Herd behavior is an action that is extremely common in real life and can also represent conformity, which comes from the behavior of animals in herds, particularly when they are in a dangerous situation such as escaping a predator, and staying from the movement of the unit is very unusual. This means people’s behaviors usually follow what most other people are choosing to do. Herd behaviors describe the common event of people following popular things, not caring about if they really like them. Because of how common herd behaviors are, it also brings social pressure. From where the phrase “herd behavior” comes from, we can then guess that social pressure is formed because people generally believe that it’s unusual to stay away from the big group. However, from this, we can find the advantages and disadvantages of herd behaviors, which herd behaviors helps people to decide things easier. On the other hand, herd behaviors can make people not to be conscious of their personalities. Also, one thing that people might forget from conformity is that anxiety is contagious.
From the advantage side of herd behaviors, herd behaviors do help people a lot by deciding things. Herd behaviors, to explain in an easier way, is to follow what most other people are doing. It’s a kind of action in which people are all heading toward the same target at the same time. And because of this kind of trend of herd behaviors, many people will decide things based on how most of the decisions or behaviors of others are. For example, during danger and panic, people often copy the actions of others and stop their own individual reasoning to join together. No matter what they are doing, when there’s danger or panic, most people will stop what they are doing and join the group. So, rarely people will continue doing their own thing but not copying others’ actions to save their own life.
On the other hand, herd behaviors also bring many disadvantages. Although they help people to decide things easier, they can also make people not be conscious of their personalities and don’t know what they really want to do. Apart from the scene of danger or panic, herd behaviors also happen in normal lives such as at school and work. For school, many students are all learning the main subjects for a high score and a better school, but ignore other parts, such as some hobbies and things they’re good at. At work, people are always heading for a job that is stable and has a high salary, but not the job they’re enjoying. Moreover, because of herd behaviors, people usually are limited to a part of the whole society, and to some part this obstructed diversity development.
Furthermore, one factor that people might not notice is anxiety is contagious. Just like how it works in the phenomenon of stock market bubbles, large stock market trends often begin and end with a mass frenzy of buying or selling. This is because when there are too many people rushing to buy or sell the stock market, it might let others think that they should also buy or sell the stock market or else they’ll lose some benefits, which makes people feel anxious. Also, it’s the same at school. When there are more people trying hard to get a high score, then it’ll be harder and harder to get an ideal score, which makes people feel more worried and stressed, and then, try even harder than before. And this causes a vicious circle. Since anxiety can be spread between people, why do people still keep on doing this? So, this reflects back that herd behaviors make people miss their own ability to decide things and their own unique personalities.
In conclusion, herd behavior, also shown as conformity, is a behavior that means people’s behavior that follows others’ actions. Since everything has two sides, herd behaviors have benefits that make people decide things easier and faster when during panic and danger, but still, it brings us some disadvantages that herd behaviors limit the development of people being different and having various personalities. Also, one issue that is also contained in herd behaviors is that anxiety is contagious, which means when people are working for one specific target at the same time, they will be more and more stressed. Herd behaviors are a choice for people to decide their actions, but not always the best choice. It will always be better to think carefully before taking action.
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