Editing Bandwagon effect (section)

==Origin==
[[File:Circus-Parade white-bandwagon Jul09.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.2|A literal "bandwagon", from which the metaphor is derived.]]
The phenomenon where ideas become adopted as a result of their popularity has been apparent for some time. However, the metaphorical use of the term ''bandwagon'' in reference to this phenomenon began in 1848.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=Bandwagon Effect - Biases & Heuristics|url=https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/bandwagon-effect/|access-date=2021-05-12|website=The Decision Lab|language=en-CA}}</ref> A literal "bandwagon" is a [[wagon]] that carries a [[musical ensemble]], or band, during a parade, circus, or other entertainment event.<ref>{{cite dictionary |url=http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bandwagon |dictionary=Dictionary.com |title= Bandwagon |access-date=2007-03-09| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070312031504/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/bandwagon| archive-date= 12 March 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite book|doi=10.1002/9781118541555.wbiepc015|chapter=Bandwagon Effect|title=The International Encyclopedia of Political Communication|year=2015|last1=Schmitt-Beck|first1=Rüdiger|pages=1–5|isbn=9781118290750| url = https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/9781118541555.wbiepc015 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20191115093619/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/9781118541555.wbiepc015 | archivedate = 2019-11-15 | url-status = live }}</ref>

The phrase "jump on the bandwagon" first appeared in American politics in 1848 during the [[1848 United States presidential election|presidential campaign]] of [[Zachary Taylor]]. [[Dan Rice]], a famous and popular circus clown of the time, invited Taylor to join his circus bandwagon. As Taylor gained more recognition and his campaign became more successful, people began saying that Taylor's political opponents ought to "jump on the bandwagon" themselves if they wanted to be associated with such success.

Later, during the time of [[William Jennings Bryan 1900 presidential campaign|William Jennings Bryan's 1900 presidential campaign]], bandwagons had become standard in campaigns,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wordwizard.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6642 |title=Bandwagon Effect |access-date=2007-03-09}}</ref> and the phrase "jump on the bandwagon" was used as a derogatory term{{when |reason=Nothing in the reference about this; attaching this to the previous sentence might be misleading about time period that this term became derogatory. |date=July 2022}}, implying that people were associating themselves with success without considering that with which they associated themselves.

Despite its emergence in the late 19th century, it was only rather recently that the theoretical background of bandwagon effects has been understood.<ref name=":6" /> One of the best-known experiments on the topic is the 1950s' [[Asch conformity experiments|Asch conformity experiment]], which illustrates the individual variation in the bandwagon effect.<ref>[[Solomon Asch|Asch, Solomon]]. [1951] 1983. "Effects of Group Pressure upon the Modification and Distortion of Judgments." Pp. 260–70 in ''Organizational Influence Processes'', edited by R. W. Allen and [[Lyman W. Porter|L. W. Porter]]. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman, and Company.</ref><ref name=":4" /> Academic study of the bandwagon effect especially gained interest in the 1980s, as scholars studied the effect of [[public opinion polls]] on voter opinions.<ref name=":5" />