irrational group behavior

How the Internet (and sex) amplifies irrational group behavior

April 15, 2013

(Credit: New Line Home Video)

New research from the University of Copenhagen combines formal philosophy, social psychology, and decision theory to understand and tackle these phenomena.

“Group behavior that encourages us to make decisions based on false beliefs has always existed.

However, with the advent of the Internet and social media, this kind of behavior is more likely to occur than ever, and on a much larger scale, with possibly severe consequences for the democratic institutions underpinning the information societies we live in,” says professor of philosophy Vincent F. Hendricks at the University of Copenhagen.

He and fellow researchers Pelle G. Hansen and Rasmus Rendsvig analyze a number of social information processes that are enhanced by modern information technology./.../