Conformity: The Power of Social InfluencesThe New York Times–bestselling coauthor of Nudge reveals the appeal—and the danger—of conformity: “Fascinating and surprising revelations.” —GQ We live in an era of tribalism, polarization, and intense social division—separating people along lines of religion, political conviction, race, ethnicity, and sometimes gender. How did this happen? In Conformity, Cass R. Sunstein argues that the key to making sense of living in this fractured world lies in understanding the idea of conformity—what it is and how it works—as well as the countervailing force of dissent. An understanding of conformity sheds new light on many issues confronting us today: the role of social media, the rise of fake news, the growth of authoritarianism, the success of Donald Trump, the functions of free speech, debates over immigration and the Supreme Court, and much more. Lacking information of our own and seeking the good opinion of others, we often follow the crowd, but Sunstein shows that when individuals suppress their own instincts about what is true and what is right, it can lead to significant social harm. While dissenters tend to be seen as selfish individualists, dissent is actually an important means of correcting the natural human tendency toward conformity and has enormous social benefits in reducing extremism, encouraging critical thinking, and protecting freedom itself. Sunstein concludes that while much of the time it is in the individual’s interest to follow the crowd, it is in the social interest for individuals to say and do what they think is best. A well-functioning democracy depends on it. “Eminently relevant . . . a must-read.” ―Booklist |
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affirmative action African Americans answer Asch’s availability heuristic behavior believe cascade effects compliance confederates conformity Consider correct courts of appeals deliberation deliberative democracy democracy Democratic appointees Dictator Game disclose discrimination discussion dissent doctors Econ enforcement ensure environmental errors example experimenter extreme Facebook favor federal finding genetically modified foods group decision group influences group members group polarization H. B. Acton heuristic important increase individual informational and reputational informational cascades institutions involved issues judges judgments jurors large number less like-minded likelihood median Milgram norms opinion panel of three people’s percent political private information problem produce punishment racial diversity rational reason reduce Reinhard Selten relevant Republican appointees reputational cascade result rewarded rhetorical advantage risks Robert Baron shift shocks signal simply smoking in public social influences Solomon Asch Stanley Milgram subjects suggests Sunstein supra note 29 U.S. Constitution urn experiment views violations volts