Today, we explored the concept of 'herd mentality' as it applies to 'The Outsiders.' We defined the term noting that it's a term that describes how people are influenced by their peers to adopt beliefs and behaviors favored by the group. Cam and I discussed ways the two different gangs in the novel - the Socs and Greasers - conform to social norms and expectations. Cam was encouraged to cite possible reasons why one gang might be more strongly influenced by herd behavior than the other; we noted privileged status and social standing as two possibilities.