Deborah Prentice

Deborah Prentice, a psychology professor at Princeton, and Rob Willer, a Stanford sociologist, dive into the intriguing phenomenon of pluralistic ignorance. They explain how groups can mistakenly believe the majority shares their views, leading everyone to conform to unpopular norms. Through examples like bystander inaction and campus drinking culture, they illustrate the impact of false beliefs on behavior. Willer introduces the concept of false enforcement, revealing how individuals silently support norms they privately disagree with, perpetuating conformity.