TimS comments on The noncentral fallacy - the worst argument in the world? - Less Wrong

157 Post author: Yvain 27 August 2012 03:36AM

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Comment author: TimS 18 September 2012 02:37:15AM -1 points [-]

I thought you were one of the people who objected to over-reliance on status-based explanations.

For many of the most important groupings, the first selections are do by others. (I.e. the popular seniors are the first deciders of which grouping the new high school freshmen belong in).

By acting like they're more dominant than they actually are, groups can convince more people that they really are that dominant and cause the people to conform to the group's wishes; which is to say the group thus becomes more dominant.

I just don't think this is accurate analysis of group dynamics.

Sort of like the expression "fake it till you make it".

I think this is more accurate for individuals trying to become members of a group than it is of groups trying to change their relative position.

Comment author: Eugine_Nier 19 September 2012 03:36:11AM *  1 point [-]

(I.e. the popular seniors are the first deciders of which grouping the new high school freshmen belong in)

I would argue that this is a non-representative example since in most situations there isn't nearly as clear a division between the deciders and the people being sorted.

I think this is more accurate for individuals trying to become members of a group than it is of groups trying to change their relative position.

This can also apply when members of one group (e.g., people who believe in philosophy X) what to increase how many of their members are also in another group with fuzzy membership (e.g., the inner clique in the philosophy department).

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