Sometimes it’s easy to lose ourselves in a big group.
Both types of behavior are examples of deindividuation.
Let’s talk about what may cause this phenomenon and how it affects our behavior.
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Why Does Deindividuation Occur?
That ability to blend in with everyone else can lead someone to adopt the actions of others around them.
Their individuality fades, and in a sense, they become anonymous.
They follow the crowd, no matter what the size.
There is also strength and safety in numbers.
At times, it can feel dangerous or risky to go against the crowd.
It’s not unusual for us to not want to stand out too much.
Did You Know?
This line of thinking also applies to distance.
However, even small groups and limited distance dont eliminate deindividuation.
Bothmoral and ethicalboundaries are often eroded when deindividuation takes over.
This is especially the case when the actions within the group lead to arrest and legal action.
A person can lose their job, as well as important relationships with family and friends.
But its still important to maintain control of your thinking and decisions.
Being aware of your behavior, and its impact on others, is a good place to start.
Increase your ownself-awareness, and be mindful of what you are doing, and why.
Shouting at the football game along with others to cheer on your team is a good thing.
Throwing drinks at the referees when others do it because you disagree with the call, is not.
The context of a situation is critical to knowing if and when deindividuation is harmless fun or something else.
Also, be cognizant of the attitudes and agenda of the group that you are with.
Do they have the same values and attitudes as you?
If so, theyre less likely to start doing things that are against your value system.
Keep a healthy perspective of the situation at hand.
you’re able to also fight against the effects of deindividuation by being empathetic.
Exercising a little understanding and compassion can go a long way toward diffusing a tense situation.
Ultimately, self-control and self-awareness are key to keeping your own identity, instead of adopting a group mentality.
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Douglas, Karen M.Deindividuation.
PsyBlog.Deindividuation in Psychology: Definition and Examples.
Statista.Cyberbullying - Statistics and Facts.
