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The (Lack Of) Wisdom of Crowds

Once again (*sigh*) the point of the Wisdom of Crowds and related writing (including my own) is not "the benefit of collaboration over individual effort." It's not about 'collaboration' (in its many forms at all). Nor is it that "the results of a group effort will usually produce superior results to the efforts of skilled individuals." There is a distinction between groups and networks that must be heeded if you want to understand things like 'the wisdom of crowds' at all. Failing to heed this distinctions is like looking at battleships and complaining that they don't fly. Richard Nantel, Brandon Hall Research, November 13, 2008. [Link] [Tags: Networks] [Previous][Next]

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Re: The (Lack Of) Wisdom of Crowds

Karyn Romeis, November 14, 2008

I would add that there is a distinction between 'groups' and 'crowds'. A group is a pretty loose collection - an aggregation. Not necessarily in the same place at the same time for the same purpose. A crowd is physically in one place at one time for a specific purpose.

I would conjecture that, due to their common purpose and personal investment into the situation, crowds are more likely to experience heightened emotion which can tip over into 'mob' behaviour given a conducive stimulus. Witness sports fans at a match, or the (ahem) audience at a whip-em-up-into-a-frenzy rally. Separately, the individuals in the crowd would possibly not countenance the behaviour they adopt in a crowd situation.

My own wish is that Surowiecki had called his book 'The Wisdom of Groups' because, while groups may collectively aggregate more reliable outcomes than individuals, crowds are more likely to demonstrate particularly unwise behaviour.

... or such has been my observation, anyway. [Comment] [Permalink] [Previous][Next]

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