{"id":10577,"date":"2025-04-28T16:13:31","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T20:13:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/michael-morris-on-how-tribal-psychology-shapes-your-decisions\/"},"modified":"2025-04-28T16:13:31","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T20:13:31","slug":"michael-morris-on-how-tribal-psychology-shapes-your-decisions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/michael-morris-on-how-tribal-psychology-shapes-your-decisions\/","title":{"rendered":"Michael Morris on How Tribal Psychology Shapes Your Decisions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/hop.clickbank.net\/?affiliate=infohatch&amp;vendor=J1R2C\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10614 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png\" alt=\"Profit Gen\" width=\"400\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png 400w, https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p>You don\u2019t have to look far to see tribalism in action.<\/p>\n<p>In high school cliques. In Red vs. Blue. Even in the football team (whether it be NFL Sundays or Premier League Saturdays, no judgment here) you pledge your loyalty to.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s all over pop culture, too. <em>Remember the Titans<\/em> brought Black and white players into the same locker room, each carrying different rules, heroes, and histories. <em>Mean Girls<\/em> drew a hard line between the Plastics and everyone else. And, whether we care to admit it or not, we\u2019ve all wanted to be a Bridgerton.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Michael Morris<\/strong>, an expert in cultural psychology at Columbia University and author of <em>Tribal: How the Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together<\/em>, has spent decades studying why humans do this\u2014why we sort ourselves into groups, adopt their codes, and defend them like family.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>We are the animal that is wired to internalize the patterns of the group that surrounds us<\/em>,\u201d he explains in an interview on the Mindvalley Book Club with Kristina M\u04d3nd-Lakhiani. \u201c<em>And then, we are motivated to express those patterns and reproduce the culture<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Once you see it, you can\u2019t unsee it. In workplaces, in politics, in families, and even in comment sections of your favorite social media platform.<\/p>\n<p>And understanding it might be the first step toward actually doing something about it.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Watch the full interview:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Mindvalley Book of the Week: Michael Morris&#039;s &quot;Tribal&quot;\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7EKcK4qx56g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><noscript><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Mindvalley Book of the Week: Michael Morris&#039;s &quot;Tribal&quot;\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/7EKcK4qx56g?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/noscript>\n<\/p><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Mindvalley Book of the Week: Michael Morris\u2019s \u201cTribal\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-tribal-instincts-and-why-do-they-matter\">What are tribal instincts and why do they matter?<\/h2>\n<p>Tribal instinct is the deep, evolutionary drive that pushes us, as humans, to connect, protect, and preserve. It\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/articles\/PMC2781880\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the ancient wiring that helped our ancestors survive in tight-knit groups of hunters and gatherers<\/a>. And today, it\u2019s still running the show, guiding how we belong, behave, and bond.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>We are like sponges for culture<\/em>,\u201d Michael points out. And that matters more than we realize.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers have found that our ability to imitate, learn from others, and build on that knowledge over time is what helped humans cooperate in large groups. One study, for example, explains how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alexmesoudi.com\/publication\/mesoudi-cultural-2016-1\/Mesoudi_EvolBiol_2016.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">culture evolves not just through teaching, but through generations of people copying each other and tweaking what came before<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>This instinct to absorb what\u2019s around us is what makes human life possible. Without it, we wouldn\u2019t have culture. We wouldn\u2019t have language, tools, or any shared way of living. We wouldn\u2019t have the stories we pass down, the values we teach our kids, or the tiny habits that shape our cultural identity.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s the glue that turns a crowd into a <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/events-community\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">community<\/a> and strangers into a tribe.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-three-tribal-instincts\">The three tribal instincts<\/h3>\n<p>Michael explains that our evolutionary habits operate through three core drives:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The peer instinct <\/strong>is all about fitting in. It\u2019s why we copy the habits, slang, and behaviors of the people around us. Early humans needed this <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/instinct-definition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">instinct<\/a> to build trust and survive in groups. Today, it\u2019s why trends spread faster than wildfire and why we feel FOMO when we don\u2019t \u201cget\u201d the joke.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The hero instinct<\/strong> is the drive to earn respect and contribute to the group. It\u2019s why we look up to role models and try to emulate them. In ancient times, this primal drive pushed people to take risks for the greater good, like hunting dangerous prey or protecting the vulnerable. Now, it\u2019s why we obsess over influencers, CEOs, and anyone who seems to have it all figured out.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The ancestor instinct<\/strong> is the pull to preserve traditions and honor the past. It\u2019s why rituals, family recipes, and cultural practices feel so important. For early humans, this instinct ensured survival by passing down knowledge. Today, it\u2019s why we cling to nostalgia and why change can feel so uncomfortable.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Now, zoom in on them individually, these internal programmings might not make logical sense. They can seem inefficient, emotional, or even silly. Like, <strong>why copy others? Why obsess over respect? Or why follow old traditions?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>But at a bigger level, as Michael explains, they \u201c<em>help us create rich cultures<\/em>.\u201d They allow us to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pnas.org\/doi\/10.1073\/pnas.1620732114\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">coordinate in large groups and pass down knowledge over generations<\/a>. That\u2019s how we developed shared language, tools, rituals, and systems, which are the building blocks of civilization.<strong><br \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>So while these behaviors may seem \u201cirrational\u201d (in Michael\u2019s words) in the moment, they\u2019re deeply functional over time. In fact, they\u2019re what helped humans in \u201c<em>carrying our species to its position of dominating the planet<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-tribal-instincts-are-causing-problems-today\">Why tribal instincts are causing problems today<\/h2>\n<p>While tribal instincts helped our Stone Age ancestors from being eaten alive by wildlife or the elements, it begs the question: What are they doing for us today?<\/p>\n<p>Because, the reality is, the drives themselves haven\u2019t changed. We still copy our peers, chase approval, and protect our group\u2019s story.<\/p>\n<p>Only now, it shows up as political polarization, online echo chambers, <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/toxic-culture\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">toxic culture<\/a>, a growing resistance to \u201cthe other,\u201d and so on. Most of the time, though, we don\u2019t even realize we\u2019re doing it.<\/p>\n<p>Think about high school cliques. That instinct to \u201cfit in\u201d creates a sense of belonging, but it can also become a rigid wall that isolates anyone who doesn\u2019t wear the right clothes or say the right things. The same thing happens at work or online, where small group norms harden into invisible barriers.<\/p>\n<p>According to psychological research, this tribal behavior is a deeply rooted part of how the human mind works. Studies show that <a href=\"https:\/\/cpb-us-e2.wpmucdn.com\/sites.uci.edu\/dist\/1\/863\/files\/2019\/10\/Clark-et-al-2019.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">group loyalty and in-group bias show up across all types of people, across all belief systems<\/a>. <em>No one<\/em> is immune.<\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s more, as Michael explains, \u201c<em>these things are more visible when they go wrong than when they\u2019re functioning adaptively\u2026 and that\u2019s part of why it\u2019s become a kind of trope to despair the tribal side of our nature<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In other words, when tribal instincts backfire, they reveal what happens when connection turns into division. And when it does, it\u2019s easy to blame human nature instead of learning how to work with it.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why people cut off family members over party lines. It\u2019s why office cliques form. It\u2019s why outrage travels faster than facts.<\/p>\n<p>When we\u2019re unaware of the grip these instincts have over us, they take the wheel. And then, it\u2019s all too easy to mistake loyalty for truth, conflict for clarity, and sameness for safety.<\/p>\n<p>We can\u2019t turn off our tribal instincts and, based on Michael\u2019s insights, we shouldn\u2019t even try. But what we <em>can<\/em> do is get smarter about how we use them.<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>We want to have our hands on the levers<\/em>,\u201d Michael says, \u201c<em>and to accept these as parts of human nature that we have to work with when we work with humans<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So if you\u2019re leading a team, <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/building-a-community\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">building a community<\/a>, or just trying not to lose your mind on the internet, here are a few ways Michael suggests making those instincts work <em>for<\/em> you:<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-start-with-what-s-already-there\">1. Start with what\u2019s already there<\/h3>\n<p>Every group has its own unspoken rules, habits, rituals, and inside jokes. It could be a startup team, a book club, or your extended family group chat.<\/p>\n<p>But walking into that culture as an outsider can feel like stepping into someone else\u2019s living room without knowing the rules. Do you take your shoes off? Sit anywhere? Wait for the host to speak?<\/p>\n<p>Michael explains that the key to working with a group\u2019s dynamic is to first see it. For instance, if you\u2019re walking into a company as a new CEO, he advises you \u201c<em>to gain a better sense of the culture that\u2019s already there before you start to import some culture that you think would be a good idea for the organization<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Watch how people behave when no one\u2019s looking. What do they repeat? Who do they admire? What stories get told at lunch, in Slack, or during onboarding? These patterns reveal group behavior already shaped by peer, hero, and ancestor instincts.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, <strong>the culture is written in behavior<\/strong>. And instead of bulldozing what\u2019s already working, great leaders meet the group where it is. They double down on the healthy parts and gently guide the messy bits into order.<\/p>\n<p>This goes for any organization, not only work-related. Just step back and observe. Decode. And then work with the currents that are already moving beneath the surface.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-use-peer-hero-and-ancestor-instincts-on-purpose\">2. Use peer, hero, and ancestor instincts on purpose<\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s go back to the CEO example again. You\u2019ve taken time to observe the culture and see what\u2019s already there. Now what?<\/p>\n<p>This is where you start working with the instincts, not against them.<\/p>\n<p>Want people to pick up a new habit or <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/mindset-definition\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">mindset<\/a>? Lean on the peer instinct. Get a few respected folks to model the change, and others will naturally follow.<\/p>\n<p>Trying to keep momentum during tough moments? Tap into the ancestor instinct. Remind folks of the traditions, stories, or shared wins that brought them this far.<\/p>\n<p>And if you want to build momentum or inspire initiative? Activate the hero instinct. Shine a light on someone who stepped up and made a difference.<\/p>\n<p>As Michael says, \u201c<em>most of what you need from employees in an organization you can\u2019t set incentives for<\/em>.\u201d But you can use these instincts to guide behavior, build trust, and move the group forward from the inside out.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-mix-the-tribes-on-neutral-ground\">3. Mix the tribes on neutral ground<\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s say you\u2019re leading a team where two departments don\u2019t get along very well. Maybe one team focuses on <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/boosting-creativity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">boosting creativity<\/a> and the other sticks to processes and systems. Every meeting feels awkward, and it\u2019s hard to get them on the same page.<\/p>\n<p>In that situation, another meeting won\u2019t help. What <em>can<\/em> help is getting everyone together for something simple and low-pressure. Like ordering food, sharing a meal, or doing an activity that has nothing to do with work.<\/p>\n<p>Michael gives the example of <em>Make America Dinner Again<\/em>, a program where people with opposite political views sit down and eat together. They don\u2019t argue or try to change minds. They just talk and get to know each other as people.<\/p>\n<p>That kind of setup makes people feel safe and more open. In fact, research from Oxford found that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ox.ac.uk\/news\/2017-03-16-social-eating-connects-communities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sharing meals helps people feel more connected and increases trust<\/a>, even among strangers.<\/p>\n<p>Even something like cooking together can break the ice. As psychotherapist Charlotte Hastings explains in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/food\/2025\/apr\/19\/its-less-intimidating-less-vulnerable-why-cooking-in-company-helps-us-to-talk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">an article in <em>The Guardian<\/em><\/a>, preparing a meal side by side is \u201c<em>how we began as a species<\/em>,\u201d and it \u201c<em>gives us a way of expressing love between one another<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201c<em>That\u2019s the kind of slightly counterintuitive program<\/em>,\u201d he says, \u201c<em>with the hope that in the long run that\u2019s the best way to increase understanding<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This same idea can work in all kinds of group settings. Like teams, volunteers, or even extended families. If you see two groups that are not connecting, bring them together in a relaxed way. Host a lunch, start a fun game, or go on a group walk.<\/p>\n<p>The goal isn\u2019t to fix big problems right away but to help people see each other as human again. And that\u2019s when real progress starts to happen.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\ud83c\udf1f Welcome to a series of lessons from the book TRIBAL. This book is an integrative account of how cultural frames operate in our minds, enable our complex communities, and activate and evolve depending on age-old tribal instincts. We\u2019ll get to know the tribes inside us. We\u2019ll\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/8FT8tx0dvs\">pic.twitter.com\/8FT8tx0dvs<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Michael Morris, Professor at Columbia University (@MichaelMorrisCU) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/MichaelMorrisCU\/status\/1839464853108351239?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 27, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-fuel-your-mind\">Fuel your mind<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever walked into a room and felt like you didn\u2019t belong\u2026<br \/>If you\u2019ve ever lost a connection with someone you care about over one opinion\u2026<br \/>Or if you\u2019ve ever wondered why some groups feel like home and others feel like war zones\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Then Michael Morris\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Tribal-Mastering-Cultural-Codes-Behavior\/dp\/0735218099?dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.2PBNn7df2UjMdTvNbrU0D0Hzs571irT-zBigUS_DYMah4cE-qEZtKGnkcloftGtHgC7cxcge6dlJWvDcG63q_g.Kd7WfPDOYtoSDrTwM5GW0JP-DrXqHr5ftNdkJtk6XY4&amp;dib_tag=se&amp;qid=1728297011&amp;refinements=p_n_publication_date:1250226011,p_n_feature_nine_browse-bin:3291437011,p_n_feature_browse-bin:2656020011,p_72:1250221011&amp;rnid=283155&amp;s=books&amp;sr=1-34&amp;linkCode=sl1&amp;tag=mvbookclub-20&amp;linkId=ed6580a3cb51ed4984fa765214065bb8&amp;language=en_US&amp;ref_=as_li_ss_tl\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Tribal: How the Cultural Instincts That Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together<\/em><\/strong><\/a> might change the way you see everything.<\/p>\n<p>It breaks down what makes groups tick, like why we copy others, cling to leaders, and hold on to traditions even when they don\u2019t serve us anymore. But more than that, Michael explains how to use those instincts to build stronger teams, deeper trust, and better conversations.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s the thing: we don\u2019t need to force people to be different. What we need is a better way to understand how people think, act, and connect. And in a world where division is the norm, that kind of understanding is powerful.<\/p>\n<p>Want more books that shift your thinking like this?<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mindvalley.com\/bookclub?utm_source=mv_blog\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Join the Mindvalley Book Club<\/strong><\/a> with Kristina M\u04d3nd-Lakhiani. Every week, she brings you:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The boldest new releases in personal growth and business (like <em>Tribal<\/em>),<\/li>\n<li>Honest conversations with the authors, and<\/li>\n<li>Takeaways that actually help you live, lead, and connect better.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Good books. Big ideas. Straight to your inbox.<\/p>\n<p>Welcome in.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/hop.clickbank.net\/?affiliate=infohatch&amp;vendor=J1R2C\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10614 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png\" alt=\"Profit Gen\" width=\"400\" height=\"217\" srcset=\"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px.png 400w, https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/profit-gen400px-300x163.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/a><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You don\u2019t have to look far to see tribalism in action. In high school cliques. In Red vs. Blue. Even in the football team (whether [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":10578,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10577","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-happiness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10577","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10577"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10577\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10578"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10577"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10577"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10577"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}