Question

How does paragraph 7 contribute to the development of ideas in the article in the Commonlit Article Herd Behavior? Paragraph 7: Some historians believe that Adolf Hitler purposefully took advantage of herd behavior psychology by planting a significant number of undercover German officers in the crowds at his speeches. These officers would enthusiastically cheer for Hitler, and the rest of the crowd followed suit, making it seem as if the entire crowd supported Hitler. These speeches would then be broadcast to a larger public audience, magnifying the effect.

Answer 1

In this article, the author talks about the definition of the term herd behaviour when it applies to humans. This is a behaviour that people sometimes adopt and which leads them to act in irrational ways or with panic. When people follow this behaviour, they act in the way in which they perceive the crowd to act, even when this is not beneficial or logical.

Paragraph 7 provides an example of this type of thinking in action. In this paragraph, we learn of the way in which Hitler used this tendency to gain support for his cause. By providing this example, paragraph 7 allows the reader to think of what the behaviour looks like in action. It also allows the reader to better appreciate the consequences of herd behaviour in real life.