Summary Of The Hidden Brain Episode 'Group Think' By Jay Van Bavel

The Hidden Brain episode “Group Think” delves into the concepts of social identity as well as conformity and how these ideas can lead us to make certain decisions not only in our consumption but also in our everyday lives. Much of this episode explains the dynamics of how groups tend to think, and what leads them to conform to norms that are present within other members of their group. One concept that is largely present in this Hidden Brain episode is the social identity theory. Social identity theory states that each of us have several “selves” that relate to groups, and we favor others who we feel share the same identity. An example from the podcast that perfectly exemplifies this theory is the story Jay Van Bavel shares about meeting

Conformity can be defined as a change in beliefs or actions as a reaction to real or imagined group pressure. In the podcast Vedantam, the host, asks Bavel to address one of the most controversial soccer games of all time. During the 1966 World Cup finals between England and Germany a questionable goal awarded to England by the refs caused a debate, as it seems like the ball never actually found its way into the net. The German fans believe that the ball did not go in and the English fans believe it do which shows group conformity. Bavel explains that the groups we associate ourselves with, such as sports teams, lead us to make decisions and assumptions that cater to the benefit of our group. In other words, we tend to agree with the ideas presented to us by people who we feel similar

This sheds light on the fact that I could be attached to certain groups I may not care about. As I began to think more about this concept, I realized that I was spending money for a membership online simply because I was told it would elevate my status within that community. This realization has changed the way I approach the way I identify with different social