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Suggestibility

A person’s tendency to be easily influenced by the thoughts, feelings, or behaviors of others, whether within a group or by an influencer. This propensity is a key factor in explaining many collective phenomena, such as the spread of trends, fads, protests, or collective unrest, through which people are more likely to adopt behaviors or attitudes that they believe are prevalent among those around them. Suggestibility reflects social sensitivity and openness to external influences and is often associated with the level of tension, excitement, or uncertainty in the situation a person is facing. In a group context, suggestibility increases the likelihood that people will adopt emotional or impulsive group behaviors and reduce critical thinking or independent decision-making. From a psychological point of view, suggestibility is associated with factors such as the need for affiliation, anxiety, and dependence on others in interpreting situations. People with high levels of anxiety or a desire for social acceptance tend to accept group directions or suggestions more easily. This susceptibility is evident in a crowd or group when people follow a general trend or imitate the actions of others without careful analysis or independent evaluation. From a social point of view, suggestibility explains how individuals can become points of transmission of behavior or ideas within a group, contributing to their rapid spread, whether it is a fashion, trend, hobby, or even a wave of protest. This concept also demonstrates that groups can indirectly guide individual behavior through symbolic influences or social cues, expanding our understanding of the rapid and consistent spread of group behavior.