THE CROWD EFFECT OF CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19), NEED FOR BEING RESPONSIBLE

By Petros Piki, CA(Z), MSc, RPA

“The one who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The one who walks alone is likely to find themselves in places no one has ever been before.” Albert Einstein

People are different when they are alone and when they are in a group. They are people who will surprise you when they are in a group, their behaviour individually is totally different than how they behave in a group. In life crowds are inevitable. We gather at Church, for sports, political rallies etc. We also gather sometimes physically sometimes not physically, online for example. Sometime we just follow in a group behaviour. As Covid-19 continue ravaging we are seeing some interesting crowd behaviours. As we highlighted in prior writeups with these pandemics or epidemics people start from a point of denial thinking that it will not touch them like what happened with people like former South Africa President Mbeki on AIDS, but once reality knocks home crowd behaviour kicks in. Once this starts people start strange behaviours like buying a whole isle of tissues.

<script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>
<ins class="adsbygoogle"
     style="display:block; text-align:center;"
     data-ad-layout="in-article"
     data-ad-format="fluid"
     data-ad-client="ca-pub-9909000456991631"
     data-ad-slot="2895459834"></ins>
<script>
     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
</script>

A crowd is a group of people who share a purpose. So, you realise in the same society they could be many crowds. In the USA for example with this Covid-19 some people may already seeing an opportunity to push Trump out of favour with electorate with looming elections. Opposing Democrats for example and media with similar view may push a panic agenda to fulfil their purpose and Trump and his allies alike push back and these have serious effects on people’s behaviours. Sometimes the media make you feel tomorrow we all die! Then the next issue is it informs us that somebody must do something for us and we end up abrogating our responsibilities to ourselves. Most of the panic buying we are seeing world over is driven by media formal or social or otherwise. In India Prime Minister Modi is appealing with public not to panic buy, in South Africa it’s the same. For the first time in a while UK has witnessed empty shelves.

The number of people that some experts were estimating would die from SARS for example was astronomical compared to real deaths. Some of these opinions especially from experts informs behaviour that is why everybody has a responsibility to each other, painting the reality in an accurate manner and avoid opportunistic behaviours. Conflict of interest can also arise. A research institute looking for funding for example has an interest to make people panic and in turn get funding to support their research. In his study the “Popular Mind” Gustave Le Bon, attributed crowd behaviour to the 'collective racial unconsciousness' of the mob overtaking individuals' sense of self and personality and personal responsibility. In his book, Le Bon formulated the contagion theory, which argues that crowds cause people to act in a certain way. Another theory, the “emergent norm theory” promulgates that crowd behaviour is guided by unique social norms, which are established by members of the crowd. So, when we feel everybody is buying tissues even when you have enough you end up hoarding.

Coronavirus is causing mass hysteria, that is an imagined or assumed threat that causes physical symptoms among a large number of people. According to Bartholomew, people can start having real symptoms just from stories they hear, and sometimes, there is no real explanation for why mass hysteria happens; it just happens. What is important during crisis like we currently have with Covid-19 it is important to manage crowd behaviour if not well managed we may end up with people dying from other issues like lack of food rather than the Virus. Governments need to get the trust of citizens and ensure that people trust official channels of communication. Social media gossip represented as factual even though the truth may not have been confirmed is also infecting people faster than the virus. As an example, South Africa has incriminated peddling false information on Coronavirus.

When people are empowered with information they behave normally...

If people are made to expect no harm and all of a sudden there is imminent threat crowd behaviour kicks in. Churches, celebrities, social influencers and politicians have a responsibility to calm nerves and avoid countries and economies diving into calamities because of how we handle the coronavirus crisis. We must always remember that the media are a powerful force within society that can subvert essential norms and values and thus, undermine social order. Also, the media are able to directly influence the minds of average people and once people's thinking is transformed by media, long-term consequences are likely to result. Policy makers need to cognisant of behavioural issues as they tackle the Virus!

As the coronavirus infections continue to grow geometrically as is currently happening avoid inconvenience of potential behaviours like panic buying. Always be prepared, buy your provisions gradually. Also prepare for the worst and pray and hope for the best!

Always remember Hygiene! Hygiene! Hygiene! Hygiene! Always wash your hands!

#weareallinthistogether

Do you need assistance with crafting a game changing strategy?

Contact us today for Consulting| Call +263 718 110 832| Email ppiki@neverlank.co.zw

Follow us on twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram

Always visit https://www.neverlank.co.zw/ to stay informed

Here for people with dreams!

Company Secretarial (Including Company Registrations). Tax. Audit. Accounting. Advisory