Herd Mentality

**~~Exarch~~** · March 29, 2008, 09:21 PM

u know how when ur at the supermarket and u decide u've finally got enough stuff and decide to make ur way to the cashier, it seems like half the damn customers also decide it's time to make their way to the damn checkout.
can anyone who knows anything about psychobiology, social science etc explain this phenomena?
what is it that makes people move in herds....?

**Simetrical** · March 29, 2008, 09:29 PM

In this case, it's probably just selective memory. You don't notice the 95% of the time when you get to the cashier by yourself, but when a large line forms right in front of you, you get frustrated due to being just a little too late, and remember it.

**~~Exarch~~** · March 29, 2008, 11:18 PM

when i used to work as a cashier at woolies, i'd experience this 'herd effect'. most clerks will have xp'ed this too, whereby one customer comes in,...then about a coupla seconds later, another one will come...thn another...and when ur done serving one customer...another will come in jsut as ur relaxing...sucks

i swear to mighty Xenu, it happens; u only need say one or 2 ppl to come into a shop and then 10s of ppl will come in

**Simetrical** · March 30, 2008, 10:23 AM

Well, there's also going to be some randomness in the number of people who come in. People don't coordinate with each other, so you'll naturally see substantial variation. I wouldn't suspect it of being a real effect without some careful observation.