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Essay / Social Psychology: The Field of Social Sciences
Deindividualization can be described as a set of behaviors that a person expresses when they suddenly lose all of their normal identities. Soldiers in the military are a great example of a common use of deindividualization. The United States Army is known as one of the proudest militaries in the world, not because it is effective in combat, but because it demonstrates excellent teamwork. According to Morris, every soldier enlisted in the US military will go through a process of de-individualization (1996). Because after this training period, they will think less about themselves and contribute more to the team's goal, which is the key to success in combat situations. Everyone will have a new identity, have the same goal and share the same thoughts. Since boot camp trainers generally do not consider people's origins or cultural backgrounds, some people do not readily cooperate with these changes. Some studies have shown that soldiers who cannot integrate into a military environment tend to develop mental disorders, and the reason is closely related to deindividualization. Although the correlation is vague and the data is not enough to convince everyone, deindividualization is still a risky method because not everyone can adapt quickly to changes, especially when dealing with identity issues and stress..