THE «EINSTEIN» SHORTAGE: Why We Trade Uniqueness for Safety
Art design: huxley.media via DALL·E 3
«Yes, there were people in our time…» We often assume that as people age, they tend to grumble and view the past — when they were young and healthy — through rose-colored glasses. However, according to scientists, this reflects an inevitable social-psychological reality: modern individuals increasingly prioritize conformity over standing up for their ideas and opinions. As a result, fewer people are willing to challenge groupthink. Consequently, there are fewer great leaders, rebels, and geniuses in science and culture — those who are ready to risk social approval and reputation to prove the validity of their discoveries.
«INDIVIDUALISTS» AND «CONTRARIANS»
Last year, scientists from the University of Georgia published a study in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin about the motivation of exceptional individuals — scientists, writers, politicians, entrepreneurs, and pioneers. Despite their differences, rebels and geniuses share one common trait — they refuse to «be like everyone else».
The researchers identified two main types among them. «Individualists» are those who uphold their worldview, independent of the opinions of others. «Contrarians» don’t necessarily assert their views but instead focus on disproving accepted norms. The former includes talented managers, entrepreneurs, and team leaders, while the latter are typically people in creative professions.
The study revealed that people tend to support individualists, considering them generally competent and reasonable. However, society doesn’t expect much from artists, actors, and musicians. Their actions are often socially disapproved of, as they are seen as more likely to challenge established norms. Overall, the degree of positive or negative evaluation of someone’s desire to «stand out from the crowd» depends on cultural context.
Embracing individuality is not just a personal choice, but a societal necessity. In American culture, there’s more tolerance for ‘nonconformists.’ It’s assumed that the ‘eccentricities’ of a genius are the flip side of the innovative thinking that drives society forward. However, most cultures remain quite conservative. This may explain why there is a shortage of such ‘individualists’ and ‘contrarians’ like Jobs, Einstein, Nietzsche, and Salvador Dalí in many parts of the world. But it’s not too late to change this trend and foster a culture that values and encourages individuality.
CONFORMITY AND NONCONFORMITY: ROOTED IN CHILDHOOD
On an individual level, the tendency toward conformity or nonconformity begins to form in early childhood. The choice of one’s «life stance» in relation to the group and social norms occurs around the age of 3. At this age, as children socialize and strive to become part of a group, they often show a tendency to agree with their peers. However, the desire to follow the group’s authority or a leader may not necessarily become their primary behavioral motivation.
Scientists from Duke University discovered this. In the journal PLOS One, they described how they organized a tea party for 104 three-year-olds, each of whom received a special badge. A blue sticker made them part of a team, giving them access to a table filled with various teas and sweets.
First, the children made their own choices and then compared them with those of others. Most returned to their original preferences, although they often interpreted them as the group’s norm. However, 23% of the children completely abandoned their initial choices, relying solely on the opinions of others.
The likelihood of such behavior increased when these opinions were presented as the group’s collective view. Interestingly, the children’s desire to conform to the group was even more potent than the opinions of the authoritative adults conducting the experiment.
This means that from around the age of 3, the unwritten rules of the group and socially accepted behaviors begin to compete with the authority of adults in the family. For some children, group norms become more important, while for others, they are less significant. Ultimately, each of us finds a balance between the need for self-expression and the need to belong to a group.
FEAR OF HAVING YOUR OWN OPINION
A healthy sense of one’s uniqueness is as essential to a person as healthy social connections. However, the balance between these opposing needs is fluid and can shift both individually and collectively over time. Specialists from Michigan State University decided to study how people’s desire to stand out has changed over time through the Gosling-Potter Internet Personality Project.
The study began in 2000 and concluded in 2020. American psychologists processed the data for several years and recently published it in Collabra: Psychology, a journal from the University of California Press.
According to the study, the desire to stand out from others has steadily declined worldwide over the past 20 years. The researchers established this by analyzing the responses of 1.3 million internet users who completed online tests designed to assess personality traits. The questionnaires were specifically crafted to evaluate respondents’ needs for uniqueness across three dimensions: concern with others’ reactions, determination to defy rules, and willingness to defend their opinions publicly.
The test included 32 statements, with participants asked to agree or disagree on a 5-point scale. Comparing survey results over the years, psychologists found that the willingness to defend one’s beliefs publicly saw the steepest decline, dropping by 6.52%. At the same time, concern for others’ opinions increased significantly — lack of interest in others’ judgments fell by 4.52%.
Scientists believe this is a sharp psychological transformation for such a short historical period — 20 years — and not a particularly positive one.
It seems that people are becoming increasingly afraid of society itself. They are trying to attract less attention, avoiding standing out, and feeling that expressing their uniqueness is no longer safe.
CHALLENGING GROUPTHINK — IN THE INTEREST OF THE GROUP!
Psychologists suggest that people are trying to avoid the increasing threat of societal rejection. The fear of potential ostracism makes individuals psychologically vulnerable, passive, and insecure. Researchers warn of the negative consequences this trend may have on society as a whole, whose progress depends on the will and motivation of its members.
One of the study’s authors, Associate Professor of Psychology William Chopik, outlines the issue as follows: «Some people must be willing to go against the grain, to speak unpopular truths at times, to challenge groupthink, and to call for compromises with those who think differently. These are the people who should not suppress the existence of diverse opinions and individuals out of fear of standing out. Ironically, efforts to hide our true selves and blend into the collective can lead to feelings of guilt, anxiety, and even increased animosity within society».
The research team plans to investigate further the factors that weaken the modern desire to stand out. They are particularly interested in exploring how online and offline interactions affect levels of social anxiety.
Equally intriguing is the question of why, in a world where liberal-democratic values, calls for tolerance, and inclusivity have dominated for the past 30 years, there is now such intense societal pressure on the individual.
Original research:
