New Evidence About the Existence of a Bandwagon Effect in the Opinion Formation Process

Abstract

This study undertakes an empirical test of the "bandwagon effect"—individuals rallying to the majority opinion. The study is done outside the electoral context on two issues: abortion and the constitutional future of Quebec. A panel is used, as well as an experimental design in which respondents are told the state and direction of public opinion. Three methodological criteria are used as minimal requirements for a satisfactory test of the bandwagon thesis. "Underdogging," as well as opinion movement due to factors outside the experiment, are both accounted for. Though the reasons for a bandwagon remain unclear, the authors demonstrate that a bandwagon effect of 5-7 percent existed on both issues.

Beyond AI: Multi-Intelligence (MI) Combining Natural and Artificial Intelligences in Hybrid Beings and Systems

“…This happens when people without any background knowledge in a topic "look up to" the initial group for guidance in a topic [36]. Soon, the bandwagon effect can become global as more people want to believe in something, regardless of whether there is underlying objective validity [37], and they are drawn in by a growing fear of missing out (FoMO) [38]. In this way, a reality distortion field can spread around the world from one initial location [39].…”

Do Polls Influence Opinions? Investigating Poll Feedback Loops Using the Novel Dynamic Response Feedback Experimental Procedure

“…Those that do exist demonstrate contradictory results (e.g., Marsh, 1985;Nadeau, Cloutier, & Guay, 1993;Ragozzino & Hartman, 2014;Sonck & Loosveldt, 2010). Recent experiments that presented respondents with opinion polls showing varying levels of support for different political issues found that respondents did react to the treatment and moved in the direction of the perceived majority on somethough not all-of the issues (Rothschild & Malhotra, 2014).…”

Reliability-based preference dynamics: lexicographic upgrade

“…Examples of such phenomena include not only the famous informational cascades [11; 21; 104; 40] (cf. the bandwagon effect; Leibenstein [83]; Nadeau et al [95]; Altman [1]), but also peer pressure [39], pluralistic ignorance [73; 78], false consensus [97] and others studied in economics, computer science and social and behavioural sciences. All these different ways in which the preferences/beliefs/behaviour of a group of agents influence the preferences/beliefs/behaviour of an individual might not be completely 'rational', but nevertheless describe the way 'real' agents behave in 'real-life' situations.…”