The constant search for social proof
EVER REALISED how that annoying group of Manchester United football fans seem more devoted to trash talking Arsenal players when they are all together in the same room, as opposed to when they are alone? The phenomenon of group polarisation is an intriguing one because although so many of us are clearly affected by it, we all seem to see ourselves as being immune to it. Group polarisation is a phenomenon in which an individual’s beliefs are reinforced and amplified when they are in a group of likeminded people.
Group polarisation is somewhat fuelled by our reliance on social proof. This is where we look to the behaviours of others to guide our own actions. A classic example comes from a study conducted by researcher Robert Cialdini at the Arizona Petrified Forest National Park. The park is covered with unique formations of colourful minerals, preserved in the form of logs and stumps. From these logs and stumps, petrified wood chips are produced. In Cialdini’s experiment, signs were strategically placed across the park telling visitors not to steal the petrified wood chips in the park.
Initially, signs simply stated, “Please don’t remove the petrified wood chips.” Two per cent of the wood chips were stolen. However, when different signs were introduced, which read, “Many past visitors have removed the petrified wood from the park, changing the state of the Petrified Forest,” the theft rate surged to eight per cent. This stark contrast underscores the powerful influence of social proof on individual behaviour within a group setting and demonstrates how people take cues from others, even if it means engaging in bad behaviour.
SOCIAL PROOF
Beyond petty theft in a national park, social proof is something we depend on in various aspects of our day-to-day lives. Jamaican roads provide ample evidence. One might be sitting in peakhour traffic inching their way forward little by little, towards an intersection, until one unruly taxi man decides there isn’t enough chaos and attempts to overtake the long queue of 20 or more cars. Almost assuredly, another taxi will follow suit within a minute or two. And sure enough, within a few minutes, the intersection will be jam-packed with lawless motorists following each other’s bad behaviour.
Why can’t we think for ourselves? Were we taught to?
Anyway, the consequences of our reliance on social proof extend far beyond day-to-day scenarios and can be pretty dangerous. Take, for example, the tragic saga of the Heaven’s Gate cult. On March 26, 1997, authorities discovered almost 40 dead bodies in a San Diego mansion – all members of the cult – each wearing identical Nike sneakers and dark uniforms emblazoned with the label “Heaven’s Gate Away Team”.
The group, originally led by Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles, believed they were destined to ascend to a higher existence by boarding a spacecraft hidden behind the Hale-Bopp comet. Their radical actions, culminating in a mass suicide orchestrated to coincide with the comet’s passage, highlight what can be the extreme consequences of unchecked group polarisation fuelled by social proof.
BRAINWASHING
Another poignant example of unchecked brainwashing is that of the Good News International Ministry in Kenya, formerly led by Paul Mackenzie, a Kenyan pastor who was charged in January of this year for murder and terrorismrelated crimes following the death of over 400 of his followers. He is alleged to have first convinced his congregation to move into the Shakahola Forest to prepare for the end of the world, after which he managed to convince them to starve themselves to death in order to see Jesus.
Clearly, many of his followers conformed to his demands as hundreds of dead bodies were exhumed from across the forest.
How does something like this happen? The genesis of groups such as these often traces back to charismatic leaders who exploit our susceptibility to social influence and manipulate our beliefs to reinforce extreme ideologies. In the case of Heaven’s Gate, Applewhite and Nettles cultivated a fervent following by propagating unique interpretations of religious texts, such as identifying themselves as the prophesied witnesses of Revelation 11.
I am often asked by sceptics whether I really think I would be a Christian today if I was born in Japan, Iran or any other country on the other side of the world. If I could answer such a question, I would be neither Japanese, Iranian nor Jamaican. I would be God. Nonetheless, while the question is not one I can answer, it does highlight the point that many of the truths we hold to make sense to us only because they make sense to those around us.
We are social animals and naturally, we crave acceptance and belonging. This is why we observe certain social norms. The problem is that for some, there is a difficulty differentiating between harmless social norms and requirements imposed on us by people who want control over our lives. Groups and networks that emphasise member initiation and observance of strict creeds are fertile ground for brainwashing. Furthermore, leaders who look unfavourably at those who attempt to challenge or question their teachings and leaders who impose punishments against those who deviate from their guidance are not to be trusted. Many normal, ordinary and perhaps unremarkable people like you and me have fallen a prey to the brainwashing of charismatic leaders. It is not as strange as one might think. We all have to be vigilant.