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Conformity: The Power of Social Influences
by
Bestselling author Cass R. Sunstein reveals the appeal and the danger of conformity
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 li ...more
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 li ...more
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Hardcover, 176 pages
Published
May 28th 2019
by New York University Press
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The 21st century is, in many ways, the era of social influence. Social media has transformed the way both factual information and propaganda are delivered, business and political agendas are furthered and social norms are formed. Social influence is quite powerful. Compliance, obedience and conformity are all manifested via it. This book is extremely a propos and very thought provoking. Author Cass R. Sunstein examines the ‘hows’, the ‘whys’ and the effects of conformity and dissent in a logical
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My rating is 3.5/5 Thanks netgalley and author for ARC.
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It is surprising that how few people can see things from different perspective and present and teach this to other people. This book discusses thing that we do everyday without appreciating their weight.
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.This work by C Sunsteiin discusses vital role of phenomenon of conformity in the life of humans.
He intellectually dissects role of conformity in every aspect of human interactions right from prehistoric times ...more
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It is surprising that how few people can see things from different perspective and present and teach this to other people. This book discusses thing that we do everyday without appreciating their weight.
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.This work by C Sunsteiin discusses vital role of phenomenon of conformity in the life of humans.
He intellectually dissects role of conformity in every aspect of human interactions right from prehistoric times ...more
In 1972, the social psychologist Irving L. Janis coined the term “Groupthink.” This term was employed to define a psychological phenomenon under which people endeavor to strike a consensus within a group. In most instances, people even set aside their own personal beliefs and philosophies before adopting the consensus of the rest of the group. People going against the overriding ‘group tide’ tend to maintain a veneer of stoic silence and quietude, often preferring not to rock the boat and let th
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In "Conformity," Cass Sunstein takes common sense about how decisions are informed, and distorted, by social pressure and makes it both better and worse. Better, because he shows why common sense is confirmed by logic and experiment. Worse, because he makes it feel pedantic. But if you reflect on the discussions in this book, and apply them to current events and your own thinking, you can get some interest and excitement back into your brain, and maybe benefit yourself and society as well.
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This book was a mixed bag for me.
Author Cass Sunstein starts off with a decent intro to the book, talking about the power of social norms in keeping societies cohesive and people in line with the current social orthodoxy.
He then covers the Asch experiments, and the Milgram experiments. All standard fare in a book about sociology.
He talks about the power of social cascades, which was interesting.
He also covers the importance of free speech, which is somewhat tragically undersco ...more
Author Cass Sunstein starts off with a decent intro to the book, talking about the power of social norms in keeping societies cohesive and people in line with the current social orthodoxy.
He then covers the Asch experiments, and the Milgram experiments. All standard fare in a book about sociology.
He talks about the power of social cascades, which was interesting.
He also covers the importance of free speech, which is somewhat tragically undersco ...more
Cass Sunstein discovers sheeple
The presence of people colors discussion and decisions. It is a factor that can change the status of anything. In Conformity, Cass Sunstein explores a lot of the risks of being swayed for the wrong reasons.
Conformity comes in flavors like cascades and polarization. The cascade effect occurs when others have made their choice. Subconscious pressure makes the last person agree. And this cascade effect can spread everywhere, through whole populations, la ...more
The presence of people colors discussion and decisions. It is a factor that can change the status of anything. In Conformity, Cass Sunstein explores a lot of the risks of being swayed for the wrong reasons.
Conformity comes in flavors like cascades and polarization. The cascade effect occurs when others have made their choice. Subconscious pressure makes the last person agree. And this cascade effect can spread everywhere, through whole populations, la ...more
Conformity is the most recent book by the prolific Cass R. Sunstein. This time he is looking at how our innate desire to fit in with those in our group, however we define our group, can lead to good decisions or bad decisions, how it can lead to polarization and even extremism, and what can help us to better decision making.
Sunstein digs deeply into the research on conforming from the shocking Milgram and Sherif studies of the past to more nuanced and ethical modern research. It was ...more
Sunstein digs deeply into the research on conforming from the shocking Milgram and Sherif studies of the past to more nuanced and ethical modern research. It was ...more
Well-researched ~ Compelling ~ Readable
tl;dr: Easy to read non-fiction book that helps make sense of the human desire to conform and the ways this affects society.
This book is wonderfully written, though in a somewhat academic tone. As someone who enjoys a strong argument, thorough academic grounding, and then a conclusion, this book is right on. But, it is not quite as readable as the Gladwell forms of mass-market non-fiction. That said, this book is fabulous for those of us trying ...more
tl;dr: Easy to read non-fiction book that helps make sense of the human desire to conform and the ways this affects society.
This book is wonderfully written, though in a somewhat academic tone. As someone who enjoys a strong argument, thorough academic grounding, and then a conclusion, this book is right on. But, it is not quite as readable as the Gladwell forms of mass-market non-fiction. That said, this book is fabulous for those of us trying ...more
I agree so much with Sunstein that the objective of the decentralized nature of the US government and of the separation of powers is to forego the benefits of central planning to constraints the government’s ability to fall prey to a cascade or thought bubble! He goes to great lengths to identify the social psychology behind conformity, and the positive and negative role it can play in collective behavior. None of this is surprising since he is one of the co-authors of “Nudge”, although it’s use
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Sheeple. I think we are probably all guilty of conformity sometimes. I'm pretty nonconformist for lots of reasons and it's always interesting to me when I see folks around me falling into line over stuff, even if they disagree with the ideas being presented! I have always encouraged my family members to speak out or act, or at least question things. there really is nothing more damaging than everyone going with the flow, or just doing it and not making waves. People really repeat mistakes. This
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Some related resources to consider:
Reviews:
• https://quillette.com/2019/06/18/conf...
• https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book...
• https://medium.com/park-recommendatio...
Interview:
• https://www.gq.com/story/cass-sunstei...
Excerpt:
• https://quillette.com/2019/05/17/conf...
Reviews:
• https://quillette.com/2019/06/18/conf...
• https://www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book...
• https://medium.com/park-recommendatio...
Interview:
• https://www.gq.com/story/cass-sunstei...
Excerpt:
• https://quillette.com/2019/05/17/conf...
How many different books can be made out of the same three or four social science experiments? If you're one of the five or six people on Earth that haven't heard of the Stanley Milgram experiments, you're in luck. Otherwise, this is a pretty generic book w/o much depth - although it's better written than most similar pop-psych books.
Listened to the audiobook. Some good information but didn’t hold my interest consistently. He makes an argument for a more diverse judiciary and for (narrowly applied) affirmative action both of which seem reasonable to me. I took home a few ideas but was overall relieved that it was over.
Conformity: The Power of Cass Sunstein to Conform to His Prior Work
It doesn't feel like Sunstein really challenges or understands his own implicit biases. The book very much feels like an extended lecture, and not in a good way.
Well researched and written arguments promoting the need for dissent for a functional organization or society. The studies discussed were fascinating.
Describing the same old social experiments and then waffling about diversity.
Something to consider, not too bad but too much of variations of same old same old and politics.
Exceptional Book!
Good material. Dry reading.
A nice idea-book mainly aimed at people living in the US.
A reiteration of all of the same studies described in previous books about elevator conformity with a dash of Facebook/Twitter are destroying the world. Nothing new here.
A brilliant mind brings fresh perspective to a well-researched phenomenon. My full review: https://link.medium.com/pHp6yT9R3W
This was a bit of a mixed bag for me; the first couple of chapters around individual vs group behaviour and how we're influenced by others as well as different types of incentive I found really interesting however this book started to lose me towards the end, there was a lot of research and stats around the American Consitution and Judicial system that without a full understanding of how those things work I found quite overwhelming and repetitive. It's obvious that a lot of research has gone int
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Conformity is a brief introduction to... well, the concept of conformity, explaining the research that has been done on the subject and the real life effects of conformity, with special attention to the law side. While very interesting to those who have never read anything about conformity, like me, I wouldn't recommend this book to people who are already familiar with the subject. It really is an introduction.
I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Cass R. Sunstein is an American legal scholar, particularly in the fields of constitutional law, administrative law, environmental law, and law and behavioral economics, who currently is the Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs in the Obama administration. For 27 years, Sunstein taught at the University of Chicago Law School, where he continues to teach as
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