One for All, All for One?: The Complexity of Pack Mentality
By Emma Tusuzian, Psychology, 2023
Many cultures emphasize individuality, yet our desire for social acceptance and community tempts us to conform. The term “groupthink” was initially derived from the novel 1984 by George Orwell, which describes the overwhelming social pressures that warp reality and personal morality, driving us to behave in ways we normally wouldn’t on our own. Since its introduction to popular culture, a wide range of disciplines have attempted to explain our motivations for following the “pack,” making our potentially dangerous decisions a question of biology, psychology, and morality.
Like splitting a bill, being in a larger group distributes the weight of responsibility among individuals. This leads them to collectively rationalize risky behavior as having fewer consequences. However, this also allows for manipulation of others in favor of the individual. Evolutionary biologist W.D. Hamilton developed the theory of a “selfish herd” to explain why animals travel in close groups. His research describes herds as the result of animals competing to be towards the center of a pack in order to avoid predators, ensuring other members of their species take their unfavorable places. Though this theory is somewhat disputed due to its dismissal of other motivations for grouping, people can also use the comfort of a group as a shield from social dangers. Cliques are potential examples of protective mechanisms for those who hide behind reputation or character of the collective. Individuals rejected from the group parallel the animals who have been left exposed to the danger of navigating alone. Applying the selfish herd theory to humans, people group together in pursuit of their own self-interest. To take on the pack rationality and earn a strong identity within it is to protect oneself from criticism or personal blame. This may ultimately result in more respectable status or other social benefits.
Cliques are potential examples of protective mechanisms for those who hide behind reputation or character of the collective.
Since groupthink is a complex and multifaceted theory, understanding the social dynamics of a group is fundamental to interpreting each individual’s motivations. We not only use groups as social protection through association, but also seek personal benefit through those around us. Pack mentality goes beyond members simply having a common agreement or conforming to certain codes. Every pack member’s self-interest will alter their social standing, directly affecting group dynamics. Behaviors performed within or for a group, such as gang initiations, establish new members as those “earning” a right of passage and older members as more respectable. Research also suggests that groupthink in juvenile gang activity stems from members collectively considering their own gang stronger than a rival. Due to this exaggerated perception of their own strength, individuals may create an illusion of success, which ultimately results in real aggression. In addition, social hierarchies, both within a group and between individuals, can motivate members to be seen as more respectable. This causes them to behave in ways their group would deem worthy.
Given the psychological pressures of groupthink, can social decision-making be explained by patterns of electrical and chemical signaling? A 2010 study combining literature and experimentation suggests the prefrontal cortex, a brain region critical to social decision-making, has a variety of different functions involved in pack mentality. For example, there is a region involved in valuing abstract rewards such as long-term benefits of cooperation. It also regulates emotional responses that could harm important relationships. The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, located towards the back of the brain, works as a “social alarm signal” as it reacts to violations of social norms like deviating from group opinion or being outperformed by others. These concepts involving self-interest, group norms, and relationships are foundational to pack mentality. For instance, recognizing violations of social norms could show the strength of an individual’s sensitivity or commitment to a group’s standards. If neural systems can explain the dangerous decisions incited by groupthink, we may be able to understand the power of packs in a new light.
The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, located towards the back of the brain, works as a “social alarm signal” as it reacts to violations of social norms like deviating from group opinion or being outperformed by others.
Subjects of pack mentality can be found everywhere from local gangs to corporate leaders, yet the tendency to conform can be too gradual to recognize within ourselves. Increasing awareness of such temptations could promote confidence, while biology could concretely explain patterns of perpetual conformity. Acknowledging these causes can make signs of groupthink more visible, ultimately allowing us to recognize our own misjudgments as a society.
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