailout to pass as opposed to whatever he was trying to say. Another example of how herd mentality effects crisis situations can be seen in this, bare with me, Japanese prank show (If you watch it it WILL make sense)………except for the first guy hes oblivious……and the guy that gets thrown in the air. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wTyI9xqy7U
Whats popular isn’t always right and whats right isn’t always popular. The question on “if herd mentality always rules during crisis situations” is one that must be defined before even approaching an answer. Sub-conscious decisions based on emotion and not rational. Herd mentality swings both directions depending on such factors as time, fear, recent events, and predetermined personal opinions. Take recent economic occurrences in the United States as an example. “Sell, sell, sell” only propitiates the problem and starts a domino affect of epic proportions. However, the opposite is not always true as peace and prosperity, or hope do not spread as rapidly as terror. Taking that notion into consideration we must walk a balanced tight rope which allows each individual, struck by fear or hope, to make a more conscious decision on their actions. Even so, that spurs a more important question, asking if “herd mentality” is the same when a mass amount of people make a decision based on rational thoughts instead of instinct, even in crisis situations? Opinions verses fact is a very narrow balance beam to walk and here I go walking it. If several people make independent decisions based on facts set forth to them, even if many people make the same choice, that is not the definition of “herd mentality.” Public opinion may swing the few in crisis situations, but few is far from most, and most is farther from all. So to make such a vague question even remotely answerable we are forced to break it down. A vague question can only be dignified with a vague answer, that is... No.
Herd mentality rules in crisis situations due to the fact that people follow the "herd" when there is chaos and disorganization. For example, with the financial crisis we have been in, so many people are uncertain of what to do; therefore, they turn to what the majority is doing. This action can easily be seen in the market right now as many companies are following the successful companies.
Yes, herd mentality rules during crisis situations. The cause of this is as simple as a saying you have heard hundreds of times, there is safety in numbers. The more people there are in a group, the less likely you will be picked off or affected negatively. In these situations you also have more people backing your views and opinions. Another reason this mentality is so common is that possibility that others will volunteer to accept the consequences or fix the problem of the “herd”. All these reasons return the statement of safety in numbers. It is human nature to gravitate towards herd behavior.
In any case, when crisis occurs people ban together. We see herd mentality throughout our whole life, even as children. For example, Dr. Seuss children’s book the Sneetches demonstrates this. The Sneetches with stars on their bellies were safe and accepted because they herded together. This mentality is present throughout all of lifes journeys.
"...so many people are uncertain of what to do; therefore, they turn to what the majority is doing."
in a situation like right now, don't you believe more the notion people are looking for facts and seeking knowledge and then acting on that instead of pulling money out of banks because everything looks bad. When people act with money, they USUALLY do with rational thought and reason, not emotion.
I think "Herd Mentality" does rule in crisis situations. People are so influenced by what others are saying that they often become lost and make their decisions and or thoughts based on other peoples actions. This kinda relates to teenagers and how a lot of them want to fit in and be accepted they stop listening to themselves and focus on what other have to say. Their thoughts are influenced by others which leads them to make good or bad decisions. Since the the US is in like major crisis mode many Americans are overwhelmed with many facts and opinions they don't know who to listen to. So this can be good because they would be listening to people who know their facts (the news) instead of themselves who most likely know nothing about the situation.
Herd mentality rules during a financial crisis because people are wired to follow the crowd when times are uncertain. When people stop thinking to themselves, they start looking for knowledge in other places. People begin to doubt their own judjement, seeking other's help. This usually happens in big times of crisis like 9/11. The government blamed everything on terrorists and the Muslims. Now I have never seen any true proof that it was terrorists or if the Muslims had any weapons of mass destruction. Yet, the people follow the government whether they are right or wrong, and go with what the government had to say. Even in the early times like when Christopher Columbus decided to explore the ocean blue. No one would sail to explore until they followed Christopher columbus. Also in the times of slavery. Everyone turned to Abraham Lincoln for hope and help. They all followed him and his thoughts. everyone always seeks a single person for help hoping they would have the answers to their problems. When people start become leaders not followers, then that would create much more help in society and in crisis situations.
There are two presidents running for the election this year. That's two voices you are hearing. All of America will be under one man after the election. Now imagine we had more voices or more leaders. That would be our way out of crisis. One man is not enough to hold a country. One voice isn't enough to help in a crisis.
"Herd mentality rules during a financial crisis because people are wired to follow the crowd when times are uncertain, experts say." "When people are presented with a situation where they don't have information or the information is ambiguous, we see activation of the amygdala and insula," (yahoo news) I believe that herd mentality is most definitely demonstrated by many people in crises. Herd mentality goes by the saying “There is strength in numbers”. During difficult times, people who have not been educated on how to react tend to follow the pack. Herd mentality can be demonstrated in non-crisis situations, but is exemplified when disaster strikes.
In my opinion herd mentality may or may not prevail. In some situations the majority may or may not be wrong. However,as alexa said, most of us like to be part of the herd. For example, if 51% of the population think one thing and 49% think another, the probability of the undecided votes is higher to go to the 51%. Also, during a crisis situation most panic causing there decisions to be faulty. I also believe a decision none the less is better than no decision at all. For example there is much panic in this country right now. Our government chose (as a herd) to bail out big businesses. Was that a good or bad decision? Some agree yet some disagree. Going along with the herd, can not ever hurt because no one ever out of a majority is singled out, however if there are few against the herd you can easily be singled out and maybe even punished. On the other hand, if the herd was wrong and you challenged it you would most likely be praised. In my case, I am not a follower. I neither agree nor disagree with the herd, I am independent. I make a decision based on the information and not others' opinions.
Herd mentality rules in a crisis depending on the type of person and the circumstance. For most people I would say that it does rule in crisis situations. People get nervous when they have to make a big decision and when you do have to make a decision you want to please everyone. Of course you're not going to make everyone happy so it is hard to make that decision. It is only natural to ask for help from people. Therefore you make your decision that most agrees with everyone else's because if it turns out to be a bad decision you might not get blamed as much because it wasn't such a radical decision. For example, if your with a group of five friends and four of them want to go to Magic Mountain and one of them wants to go to Disneyland and you have the only car, you are probably going to go to Magic Mountain, not Sea World. It is obviously different in a crisis but it is the same context. Most people just want to try to fit in. However there are some people who don't care about fitting in they just want to do what they themselves think is right in a time of need. These are the true leaders because they don't become influenced by other people. They just look at the facts and use their own judgement to make a decision. However, there are very few kinds of people like this because everybody else wants to fit in. Therefore the answer is yes, most of the time herd mentality rules in a crisis situation.
Herd Mentality definitely applies in crisis situations. Take our economic crisis, for example. With the banks failing, people want to withdraw their money so they don't lose it. When someone sees that another person took all their money out, they get worried and take out their money, and we have a chain. Unfortunately, the banks don't carry all of the money that is in the accounts, so they run out of liquid money, causing the bank to fail. This herd mentality is what is making these banks crash. If everyone just remained calm and kept their money where it was, we wouldn't have a problem of this magnitude.
I believe that herd mentality does rule in crisis situations because when someone is in a crisis they are unsure of what to do so they follow what the rest of the people are doing.. Being a human in today’s society it is normal for someone to have a role-model of their own. Some people do find that certain role-model and want them to be their leader. However in a crisis situation it can be devastating if you follow the herd and not do what you think is best for yourself. Herd mentality can lead to unwanted results of situations due to the fact that one may not follow their own heart. In a crisis I think that it is vital that you do what is right and not what everyone else does because who knows you can be the one that is right and not the other person. Currently in the financial crisis that we are in now people tend to do not have their own judgment and agree with everyone else even though it may not seem logical. Over all herd mentality is not only a problem with financial issues but it is with everyday life. For example teens today look at the latest fashions on television or in magazines and follow models rather than making their own sense of style that expresses themselves. I think that the people should stop doing what everyone else is doing and trust their own judgment and dare to be different.
I believe that herd mentality does rule in crisis situations because when someone is in a crisis they are unsure of what to do so they follow what the rest of the people are doing.. Being a human in today’s society it is normal for someone to have a role-model of their own. Some people do find that certain role-model and want them to be their leader. However in a crisis situation it can be devastating if you follow the herd and not do what you think is best for yourself. Herd mentality can lead to unwanted results of situations due to the fact that one may not follow their own heart. In a crisis I think that it is vital that you do what is right and not what everyone else does because who knows you can be the one that is right and not the other person. Currently in the financial crisis that we are in now people tend to do not have their own judgment and agree with everyone else even though it may not seem logical. Over all herd mentality is not only a problem with financial issues but it is with everyday life. For example teens today look at the latest fashions on television or in magazines and follow models rather than making their own sense of style that expresses themselves. I think that the people should stop doing what everyone else is doing and trust their own judgment and dare to be different.
I believe herd mentality definitely rules in crisis situations. In times of need people yearn for support and comfort. They cling to the same beliefs and each other. This can lead to rash decisions that we may regret in the future.
Herd mentality does rule in crisis situations. Especially during crisis situations, people want to feel same and secure. They do not want to be singled out or be against the flow. Almost like peer pressure. Even if the crowd is moving to the wrong direction, people will still follow like how of the leading sheep jumps off the cliff then all the other sheep will follow.
An example would be Hitler. He led a group of Nazi to slaughter the Jews. The soldiers knew better, but they had no choice to follow orders and blame their problems on the Jews.
It can be seen also when there is a fire. If there were two exits, scientists discovered that the majority would crowd around one of the exits even though the other exit is totally open. When these people were asked why they would crowd around the door, their response was that they felt much safer.
Also the herd mentality is a seen when trying to rally for war. The herd mentality keeps the troops focused and together so there is no rebellion. When the country is in trouble the army will come and protect the people.
An example of how this is affecting today is with the economy of our society. Everyone is panicking so it is causing a herd mentality to keep panicking and not stopping to think about it. If this issue was well thought and countered then we would not posses such a problem but we are constantly making bad decisions. The bailout that was sent out a while before was brought up to have a immediate effect on the economy but cause staggering damages in the future. Thankfully it was not issued but there will be a new bill sent out with more money. Instead of trying to find an immediate ending to our problem, we should think to have a more better solution so this shall not ever happen again.
With the given information it is bounded to tell that the past, present, and future will always be affected by herd mentality.
I believe heard mentality does rule during crisis situations. People tend to go along with what their peers do, ie peer pressure. This is also true with adults though. As a society we base our judgement off of what other people think but the people we're basing out judgment off of are basing their judgment off of what we think. So it all gets somewhat confusing. We all just want to be accepted, even if that means going along with the heard. Now exspecialy during a crisis situation, a unanimous yes gets everything done faster. When there's that one person who says no it slows everything down which could be good or bad. In my opinion it's all about sticking up for what you believe in.
Herd mentality won't work because everyone just freaks out and goes crazy. Then other people react and everything becomes crazy and nuts. Sometimes herd mentality does rule only because people aren't thinking and they make quick decisions. This usually turns out to be a disaster. the Jerusalem Post said that in this current financial crisis, people should "seek advice, examine alternatives and learn about their portfolios before taking any action." This is good advice. Now we can see the market went up and down a lot last week and staying put would have been the smart thing. But it looks like herd mentality ruled in the couple weeks before that because the market took such a high dive down, meaning people freaked out and took their money out of the stock market.
Reuters in Washington said the herd mentality does rule. Here's what they said: "Herd mentality rules during a financial crisis because people are wired to follow the crowd when times are uncertain. Brain and behavior studies clearly show that when information is scarce and threats seem imminent, people often stop listening to their own logic and look to see what others are doing."
People just decide to do what others do. Only smart people will step back and take time to made the right decision.
I think "herd mentality" does rule in crisis situations. However, I don't think it should. I find it really sad and pathetic that in todays society people still depend on the opinion of others to decide on their own opinion. Many people take their side on things just because of a few points other people make instead of researching it themselves and concluding an opinion based solely on what THEY think and not what others think. A good example of herd mentality could be propaganda. Individuals use persuasive material of their views and beliefs on subjects to persuade people into believing their side of it. I think when a crisis surfaces, people should research the topic and decide on their own opinion before making statements about what they think should happen.
46 comments:
Herd Mentality does rule in crisis situations because you need radical, fully supported change to truly have an affect on the crisis at hand. And, with people arguing with each other in a non-herd mentality, solving a crisis becomes nearly impossible because of disagreement which hinders possible solutions.
For example, with the French Revolution, there was a MAGNIFICENT group of people who revolted against the French monarchy. They supported radical change and eliminated the people among them who wished for only moderate change or obviously disagreed with them. They wanted very radical, extreme change because that is the only way a nation can truly change from its old, noneffective habits. In with the new, out of the old.
So, you can also in a sense relate that example to our $700 billion bailout. If there was a herd-mentality when voting on the bailout, we would have had a solution to our economic crisis that could possibly work, unlike just allowing the banks to go deeper in debt. With the Dow Jones index losing 777 points yesterday, the economy lost over $1 TRILLION within only one day.
I hope i answered this correctly and understood the question correctly
Herd Mentality can be very dangerous because no body wants to be different from the heard. If the heard is going in the right direction then its fine but if the heard goes in the wrong direction is can be a very scary thing. The problem with herd mentality is it takes the blame off of individuals and puts it on the group.
After the holocaust, most german soldiers refused to accept blame for killings of many innocent people. Many said " I was just following orders" When the german soldiers said they were just following orders they were really just following the herd. Nobody wanted to stand out because they were afraid. The Nazis had such control over people that the fear of standing up to them was stronger than the desire to do something right.
The herd mentality always exist but it strengthens in times of crisis. Another example is 911.
When 911 happened our country came closer together and looked to our government to do something. Regardless of what you think now of the war on September 11th we all said the same thing we wanted action. Although creating a war in the middle east may not have been the quick fix we wanted, the herd was crying for action and thats how washington responded.
To me heard mentality is never positive. Even if the thing people are following is not necessarily a negative thing, the people will likely conform to another's beliefs once again, and they will eventually do something negative.
Heard mentality can cause people to end friendships, start drugs, and waste money. Although we all have experienced some form of it, it is important that we learn to recognize it and stop following people.
Despite my negative thoughts regarding heard mentality, I admit at times it does come in handy. Like Nick, I believe it would be useful in coming up with one answer to a situation. However, I feel that conforming to one answer is not always the best case in crisis situations.
Heard mentality exists in every genocide. There is no one to stand out and solve issues, because they will be punished or scrutinized. Instead people stick to their sides. They continue to kill, despite knowing its wrong.
However, to think positively, heard mentality can save lives. When disasters occur and lives are jeopardized, there is always one person who steps up to be a leader and manages to bring all the other people to safety. While these people may have disputes along the way, they nonetheless succumb to heard mentality. People are saved because they follow a single person who seems to know the way.
Often in the history of man, has the herd mentality been prevalent. Revolutions like the French Revolution is one of the prime examples. I agree with nick on the subject of the French Revolution being a magnificent epitome of a herd mentality. Even the ring leader of that revolution was executed by the mob. Other times, like when people are in danger, or at least think they are in danger, cause paranoia and witch hunts. Figurative and literal. During the Black Plague, anyone who was different was killed including many of the jews in Europe, gypsies, mentally unstable, and others who were used as scapegoats. That was started by people like the flatulents(They hit themselves to apparently absolve there sins). Even throughout American history, there were scape goats. The KKK say that blacks, jews, mentally unstable, homosexuals, and others are to blame for all of America's problems. They act like a herd of animals almost. Right after the civil war they were founded to kill the newly freed blacks.(Time to get back on track). Anyways, The herd mentality will sadly never die and many people will go of a cliff with the rest of the figurative lemmings.And that is just about it for us.
Herd Mentality for sure rules the crisis situations becasue people just tend to follow what other people are doing when in panic. When something wrong is going on people lose themselves and their instences and follow someone who thinks they are doing it right. To them it is easier to follow then to lead and get in trouble. We do it as sudents and adults probably do it as well. For students its mostly an assignment that was not understud and instead of simpliy asking the teacher we ask a friend who might think they understand it but really doesnt. That makes you mess up and others because people then follow your lead. As adults its more of a role model situation. To me in a crisis people just follow someone because they are scared that if they mess up it will be on them. But if they follow someone else, they can point their fingers at the leader and not have the fingers being pointed at them. In a finicial crisis people just go with the other persons ideas and not with their own instincts.
I stongly believe herd mentality rules during a financial crisis because people tend to follow the others under tremendous uncertainty.
Such as the Civil War, when people decided to turn to both Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln, because of uncertainty of what they wanted. The Southerners wanted slavery, because they depended highly on agriculture as for the northerners depended on industry. So, abolishing slavery wouldn’t be a big deal for the north. All Abraham truly wanted was to reunite the north and a south by any means necessary even if it meant allowing slavery.
The northerners, who followed Abraham, were obviously upset about this. This makes herd mentality seem quite negative. As I agree with Sara, herd mentality isn’t always negative. It can be very successful. Even though, Abraham wanted to reunite America no matter what, he still chose to end slavery like the northerners wished. Many people including myself believe that Abraham Lincoln was our best president, because he not only reunited America, but ended slavery as well. Besides, without him coming into office, we still might have slavery down in the south. Abraham didn’t do it all by himself, his followers, the northerners, supported him from beginning to end. Making herd mentality have a positive outcome.
"The term herd mentality is derived from the word “herd,” meaning group of animals, and “mentality,” implying a certain frame of mind. However the most succinct definition would be: how large numbers of people act in the same ways at the same times.”
That was Wikipedia’s definition of herd mentality. My opinion is that it can be acceptable in some ways, but not all. Say there was an asteroid or nuclear bomb heading for earth, a twister even. Everyone heading to an underground shelter would most likely be a good idea. Or if you see everyone huddled together with gas masks, your best bet would be to grab a gas mask and huddle as well. But things like iPods and cell phones are also cases of herd mentality, not necessarily bad, but a good example. Now I don’t know if Mr. Shipley is trying to like this to the stock market, but in the case stock market herd mentality wouldn’t be a good idea. If everyone gathers to the same stock then others will go down, thus the crash of the stock market. If it’s a critical situation like a holocaust then in that instance, go for it, safety comes in numbers. But if it’s a fashion thing or technology then that to me is social herd mentality. Herd is to group, flock, pack, alliance. Mentality is a state of mind, attitude, mindset, and way of thinking. Now things are clearer, herd or a sheep as I like to call it, follow what the current craze or “new in thing” is. New technology, designer brands, or something made popular by a peer is when herd mentality comes into play. In this situation herd mentality is not the best. It’s usually a word that describes the need to fit in and feel as if you belong. Peer pressure can trigger herd mentality because it makes the average individual act on impulse under pressure. Like in the 40’s when they would advertise cigarettes as saying ‘Your not one to be easily persuaded by an advertisement, and strong people like you smoke cigarettes like these.’ That was a Shepard of herd mentality, a peer trying to get people to buy their products. Or like ‘Show Me Your Lark!’ when you drove by and showed your Larks and you were part of a group.
Alexa brought up a good point also; another view of herd mentality is 911. That is a great example of herd mentality because everyone was in shock and so furious that they all grouped together and attacked a nation and began a war, you know for a fact people could have vetoed Bushes war plan, but everyone was listening to the seemingly strong people saying ‘Fight fire with fire.’ And because of the pan- Americanism everyone wanted revenge instead of thinking clearly, it was a crisis situation and it was a poor decision made on impulse. Herd mentality does rule in a crisis situation but it is a poor reaction, induced by pressure, lack of common sense and acting on impulse.
"Misconceptions about lemmings go back many centuries. In the 1530s, the geographer Zeigler of Strasbourg proposed the theory that the creatures fell out of the sky during stormy weather (also featured in the folklore of the Inupiat/Yupik at Norton Sound), and then died suddenly when the grass grew in spring.[4] This was refuted by the natural historian Ole Worm, who first published dissections of a lemming, and showed that lemmings are anatomically similar to most other rodents.
While many people believe that lemmings commit mass suicide when they migrate, this is not the case. Driven by strong biological urges, they will migrate in large groups when population density becomes too great. Lemmings can and do swim and may choose to cross a body of water in search of a new habitat[5]. On occasion, and particularly in the case of the Norway lemmings in Scandinavia, large migrating groups will reach a cliff overlooking the ocean. They will stop until the urge to press on causes them to jump off the cliff and start swimming, sometimes to exhaustion and death. Lemmings are also often pushed into the sea as more and more lemmings arrive at the shore."
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH pokay i just thought this was really funny because if you think about it, it says that the first myth was that they were falling from the sky. when you think about it that could have come from them falling off the cliffs! hahahha i just thought that this was really funny, but its also a example of herd mentality
Herd mentality provides a peice of mind during times of crisis and instabbility. I think that herd mentality most definetly rules in any type of a crisis situation. But I think that herd mentality can be either good or bad. It could be good because it gives people a common ground of agreement and a sense of comfort, during a crisis everyone needs something to believe in and to be comfortable with. It keeps people from be coming paranoid or panicked.
but then again herd mentality can be bad. Because of how vunerable people are during a crisis it is a scary thought that influential people can use the fear and panic to their advantage. By using the fear they can make people believe basically what they tell them to. An example of this is after September 11th, President Bush put the fear of terrorism in to the American people and government officals thus convincing us to get involved with the War on Terror. Causing us to be billions of dollars in debt!! yay debt!
In certain situations herd mentality is great but in others not so much.
I think herd mentality definitely rules in crisis situations, because people are searching for the answers to turn the situation around but they do not want to give them. They follow whatever seems about right, whether it really is or not. This could ultimately be bad because if everyone supports a solution without all the facts and it is wrong, then they could be in a worse state than they were to begin with. Obviously when in a crisis situation, you just want the problem to be solved immediately and often times people do not think. Giving five minutes thought though could be helpful, because thinking decisions through could help undo the crisis faster and possibly be better off in the end.
An example of herd mentality is after September 11th, when President Bush frightened everyone more than they needed to be. He issued the different levels of terrorism alerts which scared people more than it had to because every day the news would basically tell you how scared you should be for the day.
Here’s the article I used to try and learn more about herd mentality.
http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSTRE48T4WU20080930
"Herd mentality rules during a crisis because people are wired to follow the crowd when times are uncertain."
I think herd mentality does rule in crisis situations because when you're in a situation and you don't know what to do, you tend to look at what the other people around you are doing.
I defiantly agree with you guys with the fact that it can sometimes not be such a great thing. Sometimes people don't fully understand a situation and will believe everything they hear. Which can later lead to a bad decision.
I think most people have experienced herd mentality whether they realize it or not. When you're in a scary situation and you completely loose sense of what is going on, you just follow what other people are doing.
This is the site I used to find out more information.
current.com/items/89356313_herd_mentality_rules
Herd mentaily does play a crucial role in crisis situations. Panic spreads quickly through a crowd. If one person panics it spreads to other people around them and so on and so on.
Even if you are a a select few who do not panic from herd mentality initially, the social pressure from others can cause some to cave and give way to the herd's thinking.
However, herd mentality doesn't always spread fear and panic. It can cause some people "wake up" and take action to a serious crisis.
For example, the global warming and oil crisis have caused many companies to go "green." More and more hybrid and fuel efficient cars are being produced. The government and scientists are constantly looking for renewable sources of energy to replace our dependancy on oil and reduce carobon emissions. Marketing has been using less plastic and and reused paper in their products, and of couse, the old classic recycling is on the rise. All this is due to the sense of urgency to help the planet before its to late.
Herd Mentality rules in crisis situations because there is a feeling of uncertainty. This causes people to follow others in search for a feeling of safety and security.
On the site I used to get more information, I found this quote:
"Our brains are really wired to accept the group opinion of the world."
I feel like this explains the concept of herd mentality because it shows how easily influenced people are. It also seems like herd mentality would rule in crisis situations because of the vulnerabilty people have. When they have no where else to turn for guidance, they'll begin to follow others.
Here's the article I used:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080930/lf_nm_life/us_financial_psychology
I think that herd mentality rules in most crisis situations. It rules because during a crisis because most people will follow the crowd when times are uncertain. When information is scarce and threats seem impending, people often stop listening to their own reason and look to see what others are doing and begin to follow them and support them. It did not rule, however, last week when Congress was debating over the $700 billion bailout plan. Instead of coming together and getting a decision, they bickered over the proposed plan.
I found some info on http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=5d5de84e-1dbb-4384-a86c-560aa25a3b5b
I believe herd mentality rules in crises situations because it causes people to act quicker. When everybody agrees things move along faster. I believe that is part of human nature because in crises situations people often need to act quickly to stay alive. Herd mentality is a fundamental part of human nature and is neither a good nor a bad thing.
I believe that Herd Mentality does rule in crisis situations because in when people are forced into a state of panic or chaos, people don't tend to set their own trends, they tend to do what everyone else seems to be doing. People start to follow other people's ways when they are in a situation that puts a lot of pressure on them. It is easier to be a follower when you are in a state of alarm or anxiety, therefore people tend to do the easiest thing. However I do think that in certain circumstances Herd Mentality can be a negative component to our way of life. I feel that Herd Mentality takes away the diversity in the world. I think that in order for the world to keep on a normal cycle you need diversity. I also think that diversity creates different opinions, and different beliefs in the world. All in all i believe that there are many positive and negative aspects of Herd Mentality, it just depends the way you look at it.
These are the sites i used to develop my opinion on Herd Mentality:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_mentality
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080930/lf_nm_life/us_financial_psychology
Herd mentality applies to everything we do in life. Whether it has to do with events in history or something in every persons regular day life, herd mentality affects us. One example of herd mentality affecting people in history is Hitler and the influence he had on the German public. Germany was in an economic and political crisis when Hitler claimed power. He then influenced the entire German populace to begin believing that the Jews, immigrants, and non-Christian blonde hair, blue eyed people were the reason for Germany’s troubles. The Germans began rallying behind Hitler’s wild, and outlandish thoughts. The herd mentality came into affect by making the Germans become scared and blaming all of their issues on the Jews and other “nondesirables.” In everyday life, choosing what to wear in the morning will often lead back to herd mentality. Most people choose what to wear based on what is popular and what other people are wearing. People will not wear something if they think that their friends will not like it. Herd mentality has to do with how people are influenced by their peers. So by wearing what a persons friends will like that is herd mentality.
I have felt the power of herd mentality at times. For example, when all of my friends get the new version of their cell phones and I still have the old one, it makes me want the newer one. People will generally want what their friends have, so that they feel that they are part of their group.
Overall, in a time of fear or crisis, the majority of people will follow any ideas or leader no matter what how insane the ideas or leader is.
AHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, what happennnnned????/ I was typing and I was at the end and everything dissappeared and now i have to do everything again. GRRRRR.
A herd mentality is something that describes how people are influenced by their ancestors or family members to adopt certain behaviors, follow trends, and purchase items.
Some banks and AIG are going out of business and need to be herd mentality. Grr, this wasn't I had before, I can't find the information or I just can't put it in the right way. :/
The Dow Jones industrial average dropped in mid-September after it was announced that the FOMC would not lower interest rates. The investors would have to move their money to the stock market and drive their money up. But it is happening the opposite way. Some are described as a pack of wolves.
We lost $1 trillion dollars the other day, that is not good. :(
The Lehman Bros just got bankrupt and lost $639 billion dolllars. Now that is not very good. That was the largest bankrupt in U.S. History. They should stop arguing and start herd mentality and give these banks some protection so they won't go out of business.
I hope this helped you guys learn a little about herd mentality in crisis situations. Well, you should learned at least one word I say. :)
GO US>>>>>.
I do believe "Herd Mentality" rules in crisis situations. A quote from a Yahoo news article says “Herd mentality rules during a financial crisis because people are wired to follow the crowd when times are uncertain.” In the situation the country is in now, people do not know what to think because they are uncertain about the stock market and the bailout, so they look to others opinion to form their own. I do agree with Alexa that following the herd can be dangerous because it could be going in the wrong directions but in situations like this people need to listen to each other and get different views so they can understand the situation and not just make up an opinion.
The bad thing about herd mentality is that people can tend to accept a groups opinion because they want to feel accepted and not fight against more knowledgeable people. Sometimes stating your opinion and listening to others can help people become less biased and form a knowledgeable opinion. But from the sources I used to become more informed on this subject I do believe that “Herd Mentality” rules in crisis situations
The article I got a lot of information on is:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080930/us_nm/us_financial_psychology_4
Lets start off by asking, What is herd mentality? Herd mentality decribes how people are influenced by their peers, to adopt certain behaviors, and follow patterns of people. Well now your probably wondering, how does this relate to ruling in crisis situations? Well, as i read in this article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herd_mentality
the popular items such as ipods, cell phones, stock market, fashion trends, cars etc. were adopted by people and over the years have spread throughout the world to be huge trends. People today want to be like everyone else. For Example, a cell phone is a great idea to help explain herd mentality. Jonny next door has this sweet high tech cell phone. You don't care if it works or not you just want to be like him and have what he has. Being a follower is not a thing, in some aspects of life, but in others it is. Everybody want to have what is popular so they don't feel like their left out.
As it also said in the article, herd mentality is broken up into two groups religious points of views, and others more liberal; who are influenced my media.
To answer the blog question "Herd Mentality" Rule In Crisis Situations?" Yes it does because because people are wired to follow the crowd when times are uncertain and it becomes a problem. Also, when information gets rare people often become uncertain in their logic and start to look what others are doing, which is not the best idea.
A great example of this is the stock market. People are not sure whether it is going to fall or stay steady, so they look to see if other people are dropping out or staying in. This can cause a huge problem because people are relying on other people judgment to help them.
Herd Mentality is becoming a problem in crisis situations and ultimately can lead to some devastation and destroy our society.
I do believe that herd mentality rules in crisis situations because individuals tend to follow what other people are doing in times of need or uncertainty. As people have said, this can be a dangerous thought if the herd is being narrow minded and selfish. In general, when I think of herd mentality I look at it as a negative because people are not listening to themselves. They are not following their own gut and instincts. For example, if one is surrounded by people who are making bad choices such as doing drugs, then they might feel the need to go under the influence.
On the other hand, herd mentality can be positive if the people that we are following know what they are doing. In case of an earthquake, if someone tells you to hide under a table or get in between doors, in the long run you will be safer than if you had not listened to that person. In case of an emergency like a fire, if the police comes knocking at your house at 4 in the morning telling you to pack your belongings and leave because of an evacuation, you do it. And by the next morning when you're alive and safe you're thankful that you listened to the policeman. On a lighter note, herd mentality is used with fashion and advertising like the hottest clothes or the best new shoes. Kids might feel pressured to look a certain way in our society. Altogether, herd mentality has both positive and negative effects.
The link that i used was www.livescience.com/animals/050208_follow_leader.html/-48
Herd mentality has the potential to rule in crisis situations. The only force stopping it from ruling however, is the people. Anyone can follow a herd, and therefore call themselves a part of the herd. The only question is, who will lead the herd? In a hypothetical situation, the teacher of a class pulls out a gun and threatens to kill all 30 students in that class. 30 students can easily overtake one teacher and one gun. Now answer the question. Who will lead the herd? The first person to get up and fight back will definitely get hurt. Nonetheless, the rest of the 29 students will have a better chance of overtaking the teacher.
Herd mentality can rule in crisis situations, but someone needs to be willing to make a sacrifice, to face the consequences of their actions.
Herd mentality does rule in crisis situtaions because when one person freaks out then the rest will due the same and then there is mass panic. It is like when you tell a group of 2nd graders that you have candy, all of them go nuts trying to get the candy from you. This finanical crisis is being mad larger due to everyone freaking out about lossing their money and that their bank is bankrupt and forced into government control in order to save your money. If everyone would calm down about the economy and just relax maybe then the system would stabalize and end. But, due to herd mentality it won't and it will keep getting worse.
Herd Mentality is a huge factor in everyone’s lives, from the clothes we ware, to music we listen to, heard mentality comes into play with nearly everything. If you haven’t read in someone else’s blog by now, heard mentality “describes how people are influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors.”
I belive that this is even more true in crisis situations. The word crisis is synonomys with words like hystaria an confusion. In desperate times people do not have time to react they just follow others. I think the OTHER Nick was smart to tie it in to the bailout, but I think it is the herd mentality that allowed the bailout to pass as opposed to whatever he was trying to say.
Another example of how herd mentality effects crisis situations can be seen in this, bare with me, Japanese prank show (If you watch it it WILL make sense)………except for the first guy hes oblivious……and the guy that gets thrown in the air. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wTyI9xqy7U
Whats popular isn’t always right and whats right isn’t always popular. The question on “if herd mentality always rules during crisis situations” is one that must be defined before even approaching an answer. Sub-conscious decisions based on emotion and not rational. Herd mentality swings both directions depending on such factors as time, fear, recent events, and predetermined personal opinions. Take recent economic occurrences in the United States as an example. “Sell, sell, sell” only propitiates the problem and starts a domino affect of epic proportions. However, the opposite is not always true as peace and prosperity, or hope do not spread as rapidly as terror. Taking that notion into consideration we must walk a balanced tight rope which allows each individual, struck by fear or hope, to make a more conscious decision on their actions. Even so, that spurs a more important question, asking if “herd mentality” is the same when a mass amount of people make a decision based on rational thoughts instead of instinct, even in crisis situations?
Opinions verses fact is a very narrow balance beam to walk and here I go walking it. If several people make independent decisions based on facts set forth to them, even if many people make the same choice, that is not the definition of “herd mentality.” Public opinion may swing the few in crisis situations, but few is far from most, and most is farther from all. So to make such a vague question even remotely answerable we are forced to break it down. A vague question can only be dignified with a vague answer, that is... No.
Herd mentality rules in crisis situations due to the fact that people follow the "herd" when there is chaos and disorganization. For example, with the financial crisis we have been in, so many people are uncertain of what to do; therefore, they turn to what the majority is doing. This action can easily be seen in the market right now as many companies are following the successful companies.
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE48T4VC20080930
Yes, herd mentality rules during crisis situations. The cause of this is as simple as a saying you have heard hundreds of times, there is safety in numbers. The more people there are in a group, the less likely you will be picked off or affected negatively. In these situations you also have more people backing your views and opinions. Another reason this mentality is so common is that possibility that others will volunteer to accept the consequences or fix the problem of the “herd”. All these reasons return the statement of safety in numbers. It is human nature to gravitate towards herd behavior.
In any case, when crisis occurs people ban together. We see herd mentality throughout our whole life, even as children. For example, Dr. Seuss children’s book the Sneetches demonstrates this. The Sneetches with stars on their bellies were safe and accepted because they herded together. This mentality is present throughout all of lifes journeys.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080930/us_nm/us_financial_psychology_4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C78ND4oqJsQ
nick,
"...so many people are uncertain of what to do; therefore, they turn to what the majority is doing."
in a situation like right now, don't you believe more the notion people are looking for facts and seeking knowledge and then acting on that instead of pulling money out of banks because everything looks bad. When people act with money, they USUALLY do with rational thought and reason, not emotion.
I think "Herd Mentality" does rule in crisis situations. People are so influenced by what others are saying that they often become lost and make their decisions and or thoughts based on other peoples actions. This kinda relates to teenagers and how a lot of them want to fit in and be accepted they stop listening to themselves and focus on what other have to say. Their thoughts are influenced by others which leads them to make good or bad decisions. Since the the US is in like major crisis mode many Americans are overwhelmed with many facts and opinions they don't know who to listen to. So this can be good because they would be listening to people who know their facts (the news) instead of themselves who most likely know nothing about the situation.
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE48T4VC20080930
Herd mentality rules during a financial crisis because people are wired to follow the crowd when times are uncertain. When people stop thinking to themselves, they start looking for knowledge in other places. People begin to doubt their own judjement, seeking other's help. This usually happens in big times of crisis like 9/11. The government blamed everything on terrorists and the Muslims. Now I have never seen any true proof that it was terrorists or if the Muslims had any weapons of mass destruction. Yet, the people follow the government whether they are right or wrong, and go with what the government had to say. Even in the early times like when Christopher Columbus decided to explore the ocean blue. No one would sail to explore until they followed Christopher columbus. Also in the times of slavery. Everyone turned to Abraham Lincoln for hope and help. They all followed him and his thoughts. everyone always seeks a single person for help hoping they would have the answers to their problems. When people start become leaders not followers, then that would create much more help in society and in crisis situations.
There are two presidents running for the election this year. That's two voices you are hearing. All of America will be under one man after the election. Now imagine we had more voices or more leaders. That would be our way out of crisis. One man is not enough to hold a country. One voice isn't enough to help in a crisis.
"Herd mentality rules during a financial crisis because people are wired to follow the crowd when times are uncertain, experts say."
"When people are presented with a situation where they don't have information or the information is ambiguous, we see activation of the amygdala and insula," (yahoo news) I believe that herd mentality is most definitely demonstrated by many people in crises. Herd mentality goes by the saying “There is strength in numbers”. During difficult times, people who have not been educated on how to react tend to follow the pack. Herd mentality can be demonstrated in non-crisis situations, but is exemplified when disaster strikes.
In my opinion herd mentality may or may not prevail. In some situations the majority may or may not be wrong. However,as alexa said, most of us like to be part of the herd. For example, if 51% of the population think one thing and 49% think another, the probability of the undecided votes is higher to go to the 51%. Also, during a crisis situation most panic causing there decisions to be faulty. I also believe a decision none the less is better than no decision at all. For example there is much panic in this country right now. Our government chose (as a herd) to bail out big businesses. Was that a good or bad decision? Some agree yet some disagree. Going along with the herd, can not ever hurt because no one ever out of a majority is singled out, however if there are few against the herd you can easily be singled out and maybe even punished. On the other hand, if the herd was wrong and you challenged it you would most likely be praised. In my case, I am not a follower. I neither agree nor disagree with the herd, I am independent. I make a decision based on the information and not others' opinions.
Herd mentality rules in a crisis depending on the type of person and the circumstance. For most people I would say that it does rule in crisis situations. People get nervous when they have to make a big decision and when you do have to make a decision you want to please everyone. Of course you're not going to make everyone happy so it is hard to make that decision. It is only natural to ask for help from people. Therefore you make your decision that most agrees with everyone else's because if it turns out to be a bad decision you might not get blamed as much because it wasn't such a radical decision. For example, if your with a group of five friends and four of them want to go to Magic Mountain and one of them wants to go to Disneyland and you have the only car, you are probably going to go to Magic Mountain, not Sea World. It is obviously different in a crisis but it is the same context. Most people just want to try to fit in.
However there are some people who don't care about fitting in they just want to do what they themselves think is right in a time of need. These are the true leaders because they don't become influenced by other people. They just look at the facts and use their own judgement to make a decision. However, there are very few kinds of people like this because everybody else wants to fit in. Therefore the answer is yes, most of the time herd mentality rules in a crisis situation.
Herd Mentality definitely applies in crisis situations. Take our economic crisis, for example. With the banks failing, people want to withdraw their money so they don't lose it. When someone sees that another person took all their money out, they get worried and take out their money, and we have a chain. Unfortunately, the banks don't carry all of the money that is in the accounts, so they run out of liquid money, causing the bank to fail. This herd mentality is what is making these banks crash. If everyone just remained calm and kept their money where it was, we wouldn't have a problem of this magnitude.
I believe that herd mentality does rule in crisis situations because when someone is in a crisis they are unsure of what to do so they follow what the rest of the people are doing.. Being a human in today’s society it is normal for someone to have a role-model of their own. Some people do find that certain role-model and want them to be their leader. However in a crisis situation it can be devastating if you follow the herd and not do what you think is best for yourself. Herd mentality can lead to unwanted results of situations due to the fact that one may not follow their own heart. In a crisis I think that it is vital that you do what is right and not what everyone else does because who knows you can be the one that is right and not the other person. Currently in the financial crisis that we are in now people tend to do not have their own judgment and agree with everyone else even though it may not seem logical. Over all herd mentality is not only a problem with financial issues but it is with everyday life. For example teens today look at the latest fashions on television or in magazines and follow models rather than making their own sense of style that expresses themselves. I think that the people should stop doing what everyone else is doing and trust their own judgment and dare to be different.
I believe that herd mentality does rule in crisis situations because when someone is in a crisis they are unsure of what to do so they follow what the rest of the people are doing.. Being a human in today’s society it is normal for someone to have a role-model of their own. Some people do find that certain role-model and want them to be their leader. However in a crisis situation it can be devastating if you follow the herd and not do what you think is best for yourself. Herd mentality can lead to unwanted results of situations due to the fact that one may not follow their own heart. In a crisis I think that it is vital that you do what is right and not what everyone else does because who knows you can be the one that is right and not the other person. Currently in the financial crisis that we are in now people tend to do not have their own judgment and agree with everyone else even though it may not seem logical. Over all herd mentality is not only a problem with financial issues but it is with everyday life. For example teens today look at the latest fashions on television or in magazines and follow models rather than making their own sense of style that expresses themselves. I think that the people should stop doing what everyone else is doing and trust their own judgment and dare to be different.
I believe herd mentality definitely rules in crisis situations. In times of need people yearn for support and comfort. They cling to the same beliefs and each other. This can lead to rash decisions that we may regret in the future.
Herd mentality does rule in crisis situations. Especially during crisis situations, people want to feel same and secure. They do not want to be singled out or be against the flow. Almost like peer pressure. Even if the crowd is moving to the wrong direction, people will still follow like how of the leading sheep jumps off the cliff then all the other sheep will follow.
An example would be Hitler. He led a group of Nazi to slaughter the Jews. The soldiers knew better, but they had no choice to follow orders and blame their problems on the Jews.
It can be seen also when there is a fire. If there were two exits, scientists discovered that the majority would crowd around one of the exits even though the other exit is totally open. When these people were asked why they would crowd around the door, their response was that they felt much safer.
Also the herd mentality is a seen when trying to rally for war. The herd mentality keeps the troops focused and together so there is no rebellion. When the country is in trouble the army will come and protect the people.
An example of how this is affecting today is with the economy of our society. Everyone is panicking so it is causing a herd mentality to keep panicking and not stopping to think about it. If this issue was well thought and countered then we would not posses such a problem but we are constantly making bad decisions. The bailout that was sent out a while before was brought up to have a immediate effect on the economy but cause staggering damages in the future. Thankfully it was not issued but there will be a new bill sent out with more money. Instead of trying to find an immediate ending to our problem, we should think to have a more better solution so this shall not ever happen again.
With the given information it is bounded to tell that the past, present, and future will always be affected by herd mentality.
I believe heard mentality does rule during crisis situations. People tend to go along with what their peers do, ie peer pressure. This is also true with adults though. As a society we base our judgement off of what other people think but the people we're basing out judgment off of are basing their judgment off of what we think. So it all gets somewhat confusing. We all just want to be accepted, even if that means going along with the heard. Now exspecialy during a crisis situation, a unanimous yes gets everything done faster. When there's that one person who says no it slows everything down which could be good or bad. In my opinion it's all about sticking up for what you believe in.
here is my wonderful back up source =)
http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/03/21/herd-mentality-the-freakonomics-of-boarding-a-bus/?scp=1&sq=herd%20mentality&st=cse
Herd mentality won't work because everyone just freaks out and goes crazy. Then other people react and everything becomes crazy and nuts. Sometimes herd mentality does rule only because people aren't thinking and they make quick decisions. This usually turns out to be a disaster. the Jerusalem Post said that in this current financial crisis, people should "seek advice, examine alternatives and learn about their portfolios before taking any action." This is good advice. Now we can see the market went up and down a lot last week and staying put would have been the smart thing. But it looks like herd mentality ruled in the couple weeks before that because the market took such a high dive down, meaning people freaked out and took their money out of the stock market.
Reuters in Washington said the herd mentality does rule. Here's what they said: "Herd mentality rules during a financial crisis because people are wired to follow the crowd when times are uncertain. Brain and behavior studies clearly show that when information is scarce and threats seem imminent, people often stop listening to their own logic and look to see what others are doing."
People just decide to do what others do. Only smart people will step back and take time to made the right decision.
I think "herd mentality" does rule in crisis situations. However, I don't think it should. I find it really sad and pathetic that in todays society people still depend on the opinion of others to decide on their own opinion. Many people take their side on things just because of a few points other people make instead of researching it themselves and concluding an opinion based solely on what THEY think and not what others think. A good example of herd mentality could be propaganda. Individuals use persuasive material of their views and beliefs on subjects to persuade people into believing their side of it. I think when a crisis surfaces, people should research the topic and decide on their own opinion before making statements about what they think should happen.
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