WurdBendur wrote:
The theory does say that in practice the number will be far smaller unless the group is under great pressure for survival. It's a maximum number, after all, not an average.
Yeah.. it's a joke.
WurdBendur wrote:
Who said anything about swarming? We're talking about herd behavior, which is a different thing.
Swarming is an example of a group behaviour which is a good comparison to herding. If you take the argument that nature (as opposed nurcher) is a large part of our behaviour then you might say that swarming has something to do with herding, shoaling, schooling or flocking perhaps.
Strictly speaking it would be difficult to say that ague the great apes 'heard' because they don't really cohabit in such large number that you could say they form a herd. However we are talking about 'herd behaviour' as defined as:
Quote:
Herd behaviour describes how individuals in a group can act together without planned direction. The term pertains to the behaviour of animals in herds, flocks, and schools, and to human conduct during activities such as stock market bubbles and crashes, street demonstrations, sporting events, episodes of mob violence and even everyday decision making, judgement and opinion forming.
That is definitely something you get in great apes like for instance how a group of chimpanzees will come across another group stalk them then rush to attack them.
In human herd behaviour is a very bizarre phenomenon, which does obviously invoke some primal urges.
People out on a days shopping is not enough to say they are exhibiting herd behaviour. However if there is a limited cut price sale that is about to open that is a good example of herd behaviour. Much like the disturbance at Ikea the other year. What is interesting about these herd behaviours is they are simultaneously competing (trying to get the limited goods first), whilst also working together to push the doors down. To some extent working together is form of protection of interest, despite the risk of being crushed. Once the doors open they will all rush toward the good that they want so the herd will split into 'sub herds', then back into individuals as they leave the checkout.
The crucial difference here compared with chimpanzees is this mob behaviour is invoked by a neme beforehand (the promotion of the sale). So I would have to say there is a degree of planning involved even when it gets out of hand. Chimpanzee groups mobbing other chimpanzee groups is nothing out of the ordinary. They are naturally congregating in groups. You wouldn’t even say it is cultural because it is in the interest of all chimpanzee groups to do it.
Ok that is just one example of herd behaviour in humans, they don't necessarily have to be doing it purely for their own immediate benefit. ‘Flash mobs’ are an example of this.
txt msg wrote:
Go to HMV today @ 2pm sharp. Stand on one leg, rub belly and pat head, whilst humming
Ok, maybe I'm not the best flash mob organizer, but the point is, they do such things because the herd behaviour was invoked as they thought it would be a laugh or for whatever reason it seemed appealing to them in their conscious/semi-conscious state.
Even football hooligans are coming together over an idea rather then necessity (however harebrained) and the very hardened ones use text messaging and contacts to pre-organize the fights. The police have known that for years. They even sometimes specify the type of weapons that are ‘acceptable’, there is an etiquette of sorts for some hooligan cultures. Even the decision to retaliate against the police can be pre-organised. They might seek to lure them.
One important aspect of herd behaviour we don't really use fully, as say cattle might, is safety in numbers. We have a tendency to disperse. If we are not congregating over a common idea we haven't go enough in common to want to herd. Our 150 or less interpersonal relationships are useless because chances are they are not there when you need them. If a disturbance happens in a crowded area common behaviour is to try to flee to shelter rather than trying to travel to the centre of the crowd then moving as one. That only happens in specific situations that make it difficult to flee to shelter immediately in which case the herding behaviour is a means to and end the end being able to use safety by dispersal. Shoals of fish spit but try to rejoin the larger group as soon as possible. We do not tend to want to rejoin the larger group as we do not have enough in common.
Say there is a group of people attending a rally. If there is an unexpected large bang they won't necessarily work in unison because regardless of coming together over an idea they still don't have enough in common to want to herd.