Key Takeaways
- Deindividuation is when people lose their sense of self in a group and take on a mob mentality.
- People act differently in large groups because they feel less self-conscious and anonymous.
- Deindividuation can lead to risky behaviors and even illegal actions when people follow the crowd.
You’re at a concert and everyone is jumping up and down, screaming loudly, so you join in. Or you’re in a group of people who are becoming aggressive and screaming obscenities at another group, so you join in. Both types of behavior are examples of deindividuation.
The psychological phenomenon of deindividuation is what happens when you are around other people, and your thoughts and actions mimic theirs—even if it’s something you would not normally do.
“Deindividuation refers to when a person becomes part of a crowd or group and then begins to lose their individual identity, [adopting a] ‘mob mentality’,” explains Reena B. Patel, psychologist and Licensed Educational Board-Certified Behavior Analyst.
It’s not always necessarily harmful or problematic, and sometimes it’s even fun, but there are a number of situations where deindividuation can have a negative impact on ourselves and others around us. Let’s talk about what may cause this phenomenon and how it affects our behavior.
Why Does Deindividuation Occur?
People who are a part of a crowd often act less as individuals, and more as a part of a group. 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.
Possible Causes of This Phenomenon
Deindividuation can come from a lack of self-awareness and self-control, cause a person to behave differently than they normally would, and result in unintended consequences.
“Anonymity can allow someone to engage in a behavior they wouldn’t do if they would be recognized,” explains John Delatorre, PsyD, a forensic psychologist. “Being anonymous can be an opportunity for wish fulfillment, doing the behaviors they have always wanted to do, but it can also work as a disinhibitor, allowing the person the freedom to let go of the controls they experience daily.”
Because a person is so engrossed in what the group is doing and being a part of it, their own self-awareness suffers. 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.
People in Larger Groups Become Less Self-Aware
Studies dating back decades have found that as the size of the group increases, self-consciousness decreases. People feel less likely to be noticed and less guilty about engaging in questionable behavior.
Did You Know?
Psychologist Leon Festinger started using the term deindividuation in the 1950s, to describe when people gather in a group, and their behaviors and actions cause them to be less individualized.
This line of thinking also applies to distance. When people are further away from the consequences of their behavior, they’re more likely to give in to mob mentality. However, even small groups and limited distance don’t eliminate deindividuation.
Consequences of Deindividuation
Casting off restraint can be a good thing when you’re seeking to relax and unwind. But when casting off restraint leads to impulsive, risky behaviors that you wouldn’t otherwise engage in, it can have dangerous consequences. As a group mentality takes over, its members can become more aggressive, even taking part in illegal behaviors, or skirting societal norms. Both moral and ethical boundaries are often eroded when deindividuation takes over.
If someone’s actions seem completely outside of what family and friends expect a person to do, it leaves people confused, feeling like they never really knew the person. 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.
No arena has seen greater impact of the power of group mentality and loss of individuality than in the online realm. Research shows that deindividuation contributes to the online disinhibition effect, which basically means that people feel freer to make remarks and behave in ways that they wouldn’t in person. Cyberbullying is also an unwanted consequence; over 40% of adults in the United States say they’ve experienced cyberbullying.
“Social media has allowed for greater opportunity to participate in deindividuation. One or two negative comments on a feed or post, leads to others participating in negative and cyberbullying behaviors. They have a group and do not have to face the individual they are bullying, so they feel more comfortable engaging in the behavior. The likelihood that the individual would say the same comment in person when faced with the individual is low,” Patel notes.
If you find yourself casting caution to the wind and potentially giving in to the peer pressure of a group, there are ways to remain self-aware and not join the crowd.
Lessening the Effects of Deindividuation
It can almost be intoxicating to be a part of a big group, having a shared experience. But it’s 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 own self-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, they’re less likely to start doing things that are against your value system. Keep a healthy perspective of the situation at hand.
You can also fight against the effects of deindividuation by being empathetic. If you’re in a group that is becoming riled up and angry, take a moment to think about the person who’s on the receiving end of that anger. 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.
“It comes down to what is actually happening, [and whether] the person [is] falling victim to a contagion effect of societal messaging,” Dr. Delatorre concludes.
