Deindividuation

Deindividuation, related to diffusion of responsibility, causes individuals to feel anonymous or submerged within a group, causing them to act impulsively or engage in harmful or unethical behaviors that they’d normally restrain. Deindividuation can bring about a loss of self-awareness (less focused on personal identity, values), leading to reduced self-regulation andself-control. Contributing factors include feeling anonymous or unidentifiable within a group, especially larger groups, and in certain situations (darkness, overuse of alcohol, use of masks or uniforms). A 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment examining the psychological effects of power and authority on individuals in a simulated prison in a Stanford basement). Examples of deindividuation include:

• Rioting and violence, contributing to impulsive, sometimes violent behaviors in crowds.
• Hazing rituals in fraternities/sororities, with individuals feeling less responsible within the group.
• Bullying behavior, especially when bullies are a part of a group.
• Positive outcomes can also result, depending on group norms, like increased cooperation/altruism.