Social Bias Behavior

           There is this great book which I am reading at the moment, by Rolf Dobelli. Titled, the art of thinking clearly. It has easily 150 small chapters detailing how our brains are wired and unconciously we layer upon each layer actions based on how our brain works. One of the chapters details " Social Bias Behavior" and it states several in depth studies about how people subconciously want to conform to the accepted norms and beliefs. He cited this study by a psychologist who put the subject (say you or I) into a room. In the room was a piece of string on one side of the table, and on the other side were 3 pieces or string, say A, B, and C.
          
           String B is exactly the same length while A and C were slightly longer and shorter respectively. When alone, the subject was asked by the interviewer which string A B or C was exactly the same length as the one on the left. 100% of them said B and were correct.

          He changed the scenario whereby there were 5 other people in the room. Unknown to the subject, these 5 people were paid actors who were tasked to point out the strings A or C as the 'right' one. When all 5 were done, he asked the subject which was the correct length ; a full 33% or one third followed the 'actors', stating A or C, even though they thought B looked like the correct answer.   

          People easily succumb to social bias. Its a survival instinct.

                                                
                                                                 Truly an Exception

                                                             a) Felix Baumgartner
                                                             b) Jesus 

          If you came out of a shop in Orchard Road, and suddenly, the whole crowd of people started to look up and start running, you would start running too. Maybe you wouldn't even look up too. Was it the sky falling down, was a ton of bricks coming crashing down ?

          People have had this behavior for centuries, as one can safely guess that during the prehistoric days, when Man was out hunting, when the hunter group he was with, started to run, the blur guy who looked up and saw what was coming, was probably eaten by the lion or dinosaur.