the loosening of normal constraints on behavior, leading to an increase in impulsive and deviant acts
the process by which group members become less aware of themselves as individuals and less concerned about being socially evaluated. 630
A psychological state in which persons feel that they have lost their personal identities and have merged anonymously into a group. Hypothesized to be the basis for the impulsive, aggressive behaviors sometimes shown by mobs and crowds.
have you ever been in a group and acted in a manner that was completely out of character for you? How about when you hear on the news that some group of people did something so violent or stupid that you just couldn't believe it? One reason this happens is that people in groups tend to lose some of their own self-awareness and self-restraint when in groups. They become less of an individual and more anonymous. In a sense, people will do things in groups they otherwise would not because they feel less responsible for their actions and less like an individual. This process of deindividuation can have powerful effects. For example, how can soldiers kill innocent children? They often answer this question by saying that they are not monsters, but that they were going along with the group and that they were just following orders, and that they were not the only ones doing it....all engaged in heinous acts of violence because, in part, they had become deindividuated.
The loss of a sense of individual identity and a loosening of normal inhibitions against engaging in behavior that is inconsistent with internal standards.
The loss of a person's sense of individuality and the reduction of normal constraints against deviant behavior.
A weakened sense of personal identity in which self-awareness is merged in the collective goals of a group.
Deindividuation is a state of lowered self-awareness. It can also be viewed as a temporary loss of personal identity. It can happen as a result of becoming part of a group, such as an army or mob, but it can also occur in other situations in which people feel anonymous.