Question

Everyday Decision-Making

Herd behavior does not always have such harmful effects; it can be influential in people's everyday, simple
decisions. For example, suppose that a family is walking down the street looking for a restaurant to have
dinner. If they pass a restaurant that is empty and one that is relatively crowded with patrons, they are far more
likely to choose the crowded one, on the assumption that it's better because there are more people there.
Herding can be subtle in this way; it simply involves people's tendency to follow a crowd rather than carve out
an individual path in many situations.
"Herd Behavior" by CommonLit Staff. Copyright © 2014 by CommonLit, Inc. This text is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA
2.0.
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2. Posit (verb) to propose or assume

Answer 1

Herd behavior refers to the tendency of individuals to follow the actions and beliefs of a group, which can manifest in simple decisions like choosing a restaurant based on crowd presence. It is closely related to groupthink, where group consensus can overshadow individual opinions, and crowdsourcing, where contributions are solicited from a large group.

Step-by-step explanation:

The concept of herd behavior is a fundamental aspect of collective behavior, which involves the tendency for individuals to follow the actions and beliefs of a group. In everyday situations, such as choosing a crowded restaurant over an empty one, people often make decisions based on the assumption that the presence of a crowd indicates quality or correctness.

This behavior demonstrates social influence in action, including phenomena like groupthink and crowdsourcing. Groupthink refers to individuals within a group conforming to what they perceive as the group consensus, which can sometimes lead to suboptimal decisions due to suppressed dissent. Collectively, these behaviors play a significant role in shaping decision-making processes in various group settings, from casual gatherings to mass movements and public opinion.