Tribalism: This Is Why You Follow The Group

Tribalism refers to the tendency of humans to form and identify with groups, often fostering strong loyalty to one's "tribe" while contrasting or competing with others. The inclination stems from our evolution. It was a survival strategy, since belonging to a group meant survival, shared resources, and social cohesion. Tribalism is a double-edged blade. It can result in solidarity and collective strength, but can also make for conflict, exclusion, and irrational decision-making. It’s a way of thinking which makes people loyal to their social group above all else.

The concept is very adaptive to human evolution. Humans are social animals, not made to live on their own. Tribalism helps in this regard, keeping individuals committed to their group, even when personal relations fray. Socially, these divisions between groups foster interactions otherwise unseen by giving our brains something tangible to work with. Essentially, the groups form to dumb down social hierarchies for our brain. Human brains can only handle so many individual characteristics at once, thus it’s far easier to form group-based hierarchical schemes and stereotypes.

Tribalism fulfills the need of feeling connected with others. It provides a sense of identity, of fitting in, of belonging to a group that shares your values, traditions, and/or goals. Tribalism feels great, but it can kindle negative behaviors towards others. This is because a hallmark of tribalism is the division into “us”—the in-group—and “them”—the out-group—dynamics. We remain loyal to “us”, the in-group, and can become hostile to “them”, the out-group. Wars start this way. Within tribes, there tends to be relative order. Outside, negative between-tribe relationships can turn into catastrophe.

So tribalism clearly has positive and negative aspects. There is community and support, both emotional and practical; collective action enables coordinated efforts toward bigger causes, and a group identity helps protect tradition and heritage. Meanwhile, the between-tribe conflict can result in xenophobia, racism, and other types of discrimination. Groupthink would encourage conformity at the expense of an individual’s critical thinking, and the prioritization of tradition can stifle innovation. Tribalism can be both something to be careful of and something to aim for, depending on the team’s or organization’s goals.

The general idea is that tribes find their strength in unity, weakness in bias. Tribes achieve more than individuals can alone; a team working cohesively outperforms isolated efforts nearly all the time. In-group biases are natural but cloud judgment, such as a manager who favors their inner circle while missing opportunities from outsiders who bring fresh ideas to the table. Effective leaders can use these tribal dynamics to inspire loyalty and action in their teams. Not only that, they should strive to mediate between-department conflict and perhaps to install a sense of rivalry against other companies to motivate their team members.

Real life implications of tribalism:

• Work: companies can build tribal identities into their culture through mission statements, shared goals, and team-building activities to encourage loyalty in the team;

• Politics: political parties often rely on tribes to rally supporters, so you should be cautious of polarizing rhetoric and strive to understand opposing viewpoints before casting judgments;

• Marketing: brands often cultivate tribes of their loyal customers, and you should tap into this as having a strong community aligned with shared values and aspirations ensures your branding will never be left without social backing;

• Sports: fans often form tribe-like allegiances to teams, creating camaraderie and competition, the renowned community aspect of sports;

• Technology: even within online spaces like forums, social media groups, and fandoms tribalism looms large, so you should take care to build a supportive community that does not stand for toxic behavior if you choose to do so;

• Startup example: foster a strong tribal identity by creating a collaborative culture that emphasizes innovation. As a founder, you will: clearly articulate the group values; host regular team-building events to strengthen connections; acknowledge out-group competition to motivate members—other businesses, startups; and encourage cross-department collaboration to minimize internal rivalry.

How you might apply tribalism as a mental model: (1) identify your tribes, reflecting on the groups you belong to and how they shape your values and behaviors; (2) foster positive tribalism, promoting loyalty and connection within your community while staying open to outsiders; (3) challenge prejudice, actively questioning whether you hold stereotypes against outside groups; (4) use tribalism strategically, harnessing group loyalty to drive collective effort, such as to launch a product or rally a cause; (5) expand your circle, redefining your tribe to include more diverse perspectives and talents, broadening it’s scope and impact in the process.

Thought-provoking insights. "The strength of the pack is the wolf, and the strength of the wolf is the pack.” and “We are not just individuals; we are tribes within tribes.” highlight how dependent we are on complex groups to function as humans, and how much stronger we become as a result. Tribalism is a powerful mental force that can unite or divide, inspire or limit. Be aware of tribe-like behavior around you. This way, you can harness the benefits of group dynamics while mitigating the risks. Leverage the power of the group.

Questions to reflect on:

1. How does tribalism influence my sense of belonging?

2. How can and do I recognize and address my tendencies to act according to the norm?

3. How can I be more inclusive within my community, acknowledging everybody's differences?

4. What are the long-term consequences of unchecked tribalism in an organization?

5. What steps can I take to create a more cohesive environment in my professional life?

Quotes that reflect the core idea:

1. "The enemy is fear. We think it is hate; but, it is really fear." - Mahatma Gandhi, Indian lawyer and anti-colonial nationalist.

2. "We have more in common than that which divides us." - Jo Cox, British politician and humanitarian.

3. "Prejudices are overcome by argument; not being founded in reason they cannot be destroyed by logic." - Tryon Edwards, American theologian.

4. "The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein, theoretical physicist.

Example use cases:

1. Politics: tribalism influences political discourse, where individuals align with parties or ideologies and polarize their behavior. Efforts to promote bipartisan cooperation mitigate these effects and result in less biased policy.

2. Corporate culture: in organizations, tribalism can manifest as department silos. This is a bottleneck to collaboration. Leaders should encourage cross-departmental projects and team-building activities for a more unified culture.

3. Social movements: activists and social organizations address issues related to tribalism by advocating for equality and justice and creating awareness campaigns. Movements should transcend group boundaries.

4. Education: teaching faculty should address tribalism by teaching students about the importance of cultural diversity, empathy, and critical thinking. Help them understand and appreciate different perspectives. An automatic reduction of prejudice follows.