What can The Traitors teach us about herd mentality?

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Unless you've been living under a rock, you will have been hearing non-stop updates on social media about the newest series of The Traitors (whether you watch it or not).

While the show is fun and gripping to watch, it can also reveal some interesting psychological truths about our culture.The psychology of trust, deception, and group dynamics all come into play in a world where social psychology can often shape our decisions.Viewers are left with a key question after watching the contestants navigate games of deceit: how far can peer thinking and group mentality push people to act against their own opinions?Psychologists have shared insight into how herd mentality impacts decision-making.

They present some key lessons about human behaviour that the tense televised competition brings to light. “Herd mentality is the psychological tendency of individuals to conform to the behaviours, beliefs or decisions within a larger group,” explains Dr Rachael Molitor, a chartered psychologist and lecturer at Coventry University.“This is similar to the psychological concept of group conformity whereby the majority of beliefs and behaviours can be seen to sway the minority, overriding personal opinions and thoughts. “Herd mentality as a terminology originates from the observations in animal behaviour and characteristics where groups of animals may act collectively due to the need for survival.” Three factors drive herd mentality: fear of isolation, cognitive ease and trust in the majority. “People often conform to avoid being excluded or judged, they want a sense of belonging and will fit in and follow the crowd,” says Dr Lalitaa Suglani, psychologist and the author of High Functioning Anxiety.“Cognitive ease is another influential