An Election Day Prediction

I’m going to go out on a limb and make an Election Day prediction.

Tomorrow – maybe even as early as late this evening - will bring vast quantities of a phenomena labeled by social psychologists as BIRGing and CORFing.

BIRGing is an acronym for Basking in Reflected Glory and CORFing means Cutting Off Reflected Failure. One of the most influential studies of these phenomena was done by Cialdini et al. in 1976.

The concept of BIRGing is rooted in the social identity theory which explains how an individual’s self-esteem and evaluation can be enhanced by the identification with another person’s success.

Conversely, CORFing is used to describe a defense mechanism by which the loser separates themselves from loss by shifting the focus and blame to outside people and forces.

Social media (especially Face Book) is the perfect petri dish for these phenomena to flourish. 

And I can’t wait for all the BIRGing and CORFing to begin.