Deindividuation: The 1976 Halloween StudyHow anonymity triggers a loss of conscience

From the show

Psychology of Moral Failure

Immersion in a group or anonymity can lead to a significant loss of personal accountability. Ed Diener’s 1976 Halloween experiment revealed that children were much more likely to steal extra candy when masked and in groups than when alone. This phenomenon highlights how situational cues can override internal moral standards when we feel unidentifiable.