de-individuation

• De-individuation theory is based on the classic crowd theory of Le Bon. Le Bon described how an individual was transformed when part of a crowd. In a crowd, the combination of anonymity and suggestibility mean that a ‘collective mind’ takes possession of the individual. As a consequence, the individual loses self-control and becomes capable of acting in a certain way that goes against personal or social norms. Festinger described de-individuation as a psychological state in which inner restraints are lost when a person is ‘not paid attention to’.
• Zimbardo believed that being in a large group gave people a ‘cloak of anonymity’ that diminished any personal consequences for their actions. Factors that contribute to this state includes anonymity and alter consciousness (alcohol or drugs). People normally refrain from acting in an aggressive manner partly because there are social norms inhibiting it but also because they are easily identifiable. According to Zimbardo being part of a crowd can diminish awareness of our own individuality. In a large crowd, each person is faceless and anonymous. The lager the group, the greater the anonymity.
• . The conditions that increase anonymity also minimises concerns about evaluation by others, so weaken the normal barriers to anti-social behaviour that are based on guilt or shame. Research has demonstrated that individuals who believe their identities are unknown are more likely to behave in an aggressive manner. This could be seen in Zimbardo’s prison study where the guards wore reflective sunglasses and therefore could be acting due to de-individuation.
• Zimbardo also did a study into de-individuation. Groups of 4 female undergraduates were required to deliver electric shocks to another student to ‘aid learning’. Half of the participants wore bulky lab coats and hoods that hid their face, separate cubicles and not referred to by name. The other pt wore normal clothes, large name tags and introduced to each other by name. They could also see each other when seated at the shock machines.
• The pt in the de-individuation condition were more likely to press the button they believed to give shocks to a victim in another room. They held the shock button down for twice as long as the identifiable participants.
• It was found that male and female groups responded differently under de-individuation conditions.

  An increase in aggression was obtained only in male groups and not in female groups.

  A greater disinhibition of aggression was also found (i.e. removal of the normal inhibitions that prevent aggression) in de-individuated males than in de-individuated females. 

  One possible reason for these gender differences is that males tend to respond to provocation in more extreme ways than do females and these tendencies are magnified under de-individuation conditions
• It was found support for Zimbardo's de-individuation concept through an investigation of the effect of increased anonymity on aggressive behaviour in sport.

  They observed 30 games of handball in German schools. One team in each game wore the same orange shirts, while the other team wore their own different-coloured shirts. The researchers found that the uniformed teams showed significantly more aggressive acts during the game than did the teams without uniforms.

  The results support the claim that de-individuation through increased anonymity leads to more aggressive acts.
• Dramatic support for the influence of de-individuation comes from a study.

  Data was collected on warriors in 23 societies changed their appearance prior to going to war and the extent to which they killed, tortured or mutilated their victims. Those societies where warriors changed their appearance (e.g. through war paint, tribal costumes, etc.) were more destructive toward their victims compared to those who did not change their appearance.

  The results of this study reveal a significant relationship between de-individuation and aggressive behaviours in warfare.
• De-individuation highlights factors related to nurture in aggressive behaviour. These include anything that reduces private and public self-awareness. People who would not usually behave aggressively do so when part of a crowd (e.g. at a football match). Perhaps the ultimate example of this is online behaviour.

  However, nature plays an important role in causing aggressive behaviour. These causes are genetic, ethological and evolutionary. This approach suggests that people are aggressive in crowds perhaps because the situation makes you feel stressed.