“Herd behavior” is a term used to describe the tendency of individuals to think and act as a group.
The term “herd behavior” refers to the behavior of animals in groups, particularly when they are in a dangerous situation, such as fleeing from a predator. All of the animals form a tight group and move as a unit when they are in panic mode. It is extremely rare for a herd member to deviate from the unit’s movement.
The phrase also refers to human conduct, and it generally refers to a big group of individuals acting in a same manner at the same moment. People’s behaviors are typically led by emotion rather than reasoning out a problem, giving it a connotation of irrationality. Large-scale protests, riots, strikes, religious gatherings, sporting events, and outbreaks of mob violence are all examples of human herd behavior. When herd behavior takes hold, an individual’s judgment and opinion-forming processes are turned off as he or she follows the group’s movement and conduct.
For example, humans, we commonly exhibit herd behavior in times of danger and fear; for example, a fire in a building usually generates herd behavior, with people suspending their own reasoning and fleeing as a pack. People in a crisis who need to flee will try to move quicker than usual, mimic others’ behaviors, interact physically with one another, and disregard alternate methods in favor of following the mass escape trend.
The phenomena of stock market bubbles is another well-known illustration of human herd behavior. Large stock market movements frequently start and end with a large purchasing (bubbles) or selling frenzy (crashes). Many observers consider these stock market movements to be examples of herding behavior because people are attracted to “join the mob” by emotion rather than reason; greed generates mass purchasing frenzy while fear fuels stock market collapses.
BEHAVIOR IN CROWDS
In large public groups or mobs, a more visible manifestation of human herd behavior occurs. Crowds gathered in response to a grievance or protest might engage in aggressive herding behavior. According to psychologists, a “collective mentality” may dominate a crowd and empower people to act in ways they would not otherwise, increasing the chance of violent events.
Sporting activities can sometimes result in aggressive herd behavior. Football hooliganism, which swept Europe in the 1980s, is a well-known example of swarming behavior and violence in sports. Overzealous fans of football teams often engaged in unruly or destructive behavior in the name of supporting their team and intimidating the rival team, to the extent that people involved could be badly injured or even killed.
Some historians think that Adolf Hitler used herd behavior psychology to his advantage by placing a large number of undercover German officers among the audience during his rallies. These officers would passionately shout for Hitler, and the rest of the audience would do the same, giving the impression that the whole crowd was behind him. The effect would be amplified if these lectures were aired to a broader public audience.
Herd behavior may not always have such negative consequences; it can have an impact on people’s day-to-day decisions. Assume a family is strolling down the street searching for a place to have dinner.If they pass an empty restaurant and one that is somewhat busy with customers, they are significantly more likely to select the crowded one, assuming that it is better since it has more people. Herding can be subtle in this way; it simply involves people’s tendency to follow a crowd rather than carve out an individual path in many situations.
