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| Author | Todd Rose |
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| Language | English |
| Publication place | United States |
| Published in English | 2022 |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover, Paperback) and Audio CD |
| ISBN | 978-0306925689 |
Collective Illusions: Conformity, Complicity, and the Science of Why We Make Bad Decisions is a 2022 book by author Todd Rose. The book illustrates that human thinking about one another is based on false assumptions that leads to bad decisions, and this makes the society mistrustful and individuals unhappy.
Summary
According to Rose, collective illusions can be deemed as deceptive social constructs. Such phenomena occur when the majority of individuals within a group conform to something they do not genuinely support, based on the mistaken assumption that it aligns with the majority's wishes. Consequently, entire groups may engage in activities that are not genuinely desired by nearly anyone within the group.
Rose draws on examples from history, politics, and everyday life to illustrate how collective illusions can have a significant impact on society. The author also explores the psychological and sociological factors that contribute to the formation of collective illusions, such as social proof, group polarization, and cognitive dissonance. For instance, voters tend to align their voting behaviors with the perceived electability of a candidate, rather than their actual preference for the individual. This conformity bias often disadvantages nonwhite and female candidates, as there exists a collective illusion that white men are more likely to be elected. He argues that by understanding these phenomena, we can become more aware of the potential for groupthink and take steps to avoid it.
Reception
The book was featured in the Wall Street Journal’s bestselling list and was also listed in the top national nonfiction bestseller by Seattle Times.
References
- Markson, Jay Ben (23 March 2021). "Book - Collective Illusions". hachettebookgroup.
- Fusaro, Roberta (April 5, 2022). "Todd Rose on why we shouldn't all just get along or conform". McKinsey Global Publishing.
- Reed, J.A. (5 March 2022). "How social media distorts the truth about everything we know". NY Post.
- Kim, Joshua (March 6, 2022). "Higher Ed's 'Collective Illusions'". Inside Higher Ed.
- Steele, Lauren (18 March 2021). "A dark horse". Deseret News.
- Isgur, Sarah; Hayes, Steve (February 11, 2022). "Todd Rose Talks Collective Illusions". The Dispatch.
- Staff (February 10, 2022). "Bestselling Books Week Ended February 5". Wall Street Journal.
- Staff (13 February 2022). "'The Maid' is the top national fiction bestseller". The Seattle Times.