Bandwagon Fallacy: Definition and Examples

Whenever we are unsure how to act, we look to the group to guide our behavior. We are constantly scanning our environment and wondering, “What is everyone else doing?” We check reviews on Amazon or Yelp or TripAdvisor because we want to imitate the “best” buying, eating, and travel habits. It’s usually a smart strategy. There is evidence in numbers

In general, when we are unsure of ourselves, when the situation is unclear or ambiguous, when uncertainty reigns, we are most likely to look to and accept the actions of others as correct. In the process of examining the reactions of other people to resolve our uncertainty, however, we are likely to overlook a subtle but important fact. Those peopl

The group’s actions tend to be unreasonable and amplify their moral rightness and social positions. The individual’s critical thinking and reasoning skills are abandoned.

social proof—basically, the tendency of people to view an activity as more worthwhile if other people are doing it.