Your Thoughts Are Not Your Own Volume Two: Marketing, Movies and Music

by Neil Sanders

Deindividuation refers to the psychological phenomenon of a person losing their inhibitions because they are no longer identifiable as an individual. The concept of deindividuation has been used to explain why people who are usually placid and conformist can become violent during riots and seemingly give in to the overwhelming mentality of the mob. According to deindividuation theory, the psychological state of deindividuation is aroused when individuals join crowds or large groups and become literally absorbed by it. The state is characterized by diminished awareness of the sense of self and the concept of individuality. This in turn reduces an individual's self-restraint and normal regulation of behaviour. Being part of a large powerful group means that individuals within it feel as if they can get away with actions that would normally be punishable or anti social. They literally have the support of the group behind them. The theory is an extension of the ideas of Gustave Le Bon and his concept of individuals hypnotically becoming intertwined with the mind-set of a larger group.