So THAT's Why We Are So Easily Swayed By Crowd Opinion

If, like us, you’re hooked on The Traitors at the moment, you’ve probably also found yourself shouting at the TV as random contestants are singled out for mild discrepancies (justice for Kas, we miss you x).

It seems to always follow the same pattern, too; somebody is flying under the radar, rarely accused or even considered. Then, one person notices something. It could be the way that they word an explanation or that they... don’t know how to tie a boat to shore.

Chaos erupts.

Suddenly, this innocent (if a bit awkward or clumsy) person is the target. Nothing they say can convince the people around them that yes, they’re innocent and aren’t trying to deceive anybody. 

The accusations come in, the fingers are pointed and nine times out of ten... they’re wrong and the accused was in fact innocent.

Why we follow the crowd on opinions

Well, when you consider that the roundtables in The Traitors can last for hours at a time, it’s worth considering that the tension in that room may play a huge part in how people respond.

In fact, it’s a perfect setting for ‘groupthink’ to occur.

Psychology Today explains: “Groupthink is a phenomenon that occurs when a group of well-intentioned people makes irrational or non-optimal decisions spurred by the urge to conform or the belief that dissent is impossible.

“The problematic or premature consensus that is characteristic of groupthink may be fuelled by a particular agenda—or it may be due to group members valuing harmony and coherence above critical thought.”

At a certain point, it could be argued that contestants will care more about re-introducing harmony to the room than they will about who is actually the traitor in question.

Another consideration is that players that conform in this way could actually... be playing the game. 

According to the psychology experts at Lumen Learning: “Conformity to group norms is driven by two motivations, the desire to fit in and be liked and the desire to be accurate and gain information from the group.

“Authority figures also have influence over our behaviours, and many people become obedient and follow orders even if the orders are contrary to their personal values.”

Would I, personally, go with the crowd to potentially be in the running for a prize of up to £120k? Probably, TBH.