Deindividualization and the Monster within Us

By Bradley Wright

Right now, the Weekly Shopper sits on my coffee table. It’s a free weekly newspaper that contains advertisements for local businesses, usually with accompanying photographs of the smiling owners. It also has slice-of-life news stories with edgy headlines such as “families enjoy fishing derby” and “high school class graduates” and “new exhibit at library.”

What I like, however, is the section called “Speak Out.” Here people write in to express themselves about just about anything—from speed bumps to the war in  Iraq.

What’s interesting about this section is that what people write can be, well, rather nasty. A common theme is: “I am right and you’re an idiot,” as people write things they would not say in person.

Several weeks ago, someone wrote in suggesting that people should be required to pass a hearing test in order to receive a driver’s license (to make sure that they could hear sirens and horns honking). This week, however, a hearing impaired person wrote in to angrily denounce this suggestion. After citing his clean driving record, he scolded the previous writer: “How dare you… next time think before you make another comment that may offend someone.” 

Another writer told of going to a local restaurant with her three-year old-son, who is autistic. When the child started to act out, the family next to them moved to a different table. How did the mother react? She didn’t say anything at the time, but instead she wrote in to “Speak Out” to castigate the family, concluding “you should be ashamed of yourselves.”

Another writer complained about her boyfriend spending too much time playing on his X-box. As she put it, “my boyfriend is sweet and everything, but if he gets his hands on that controller, forget it. It’s an all-night thing. What happened to spending quality time together?” What does she do? Instead of talking to him directly, she writes to “Speak Out” to warn him, and all men, that if they play too much X-Box that they will probably “lose their women.” 

These types of no-holds-barred comments don’t appear only in small-town newspapers. A similar thing happens with student evaluations of professors. Now, I’m lucky because I my evaluations are usually positive (and hopefully not just because I serve cookies during tests). However, some professors are hit pretty hard. Various websites, such as ratemyprofessor.com and myprofessorsucks.com, allow college students to rage against their professors. When students don’t like a professor—watch out, because they will say some wicked things. Here are some actual examples.

• "If there is no way to get out of taking him I suggest that you bring a coloring book for something to do that is worthwhile. May I suggest a Spider-Man one."
• "I swear, she must have gotten her degree out of a vending machine."
• "Made about as much sense as a dissertation about world peace written by a chipmunk on speed."
• "Avoid her like a hippy would a war."

And the comments don’t stop with teaching ability. They often address the professor’s personal characteristics:

•  "His facial hair makes him resemble the wolf dad in the movie Teen Wolf starring Michael J. Fox."
•  "His insanely colored polo shirts will blind you."

Why does this happen? While the rest of the Weekly Shopper is filled with small-town, apple-pie optimism, the Speak-Out section can be plain mean. College students may be unfailing polite to their professors in person, but they can take potshots in evaluations.

The answer has to do with the fact that both Speak-Out and the student evaluations are anonymous, and as such they invoke a social-psychological process called “deindividualization.” When we are anonymous, we feel that we can act without social consequences. If no one knows who we are, then we feel as though we are not responsible for what we do.  We feel freed from social norms of behavior. We do things that we’d never do otherwise. Deindividualization strips away our social identity and frees us to act out our antisocial desires or to respond solely to situational cues. In fact, we don’t even need to be completely anonymous for deindividualization to work—being part of a group or in a uniform might be enough.

Deindividualization matters because it explains some of society’s most undesirable behaviors. The relative anonymity of driving a car can lead drivers to road rage. Large groups of people in a riot allow the individual to smash property and harm others. Hiding in the dark allows a rapist to assault a woman. Wearing uniforms allows prison guards at Abu Ghraib to abuse prisoners. Wearing costumes enable Ku Klux Klan members to promote racism while hiding their identities.  

Deindividualization also shows us the power of groups to regulate behavior. Day-in and day-out we are extraordinarily civilized people. We walk into a classroom and quietly sit where we are supposed to. We buy coffee by standing in line, greet the cashier, and pay for it. We don’t punch people every time someone bothers us. We don’t just grab somebody’s cellphone just because we want it (though we might if it’s the new iPhone).

Why are we so civil? There are lots of reasons—socialization, habits, social control—but one reason is that if people know who we are, we act differently. Take away that recognition, that individualization, and we become a different person. Out comes our inner-monster.

 

Comments

[Matt Wiebe]

Interesting thoughts. I'm surprised, however, that you didn't connect this to online interactions in general. Every communication on the internet is somehow deindividuated, and it often shows.

[Lisa Zobrosky]

This post is for Bradley Wright. I really enjoyed reading your article on "deindividualization" I'm sure that it gave me a much better understanding than my college text book. I have often wondered why people can be so cold and heartless as to write about things that make them mad and post them in a newspaper for all to read. I run a 249,000 sq. ft. supercenter and once in a while people will rip it to shreds in an anonymous or public manner, in the newspaper. You can't rectify a situation with a person who won't tell you who they are. And if they do let you know who they are... they just claimed war against you and won't let you correct it. I wish people were less hateful. We need to find a cure for that.
Thanks for defining the word so well, and for the examples.
I'm 39 so I'm kind of old to be a student, none the less- I am. I have seen students rip their professors in evaluations. I have seen the way some students get treated by the professor and they feel that their only way to get back is through the evaluation. I believe in going right to the source but often it gets me nowhere.
Lisa Zobrosky

[fariba]

One example that struck me as pertinent to the above article is the role of deindividuation in riots. Being an Iranian-American, I have family in Iran and was told about the riots that took place earlier this year because of the re-election of Ahmadenejaad. Many members of the police caused much havoc and broke the windows of cars. They also used force against the peaceful rioters, and killed many rioters. This is yet another example of deinvididuation and how being a member of a larger group - such as the police force - causes one to behave in ways one wolud not normally do so, without regard to social consquences and social norms.

[khameed6272]

when is it ok to have bad manners? what happens when you do something alone on one knows no one can point the finger all a secert and you have a bit more respect about it. when done openly you have no sham and peopl are monsters and do as they please it became personal when you know the person who is doing it not like someone just speaking out on it to many emotions involed

[bmabry3509]

When we are anonymous, we feel that we can act without social consequences. If no one knows who we are, then we feel as though we are not responsible for what we do. We feel freed from social norms of behavior.

[j turley]

being annonymous means no one knows who says what and you dont have to explain yourself. you feel how you feel and sometimes you dont care to explain yourself, becasue you dont want to be judged. being annonymous lets us be free and speak out mind.

[Emiley]

Being ennonymous is kind of like being someone else for a split second. You might give an opinion that you might not usually. Or say something completely out of character that you just needed to get out! Being annonymous can be somewhat freeing!

[A. Santillan]

I think that when your aninymous you have more courage to say what you wish because no one knows its you. And after you say what you have to say your not going to be called out so people know you said it. I think that if you feel strongly about something but your scared of what others think then being anonymous and speak out about stuff can help you see how many people agree or disagree with you!!!

[Kenendra Cobb]

I think that this is a great way of putting it into perspective. When we are able to hide who we really are, we tend to brinh out our inner deivence. But when we are exposed, we don;t act out and do the things we know we are not suppose to do! And that's crazy to say, but true.

[sean goodman]

there are a lot of people in the world sometimes its easier for us to blend in rather than stand out.

[Rodney Watts]

I think that when you are aninymous you have more courage to say what you wish because no one knows its you. After you say what you have to say your not going to be called out so people know you said it.

[Sunnie Norris]

People behave differently when they are anonymous because they know that whatever they say won't really have any consequences. No one knows who they are, therefore they have more courage to speak up and say what they really mean. There is no face put to there response making it easier to say what the person beleives. Deindividualism is important in society because it strips away the persons social identity. This allows the person to hide and keeps them from showing who and wha they really are.

[josh wade]

being anynomas is a big wall breaker people will say really what they feal because there is no consoquense

[Matt Ritten]

People behave differently when their names are anynomas because they feel that they won't have any consequences. People can act in two different ways.

[npullum]

People do and say things that they wouldn't if they are hidden but when they can say things up front they won't

[karie wooten]

Being anonymous makes people feel like they arent responsible for their actions. So they dont think twice where if they are face to face they think twice.

[j turley]

people believe they are not recognize by their names then their actions have no consequences.

[Sarah Connell]

When people don't know who you are; you are able to speak more freely with hardly any problems since people don't know who you are. It helps you to get stuff out that you couldn't get out in person or that you are scared to say to someone.

[Wes Johnson]

I think people behave differently when they are anonymous because then they cant personally be judged. Deindividualism is important because then people cant judge a persons social identity.

[amclester]

When people hide their identity it give a freedom of nobody judging what you say or may do.

[K. Stovall]

People act different when they can be anonymous because they can't be socially punished or viewed differently by the people that know them. Deindividualization is so important in society because it gives us a chance to see what people are really like. And while we may find those who are genuinely nice and polite, most people have a definite "inner monster" waiting for an opportunity to get out.

[Tristen Loyd]

If somebody doesn't know who you are, then you can anonymous. Why say something in person and have someone judge you harshly, when you can say it behind a "shield" and rage all you want without showing your face once. If people were all to show who they really were all of the time, I doubt we would have any friends or family left at all. Then people would see the "real" us and judge us by that, instead of our carefully calculated outer "faces" we show everyday in public.

[amanda finley]

Being Anonymous allows us to show our true selves with no one there to judge you openly. I try to do this anyway and I guess that is why I really don't have anyone I hang out with.

[Chase Cotton]

People will act differently when their name will remain anonymous because their respective reputations will not be tarnished. People are always willing to act differently than they normally would when no one else will know who it was. Deindividualization is important in society because it allows things to happen that would, under normal circumstances, bring about social consequences.

[Ethan]

People do not act the same when they are anonymous because they do not have to worry about what people will think of them.

[Jaleesa Watkins]

Being anonymous allows people to behave differently because no one will know except them and they cant be judge. Deindividualization allows us to be free without social identity being involved.

[Seth Cardwell]

We tend to behave differently when we are anonymous because we then are not accountable to anyone. Our actions and attitudes can be good or bad and no one will be grading us. It is a false sense of security though because our own conscience can condemn us with guilt. We are plagued by the guilt of doing wrong and then we must drown it out somehow by other means. Or we can choose to be secure knowing we are doing right and have freedom in it. So, in reality we can never function freely as if no one knows us.

[fahad]

Hello,
I would just like to request that you update the link for myprofessorsucks.com to http://www.professorperformance.com as it is the new domain for the site. Thank You.

[zipporahstevenson]

to me this is simply a case of people wanting to voice their opinion and scared to be known because of what people have to say

[Brennan Wood]

Being anonymous can be a good thing when talking about controversial subjects. Also, talking about others, such as a friend or colleague is probably better done that way

[cody humphrey]

well anyone who knows me will tell you, i say whatever i want whenever i want to. hurting peoples' feelings seems to be a gift i have. whoever coined the phrase,"the truth will set you free" obviously never got punched in the face for talking too much. if we did, however, tell the truth all the time to everyone, we wouldn't have any friends. people are so used to being lied to, it has become the norm in society. in hind sight, i guess it would be wise to just keep your mouth shut in certain situations. finding the time and the place is crucial for keeping your teeth in some situations.

[Alex Hill]

It's a fact that when a person can be sure that they will not be able to be identified they will do things which they otherwise would not do. The cloak of anonymity protects them from the usual social pressure that prevents this type of behavior.

[Stephanie]

Not to be negative or anything but you do have a grammical error in you essay:
"Now, I’m luck because I my evaluations are usually positive."

I think you ment = Now, I'm lucky because my evaluations are usually positive.

[Dr.Bandura]

one important fact is that deindividualization is not a word. the actual word you mean is spelt deindividuation. But great read!

[jailaid]

Absolutely! In a more general reading, human life is seen as often divided into various age spans such as infancy, toddler, childhood, adolescence, young adult, prime adulthood, middle age, and old age.