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Hidden Brain
Hidden Brain

Group Think

March 23, 2026 • 1h 27m

Summary

⏱️ 10 min read

Overview

In this Hidden Brain episode, psychologist J. Van Bevel explores how group identities shape our perceptions, behaviors, and loyalties. From Nelson Mandela's use of rugby to unite South Africa to the surprising power of arbitrary group assignments, the episode examines how our tribal affiliations can both connect and divide us. Later, researcher Colton Scrivner joins to discuss why humans are drawn to scary and disturbing content, and how engaging with horror and true crime can actually be psychologically beneficial.

The Power of Group Identity to Unite

Psychologist J. Van Bevel introduces how group identities shape our fundamental perceptions and behaviors, using Nelson Mandela's strategic embrace of the Springboks rugby team as an example. Mandela transformed a symbol of white oppression into a vehicle for national unity during the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The episode explores how even seemingly trivial group memberships can create powerful bonds and influence everything from our taste preferences to our basic sensory experiences.

  • Nelson Mandela used the 1995 Rugby World Cup to unite black and white South Africans by embracing the Springboks team
  • The Springboks were beloved by white South Africans but despised by the black population during apartheid
  • Mandela wore the green Springboks jersey to signal 'we're one team, we're one country now'
  • Group identities filter our actions, preferences, and the very way we see the world
" We enter into a covenant that we shall build a society, a rainbow nation, at peace with itself and the world. "
" He took a symbol of oppression and used it as a symbol of togetherness. "

How Group Identities Shape Our Perceptions

Van Bevel reveals how group memberships influence not just our loyalties but our basic sensory experiences. Studies show that when people are primed to think about their Canadian identity, they prefer maple syrup over honey, and University of Sussex students found a sweaty t-shirt more disgusting when they believed it came from a rival university. Even our vision is affected - Yankees fans literally perceive Boston as closer than it actually is, demonstrating how group identity functions as a perceptual lens.

  • Canadians primed with their national identity preferred maple syrup over honey, while those primed with personal identity showed no preference
  • Students rated a smelly t-shirt as more disgusting when they thought it belonged to a rival university member
  • Yankees fans perceived Boston's Fenway Park as physically closer than it actually was due to perceiving them as a threat
  • People threatened by illegal immigration overestimate how close Mexico City is to the border
" When your identity is salient, it makes you prefer things that are associated with that identity. "
" These identities are a lens that shape all kinds of our senses. They shape how we're smelling and interpreting smells, what we're seeing, maybe what we're hearing. "

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