What factors elicit deindividuation?
What factors elicit deindividuation?
Two factors that elicit deindividuation are Physical anonymity & Diminished Self-Awareness
1. Physical anonymity also plays a role. Uniforms are often used in teams or work settings to depersonalize individuals. This is why Ku Klux Klan members wear hoods. They do this to protect their otherwise normal reputation while they're engaging in aberrant and racist behaviours (see module 15).
It is important to note that often seemingly minor actions usually precede aggressive and violent outbursts. There is self-reinforcing pleasure in acting impulsively when observing others doing likewise. For example what might start as simply one parent yelling at a hockey official, can lead to threats of assault after the game (see Referees fear abuse from parents for an example). These types of events have resulted in new rules about how parents can behave at Junior hockey games.
2. Diminished self-awareness
It is important to understand that once deindividuation begins, people who are deindividuated are:
√ Less restrained
√ Less self-regulated
√ More likely to act without thinking about their own values
√ More responsive to the situation
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