Wrong Way

I went to an indoor track where the walk/run direction alternates every other day. There's a sign with an arrow for each day right when you step on the track.

As I stepped on, I saw the only couple walking clockwise. So I thought, "Nice, I don't have to read the sign. I'll follow them."

Ten minutes later, someone came running towards me in the opposite direction.

"What is she doing???" I thought. I walked over to the sign to wait and point out her mistake, but after reading the sign, it was me who was going the wrong way!

The social proof concept in psychology describes when humans aren't sure what to do, they default to the behavior other people around them are doing, even with evidence that the decision being made is poor.

It was easy for me to go the wrong way because a couple of people ahead of me were, despite having directions right in front of us.

It's often helpful to read the signs in front of us for ourselves and make our own decisions, instead of taking the easy way and following the path of others.