Pluralistic Ignorance

Social Dynamics

Pluralistic ignorance plays a role in many other dysfunctional social dynamics. In addition to the cases already mentioned, researchers have linked pluralistic ignorance to the failure of bystanders to intervene in emergency situations. Bystanders recognize that their own inaction is driven by uncertainty and fear of doing the wrong thing; however, they think other bystanders are not intervening because these others have concluded that the situation is not an emergency and there is no need to intervene. Pluralistic ignorance also acts as an impediment to the formation of new relationships. Consider the case of Jack and Jill, who secretly harbor romantic interest in each other. Jack does not approach Jill because he fears that she will reject him, and Jill does not approach Jack for the same reason. However, Jack assumes that Jill is not approaching him because she is not interested in him, and Jill makes the same assumption about Jack's failure to approach her. In this case, pluralistic ignorance, rather than a lack of interest, is keeping Jack and Jill apart. Finally, pluralistic ignorance keeps nurses from [Page 674]acknowledging the stresses of their jobs, prison guards from showing sympathy for their prisoners, corporate board members from acknowledging their concerns about their firm's corporate strategy, and ordinary citizens from acknowledging concerns about their government's foreign policy. Pluralistic ignorance is a very common dynamic in social life.

Social Norms

Pluralistic ignorance begins with widespread conformity to social norms—norms that govern appropriate behavior in the classroom, at a party, in a boardroom, or in a hospital; norms that regulate behavior with friends, strangers, or colleagues. Indeed, most social contexts and relationships are characterized by normative expectations for behavior, whether people realize it or not. These norms dictate, for example, that one should show unwavering public support for friends and colleagues, should not challenge people's personal choices, and should appear calm, collected, and in control at all times. Of course, often these behaviors do not reflect how people truly feel. Often people have misgivings about their peers' behavior; often they do not agree with their colleagues' proposals; often they feel uncertain, anxious, and fearful. When discrepancies between norm-driven behavior and private feelings arise, pluralistic ignorance is the result. People know that their own behavior does not reflect their true sentiments, but they assume that other people are acting on what they genuinely feel.

...