Bandwagon Effect

Solomon Asch's conformity experiments (1951) are among the most disturbing demonstrations of social psychology: when shown an obviously shorter line and asked which matched a reference line, 75% of participants agreed with the incorrect majority answer at least once. The pressure to conform is so powerful that people override clear sensory evidence to match group opinion. In markets, the bandwagon effect creates bubbles — assets rise simply because others are buying, attracting more buyers. In elections, polling that shows a candidate leading attracts additional votes. In social media, posts with high like counts receive more engagement regardless of quality. The herd instinct runs deep.