The false consensus effect involves overestimating how many people agree with one’s viewpoints or negative actions. Regular interaction with opposing viewpoints can prevent it. Insulation from outside influences and a desire to be liked can contribute to it.
The false consensus effect involves a person or group of people overestimating how many other people agree with their viewpoints on specific topics, such as politics or cultural practices. An overestimation of how many people have performed similar negative acts or behaved negatively also constitutes a false consensus. Regular interaction with those who hold opposing or different viewpoints can help a person or group avoid being swayed by false consensus.
Individuals or groups who are affected by the false consensus effect mistake an opinion or belief held by a minority of the population as popular. False consensus can also lead a group or person to overestimate how much the majority of the general population holds a belief, believing that an idea is more popular than it actually is. This can lead to a group expressing their views publicly, only to find that a majority of the population disagrees with the group and otherwise reacts negatively.
When a person or group has a strong desire to be liked in a community, they can often fall victim to a false consensus effect. If the person or group perceives that the community holds to certain ideals or approves of certain behaviors, the individual or group may engage in certain activities perceived as acceptable, doing so in extreme ways. Due to the false consensus effect, a majority or large section of the population may reject or be offended by the behavior of the individual or group, causing them to actually be less liked than before.
Insulating a group from outside influences also leads to the false consensus effect. A group might be geographically isolated from strangers, living in a remote area, making communication with strangers difficult. Beliefs about outside influences, such as a general suspicion of the media, also insulate a group from outside influence, even if the group is not geographically isolated from surrounding populations. The extreme views held by the group are then falsely perceived as being held by a larger portion of the surrounding population, which would be confirmed as false if the group communicated openly with the general population.
Individuals or groups who have engaged in negative actions or exhibit negative behaviors could also be affected by false consent. For example, a person who picks other people’s pockets might justify her behavior, thinking that most other people would steal from others if the opportunity presented itself. A group of college students might engage in risky behavior such as experimenting with illegal drugs, thinking that most of their peers engage in the same behavior or agree with their actions.
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