Fashion trends, health fads, and social media influencers are all based on the human tendency to follow the crowd. In psychology, the terms ‘Bandwagon Effect’ and ‘Herd Mentality’ are used to describe how individuals will act against their personal beliefs in order to conform and gain social acceptance. Herd Mentality is a cognitive bias because it can occlude rational thought in favor of adopting the popular opinion. Jumping on the bandwagon, termed after political bandwagons of the nineteenth century, is a way for someone to associate themselves with success and status. However, the results of following the crowd can sometimes be catastrophic, as is the case with mob violence. Herd mentality also has implications for marketing and the economic sector. Financial bubbles, such as the financial crisis of 2008, are often caused by banks taking excessive risks under the pretext that everyone else was doing it.

            Herd mentality is rooted in how the human brain is wired. When making decisions the brain relies on heuristics, or prevalent rules of thumb, to reduce cognitive effort and reach quick conclusions. One of the most important mental shortcuts is the concept of Social Proof, which underlies the phenomenon of herd mentality. Social Proof states that, in the face of uncertainty, individuals will imitate what others around them are doing. The underlying presumption is that if everyone else is doing something, then it must be right. Making decisions based on how others act, rather than analyzing the situation and reaching our own conclusions, saves time and energy. For example, when purchasing products it makes sense to buy the best-selling items without second thoughts or additional research.

            This desire to imitate others’ behavior can be traced to Social Learning Theory, which proposes that children learn acceptable behavior by observing the people around them. Additionally, herd mentality may have evolved as a means of protection and survival, which still manifests today with the idea of safety in numbers. Relying on the wisdom of the crowd and taking the conventional route naturally feels more comfortable, even if misguided. If everyone else breaks the rules, individuals may rebel as well, knowing that they won’t be singled out and charged with sole responsibility. As a result, crowds of people often engage in irrational, reckless behavior. The idea of jumping on the bandwagon can also be problematic when it comes to academia. Research papers and experts that support widely-established beliefs may receive more attention than researchers whose findings go against popular thought. Herd mentality can also lead to the dissemination of misinformation and the downfall of skeptical and critical thought. As with most cognitive biases, simply learning about the bias and its effects is a good first step towards making more informed decisions that truly reflect your beliefs.

References 

American Psychological Association. (2018, April 19). APA Dictionary of Psychology. American Psychological Association. https://dictionary.apa.org/social-learning-theory 

Baddeley M. (2015). Herding, social influences and behavioural bias in scientific research: Simple awareness of the hidden pressures and beliefs that influence our thinking can help to preserve objectivity. EMBO reports, 16(8), 902–905. https://doi.org/10.15252/embr.201540637

Henderson, R. (2017, May 24). The science behind why people follow the crowd. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/after-service/201705/the-science-behind-why-people-follow-the-crowd 

Hoffman, B. (2024, May 26). Bandwagon effect: What it is and how to overcome it. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/brycehoffman/2024/05/26/bandwagon-effect-what-it-is-and-how-to-overcome-it/