Copycats & Contrarians: Why We Follow Others . . . and When We Don't

"Why we run with—or avoid—the crowd, and why it matters, from choosing a restaurant in a tourist trap to believing fake news. I learned a lot" (Tim Harford, author of The Undercover Economist).

Rioting teenagers, tumbling stock markets, and the spread of religious terrorism appear to have little in common, but all are driven by the same basic instincts: the tendency to herd, follow, and imitate others.

In today's interconnected world, group choices all too often seem maladaptive. With...