herd instinct; bandwagon effect; me-tooism
Describes the tendency of individuals or companies to imitate others' actions or decisions, often in economics or social behavior. The term literally means 'side-by-side phenomenon'.
In financial markets, herd behavior often causes bubbles.
Japanese companies often exhibit a bandwagon effect, tending to adopt the same strategies as others.
同調圧力 refers to peer pressure to conform, while 横並び現象 focuses on the resulting imitative behavior, especially in business or market contexts.
Compound of 横並び (side-by-side, lining up horizontally) and 現象 (phenomenon). The term likely emerged in economic and sociological discourse to describe herd-like behavior.