"Pluralistic ignorance":

Question

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Pluralistic ignorance is a psychological phenomenon that involves a group of people who, individually, do not believe something but assume that everyone else in the group believes it. It is indeed a negative outcome of Cialdini's concept of "social proof," where individuals look to the behavior of others to guide their own actions, especially in ambiguous situations. The statement "because nobody is concerned, nothing is wrong" captures the essence of pluralistic ignorance, where the lack of reaction from others is interpreted as a signal that no response is required. This phenomenon helps explain the Catherine Genovese case, where multiple witnesses did not intervene in her murder, partly because they saw that others were also not intervening, leading them to believe their inaction was justified.

"Pluralistic Ignorance