Bandwagon Effect

As opinions become more popular, we tend to agree with them more

What is the bandwagon effect?

Our tendency to adopt certain behaviors or beliefs because many others do the same is called the bandwagon effect.

The bandwagon effect  can influence all sorts of decisions in our lives. It may prevent critical thinking processes from taking place when we making decisions, especially if a lot of people are involved. It's critical that we assess ideas and behaviors on their merits and what they mean for us and then act accordingly. If we're persuaded that the popular thing is the correct thing, the bandwagon effect can prevent us from doing so.

How it effects decision making

There can be particularly detrimental ramifications when critical thinking is lacking among a large number of individuals. The bandwagon effect can contribute to social and political movements. Not all of them have benefitted the general public or those who joined them.

A number of professions are also impacted by cognitive biases. Investors, for example, may be tricked into believing that large capital inflows signal that they should likewise invest. An investing frenzy may result, as prices are driven up by widespread speculation that they will continue to rise. A “price bubble” occurs when this occurs, resulting in devastating consequences for investors and regular citizens alike. The 2008 housing crisis is a classic example of such a phenomenon.

When an idea or belief becomes more popular, we are more likely to adopt it. The first of these reasons is efficiency:

We can use heuristics to make decisions quickly, and this effect serves as a heuristic. It allows us to bypass the time-consuming process of assessing whether an idea or behavior is worth supporting. Many of us use 'signs of widespread adoption' to decide whether to adopt a similar stance. We can rely on other people's preferences as a measure of support rather than assessing whether an idea or behavior has merit to each individual.

It is unfortunate that standing out can lead to exclusion. We usually dislike being the odd one out. In order to avoid being the odd one out, we often go along with the behavior or ideas of the group we find ourselves in. The need for conformity ensures some degree of inclusion and acceptance. We can sometimes go a step further and adopt or advocate the norms and values of our group in order to gain approval and strengthen our position.

When the societal majority or 'majority' is correct in their ideas or values, they are frequently accepted. This may be because we subconsciously adopt the majority opinion, not because we want to be on the 'winning side'. We may have evolved to support popular beliefs because standing against the flow of the majority can be dangerous or even lethal.

Avoiding the bandwagon effect

We must be careful not to rely on popular opinion as a means of evaluating the value of certain ideas and behaviors.

It is possible for us to develop our critical thinking abilities by judging ideas and behaviors based on their merits rather than their popularity. Even the outcome of this process can be beneficial: having a distinct perspective can develop your individuality and independent persona. We don't all want to be the same. There are frequently benefits to standing out, like recognition and satisfaction with yourself. It is commonly said that 'jumping on the bandwagon' is bad.

Although it is impossible to eliminate the bandwagon effect completely, we may be able to counteract our tendency to rely on social cues when making important decisions. Slowing down our decision-making process is the first step. We may prevent ourselves from instantly accepting a popular idea by giving ourselves some time to think between noticing the social signal and taking our final decision. You may wish to consider alternate options that are in opposition to the mainstream opinion. Although they may be more beneficial than the mainstream viewpoint, they may at least reduce its allure.

Where did the term come from?

The bandwagon effect was first identified in 1848, when a performance clown in Zachary Taylor's successful United States presidential campaign invited him to join his circus bandwagon. It was used to describe the phenomenon by which ideas become more popular as a result of their popularity. In the 1980s, scholars began investigating the bandwagon effect in relation to public opinion polls. The bandwagon effect gained popularity as a result of concerns that published polls encouraged people to vote based on popular opinion rather than knowledge of the issues.

A quick synopsis.

We tend to adopt certain behaviors or beliefs because many other people do the same, i.e. we succumb to the bandwagon effect.

The bandwagon effect aids us to make quick decisions by suggesting heuristics. When an idea or belief becomes more popular, we are more likely to adopt it. Because the bandwagon effect allows us to make quick decisions, we rely on others to decide for us. Because many people support an idea or behavior, we also adopt it if it becomes more popular. To avoid standing out and being excluded, a lot of us support the behavior and ideas of the group we are in. Thirdly, we accept the majority opinion because we want to be on the 'winning side.' We may have evolved to instinctively support popular beliefs because standing against the tide, as a majority usually does, can be dangerous as well as disadvantageous.

We may be able to counteract our instinct to base important decisions on social cues by slowing down our decision-making process. To prevent us from jumping on a popular bandwagon immediately after noticing a social signal, we should allow some time to elapse between noticing the signal and making our final decision. In addition, make decisions in an environment where you feel less pressured by other people. Lastly, consider alternatives that are outside of the mainstream. They might be more beneficial, or at least less appealing, than the current consensus.

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More articles on biases:

Halo Effect

Confirmation Bias means we actively seek out information that agrees with our beliefs and dismiss contrary information.

Ambiguity Effect

We prefer options that are certain rather than those that are vague or missing information

Framing Effect

People tend to make decisions based on the way a problem is phrased rather than on its content

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