The psychology behind Trump supporters’ fake ear bandages: ‘in this together’
- Trump is wearing bandage after being wounded in assassination attempt, and many supporters are wearing ear bandages in show of solidarity
After surviving an assassination attempt, former US President Donald Trump made his first public appearance two days later, on the first night of the Republican National Convention.
He entered the convention centre wearing a massive bandage on his right ear, where the bullet wounded him. In the days that followed, some of his supporters started sporting bandages of their own.
Like donning MAGA hats, “it facilitates a sense of belongingness and a sense of connection,” said Dr Catherine Nobile, a clinical psychologist in New York. “We’re all in this together, we’re all behind the same idea.”
The bandages go a step beyond Trump shirts and lawn signs, said Dr Angie Corbo, chair of communications studies at Widener University.
This is a classic example of co-regulation – a coping mechanism, well-documented in psychology, that can soothe the nervous system.
Mimicry has always been a gesture of devotion and support. Take people shaving their heads in solidarity with cancer patients.