Newman notices that the passenger seated across from him on the subway has his eyes closed and hasn't moved in a while. But he looks around and sees that no one else, including those passengers who were on the train when he boarded, seems too concerned about this man. He decides that this probably means there isn't an emergency and the man is not in need of help. This line of thinking epitomizes which of the following concepts?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Pluralistic ignorance occurs when individuals wrongly believe that their own thoughts, feelings, or behaviors are different from those of the group, often leading to inaction because they assume nothing is wrong based on the inaction of others. In this scenario, Newman assumes the man is not in need of help because no one else seems concerned, which is a classic example of pluralistic ignorance.

Newman Notices That the Passenger Seated Across from Him on the Subway