People are shunning their true beliefs for fear of being cancelled, study finds

Success has often been defined as the desire to stand out in a crowd and be unique. People workto appear special, and different from others. But, not anymore. According to a recent study, human beings have lost the will to be unique and prefer blending in and being just another face.

William Chopik, associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Michigan State University, conducted a study that shows a decline in the desire to be different. He also presents evidence for the same, and the change has largely happened in the last 20 years.

The study spans a period of 20 years, from 2000 to 2020, and tries to understand the wish for individualism in one million people. The study divided uniqueness into three parts: worry over others’ perceptions, the urge to break established norms, and the readiness to publicly uphold personal beliefs.

The study noticed a steady decline in all three elements over the 20-year period.

However, the biggest drop was seen in people's desire to defend their personal beliefs. It saw a 6.52 per cent decline, while an increasing concern about public opinion saw a 4.28 per cent fall. Chopik says, “A 6.52% decline is a dramatic population change in as short as 20 years.”

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The reason for this decline, as per data, is that people fear standing out or having a different opinion about something than others might push them out of social groups. People might no longer accept them, or cancel them out altogether.

Chopik says trying to hide one's true self might harm the individual, physically and mentally. People who, in a bid to fit in, drop their opinions and personal beliefs might start to harbour hostility. They can also experience anxiety and guilt for following something they don't believe in and hiding their own beliefs.

He says it is "really important to have people willing to go against the grain – say the occasional unpopular thing, challenge groupthink, highlight the need to compromise with people different than us, and not cover up the diversity of opinions and people because they’re too scared to stand out."

Social media hampering the desire to be unique

Social media platforms are likely playing a massive role in all this. They are places where people can express their opinions or how they feel about something. While it sounds simple, often having a different opinion invites criticism from others on the internet. What the majority thinks about something becomes the rule and those who do not conform to it fear being cancelled out.

Chopik's study presents the picture that digital trends are probably shaping how people think, instead of how they actually feel about something. They are hiding their true selves to fit in, which hinders true self-expression.

He suggests people should celebrate diversity of opinions to create an empathetic society where individuals can grow.