Question

From their analysis of 60 deindividuation studies, Postmes and Spears (1998) concluded that being anonymous makes an individual ________ than when he or she is alone.

Answer 1

Being anonymous makes an individual less self-aware.

Step-by-step explanation:

From their analysis of 60 deindividuation studies, Postmes and Spears (1998) concluded that being anonymous makes an individual less self-aware than when he or she is alone. Deindividuation refers to situations in which a person may feel a sense of anonymity and therefore a reduction in accountability and sense of self when among others (Zimbardo, 1969). This phenomenon can lead to a loss of individual identity and a decrease in self-awareness, which can result in behaviors that an individual may not engage in when alone.

Answer 2

In their research, Postmes and Spears wanted to discover whether being anonymous could make a person more or less violent or anti social than when he is identified. This was based on a previous assumption that stated that people tend to engage in more violent behaviour if they are anonymous.

However, their research revealed that anonimity, group size and reduced self awareness are not particularly linked to anti normative behaviour. Instead, they found that the difference lied in the importance of situation-specific norms, rather than general social norms.