Bandwagon Fallacy: Definition and Examples

Social Proof Robert Cialdini, in his classic book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, talks about the principle of social proof—basically, the tendency of people to view an activity as more worthwhile if other people are doing it.

The second rule of thumb is that when there are no consequences for being wrong, or there is no ‘wrong’, don’t be embarrassed to follow the crowd. The reason we dance in unison, or sing together, or march in line, or wear uniform-like fashions, or swap in-jokes and memes, is that it feels pretty great to be a part of the hivemind.

You are doing things because you see your peers do them. It’s not only your body-pierced teen who follows the crowd. It’s you, too. Behavior is contagious.

“Everyone” consists of the general populous and is served by the mainstream media. If everyone were wealthy, “everybody is doing it” would work. And if everyone is wealthy, then no one is wealthy. “Everyone is doing it” is a signal to overbought conditions and the entrance of “dumb money.”

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

6. Slippery Slope Fallacy: This fallacy is an argument that suggests taking a minor action will lead to major and sometimes ludicrous consequences.