The crowd mentality...I don't get it.

[BE911SC]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I had to go to Costco AND Wal-Mart yesterday, but got to Costco right when they opened, so it wasn't bad. Had to do it, got a house full of people starting tomorrow.

This is what really chaps my ass. Mine is the red padlock.


When I got there, the blue one was not there. I always choose a locker far from other occupied ones. This one was even a corner locker to reduce by 50% the chances of someone being next to me. There are probably a good 300-400 empty lockers here and this asshat picks the one next to me, guaranteeing we'll be in each other's way if changing at the same time. Why?

Maybe he's lonely and wants to talk to someone.

[rwest]

I go grocery shopping at 5:00 am on the weekend- just a couple of other shoppers and stock crew.

Only drawbacks, but don't matter to me is no free samples and the deli isn't open.

[MBAtarga]

Complaining about crowds in retail stores?

Man - you guys must be old and cranky!

[Esel Mann]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I had to go to Costco AND Wal-Mart yesterday, but got to Costco right when they opened, so it wasn't bad. Had to do it, got a house full of people starting tomorrow.

This is what really chaps my ass. Mine is the red padlock.


When I got there, the blue one was not there. I always choose a locker far from other occupied ones. This one was even a corner locker to reduce by 50% the chances of someone being next to me. There are probably a good 300-400 empty lockers here and this asshat picks the one next to me, guaranteeing we'll be in each other's way if changing at the same time. Why?

If you see mirrors on his flip flops you will have your answer.

[M.D. Holloway]

An interesting paper...

Ordinary people like you and me can turn*evil*in the right circumstances.*Deindividuation*is a theory to explain the tendency of violence to emerge in large crowds of people (see also:*vigilante justice). It refers the process of losing hold of our own identity, which can occur with the anonymity and diffusion of responsibility offered to us when in large groups.


Do you know why firefighters, when responding to the possibility of an active suicide jumper, push onlookers away from the scene? It is because people will*gather and taunt*the suicide jumper. Take the 2008 suicide of teenager Shaun Dykes, who jumped to his death after 3 hours of failed police negotiations when bored onlookers began to shout for him to jump. Does this shock you? This sort of behavior is actually common enough that it has its own term*"Suicide-Baiting."

Or how about the rioting and looting that takes place after a tragedy such as Hurricane Katrina? You may suspect that only hardened criminals are doing the looting, but*that would be wrong!* In fact, you or I might do the same if placed in a similar situation.

So what's happening here? How can ordinary people behave in such an atrocious manner?*Deindividuation*is affected by 3 factors:


1. Anonymity (such as when browsing the internet, or hidden in group)
2. Diffusion of Responsibility (the feeling that responsibility for what occurs is spread out among your group, and thus you are absolved)
3. Group Size (a very large group contributes both to anonymity and diffusion, and you effectively vanish as an individual)

Take this classic*study*on the night of Halloween in 1976. Researchers Ed Diener and colleagues set out a large bowl of candy for trick-or-treaters, and controlled the independent variables of anonymity (some kids were asked their names), group size (recorded whether kids were alone or in group), and responsibility (some children were "placed in charge" or the group and told they would individually be held responsible if group took extra candy). Finally, all groups were instructed to take only 1 piece of candy- the researcher then closed the door so that the kids were alone.

What the study found was that alone and identified children stole candy only 8% of the time, whereas anonymous children in a group stole candy nearly 60% of the time. Furthermore, when the anonymous group had been left in the symbolic hands of one child (not shown on graph)*the group stole candy 80%*of the time! This because the group felt less responsible for their actions when they knew there was a "leader" who would take the blame for them.

It is wise to keep this in mind the next time you see a large group behaving terribly. Whether they are children stealing candy, teenagers vandalizing property, or adults engaging in vigilante justice- breaking up the group and calling out individuals is paramount to stopping the influence of Deindividuation.


One of the best examples of this is in the film To Kill a Mockingbird, when a large mob gathers to lynch the innocent black character Tom Robinson. The mob is threatening Atticus Finch, who refuses to stand aside- when suddenly his little daughter Scout Finch steps up and confronts the mob. She gets nowhere talking to the crowd, but is successful when she*singles out*the familiar Walter Cunningham, telling him that she goes to school with his son. Suddenly his features contort, he transforms into an individual again, and tells the crowd to leave. What a powerful idea.

[Crowbob]

My older and sort of rough brother and I were sitting at the bar one boring Saturday afternoon at the hotel in Yale, MI. Population about 400. Place was about 1/4 full. One guy to our left stood up, calmly walked to the far right of the bar and cold-cocked the guy on the end. Out of no where. Just clobbered him on the side of the head with a beer bottle.

I grabbed my brother by the collar and hauled our asses out of there. By the time we got to the door all heck broke loose. To this day, I have no idea why this happened. My brother was pissed that I dragged him out so quick.

[pavulon]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I had to go to Costco AND Wal-Mart yesterday, but got to Costco right when they opened, so it wasn't bad. Had to do it, got a house full of people starting tomorrow.

This is what really chaps my ass. Mine is the red padlock.


When I got there, the blue one was not there. I always choose a locker far from other occupied ones. This one was even a corner locker to reduce by 50% the chances of someone being next to me. There are probably a good 300-400 empty lockers here and this asshat picks the one next to me, guaranteeing we'll be in each other's way if changing at the same time. Why?

If you weren't there when he changed and he wasn't there when you changed, the other guy worked it ideally and did you both a favor.

[Oh Haha]

Originally Posted by Crowbob

My older and sort of rough brother and I were sitting at the bar one boring Saturday afternoon at the hotel in Yale, MI. Population about 400. Place was about 1/4 full. One guy to our left stood up, calmly walked to the far right of the bar and cold-cocked the guy on the end. Out of no where. Just clobbered him on the side of the head with a beer bottle.

I grabbed my brother by the collar and hauled our asses out of there. By the time we got to the door all heck broke loose. To this day, I have no idea why this happened. My brother was pissed that I dragged him out so quick.

The Yale hotel. I was born at the Yale hospital! My Mom used to shop at the general store there with the creaky wood floors.


Oh yeah, I avoid crowds as much as possible, especially during the holiday season.

[yetibone]

I shop at Wal Mart and the 24hr Target sometime around 2 am for the entertainment.

[john70t]

Originally Posted by pavulon

If you weren't there when he changed and he wasn't there when you changed, the other guy worked it ideally and did you both a favor.

A calculated risk thing.
There is safety in numbers.
One of you will be likely to return early and catch that locker room thief.

But with a different situation, that same feeling of safety and security sometimes translates to cars in the left lane suddenly slowing down on a completely empty highway, to hover in someone's blind spot for miles and miles.
It creates a new hazard.
And the result tends to be the opposite of effect desired.

[ckelly78z]

I avoid crowds at all cost, I start getting pissed off when I keep having to juke/sidestep with people all the time. Generally, whatever most people are doing, i'm walking the opposite direction, It think it is more of a dislike for other humans, than large crowds.

[nzporsche944s2]

Originally Posted by VincentVega

Too funny. Its just the way it is, some sort of universe rule or something.

I find the same thing when I park my car in a big parking lot. I drive a nice car and I don't want it to be dented by some inconsiderate loser so I park WAAAY away from everyone to the point that my wife complains. But the running joke is that I say my car is ****box magnet because I swear every single time I park on the empty outskirts of a carpark I will come back from shopping and there will be a ****box parked right next to it.

It's weird the mentality the other driver must have. Maybe they think parking next to a nice car means theirs won't get damaged?

[Baz]

My entire existence now is dedicated to avoiding other humans.

The older I get - the greater the disdain.

I have developed so many strategies to out maneuver them - I should write a book!

You have to use reverse psychology....always include the "herding mentality" in your planning. They never fail to live up to it...lol....

A perfect example is the old people who can't wait to get to their doctors n the morning...I mean they have to be there first thing! So as everyone else is commuting to work or driving to a jobsite...they are clogging the hell out of the roadways and consistently driving 5 under the speed limit. Argh!

[Oh Haha]

Originally Posted by Baz

My entire existence now is dedicated to avoiding other humans.

The older I get - the greater the disdain.

I have developed so many strategies to out maneuver them - I should write a book!

You have to use reverse psychology....always include the "herding mentality" in your planning. They never fail to live up to it...lol....

A perfect example is the old people who can't wait to get to their doctors n the morning...I mean they have to be there first thing! So as everyone else is commuting to work or driving to a jobsite...they are clogging the hell out of the roadways and consistently driving 5 under the speed limit. Argh!

You are not alone, my friend.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Baz

So as everyone else is commuting to work or driving to a jobsite...they are clogging the hell out of the roadways and consistently driving 5 under the speed limit. Argh!

Agree. I have to flip way too many peeps off for tailgating my sorry ass 65 mph.

Not joking. As I age, I am getting slower because I don't have to be there ten minutes ago. That 7:00-9:00 AM/4:30-7:00 PM highway window is no place for an old man.

[Baz]

One thing I don't do is tailgate.

I refuse to participate in a traffic-related activity that could be construed as one based on emotion.

I will take an alternative route...even if it means taking me longer to get to my destination....as long as I don't have to drive behind someone.

But the good news is I know the area so well I try to out fox them through strategic planning!

[john70t]

I flip up the rear view mirror and ignore in those situations.
They will just have to wait their turn.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by ckelly78z

It think it is more of a dislike for other humans, than large crowds.

That's racist.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Originally Posted by berettafan

Rick maybe the other guy was hoping for a chance meeting...

"...if it's got a red lock, he's looking for ____."

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

[ckelly78z]

Originally Posted by Bob Kontak

That's racist.

That's not racist at all, I dislike all colors, including my own.