By Austin Price, Editor in Chief
We’ve seen it countless times before. Trendy water bottles, makeup brands, apps and websites have circulated the media and overtaken our lives. Trendy items that in all actuality are simplistic, becoming accessorized and grossly overpriced. As I sit in a classroom with Stanley Water Bottles around me, and my trusty Hydro Flask water bottle in front of me, I can’t help but wonder, what’s with all the hype? Why do these materialistic items mean so much that they signify an individual’s status in society? Why do we care so much about these stupid things? Why do we feel the need to follow trends? Well, the answers are all based on psychology.
A trend is described as a general direction in which something is developing or changing and can be applied to fashion, lifestyle, and experiences. The appeal of a trend is the need and the want to “fit in” with society. Keeping up with trends can foster a sense of community and camaraderie among people who have the same interests or preferences. Essentially, we follow trends because we don’t want to be left out and because it’s easier than making our own path.
Scientists explain the trend following theory as The Bandwagon Effect. The bandwagon effect is a psychological phenomenon in which people do something primarily because other people are doing it. They do this regardless of their own beliefs, which they then ignore or override. This forms a herd mentality and gives people the safety net of other individuals that hold the same values in materialistic purchases and accessories.
While it may seem naive for someone to go with the flow and follow the crowd, it’s not necessarily up to them. The bandwagon effect and need for human acceptance is a biological function that is unavoidable. Investopedia says “People are biologically programed to be social and like to be part of a group. Behaving the same way a group does can lead to belonging and acceptance,”.
Our need to belong is not mentally constructed, but it is already programmed into us. Trends are just a way to enforce this feeling and satisfy the craving for acceptance. Because human beings are social creatures, it’s inevitable that we search for ways to agree with one another and ways to identify with one another. We do this by adopting the behavior of those around us, including the consumer mannerisms and shopping habits.
Not only do following trends give us a sense of social belonging, but it also makes consumerism and decision making easier for us to comprehend. This is described through heuristics. Investopedia says, “The human brain uses ‘shortcuts’, known as heuristics, to make decisions more efficiently. One of these shortcuts is looking at what other people are doing. If enough people are following a trend, repeating a statement, or making the same decision, your brain will assume that it's the correct decision to make,”.
Trends have always been present in society, but social media and internet influence have made it substantially more prominent in our daily lives. Psychologs.com explains this saying “In modern times, pop culture has replaced our everyday interactions. Social Lives have come to be centered on entertainment rather than relationships. In a world revolving around entertainment, our way of communicating with one another is through sharing content and participating in trends on social media,”.
Social media trends have been running rampant since the COVID-19 pandemic. Trends such as TikTok dances, easy recipes, organizing ASMRs, and unpacking items flood the feed of most major social media platforms. With this constant flow of information, humans want to show that they are “up with the times” and informed of the social habits and experiences of many people online. Social media trends make people feel like they are being productive and acquiring new skills and they want to share this with their followers. Social media trends are also ways of digesting and distributing information. People use social media trends to get the word out on causes they care about by sending links to articles and videos.
Because of the numerous ways we interact with one another through the influence of trends, I don’t think they will ever leave. Trends may change, but they will always be popular and impactful. Whether you own the newest accessories or follow the celebrities of today, you are participating in a biological, social behavior that should not be discouraged, but should be recognized.