Collective Behavior

Collective Behavior

Events in which the ordinary rules of society no longer apply.
- how people act and organize when conventional institutions fail
- Robert Park once defined sociology as "the science of collective behavior

Forms of Collective Behavior

- Riots, revolutions, fads, fashions, rumors, public opinion, social problems, protests, disasters, crowds, mobs

Three defining elements of CB

- Degree of institutionalization
- Units of Actors
- Dominant Emotion
There is not a consistent definition of collective behavior

Degree of Institutionalization

A continuum of institutional/non-institutional behavior

Units of Actors

The social organization of those involved in the CB event.
- individuals
- groups
- networks
- formal organizations

Dominant Emotion

The general emotion displayed by participants in the CB event
- Joy
- Hostility
- Fear

Gabrielle Tarde and Gustav LeBon

The french perspective - contagion/collective mind perspective

Perspectives on CB events

- Contagion Theory
- Convergence Theory
- Emergent Norm Theory

Contagion Theory

The crowd itself is contagious. It has its own mind that causes others to psychologically join or act on behalf of the crowd

Convergence Theory

The crowd is formed out of people who share the same interests.
- They converge on a central issue

Emergent Norm Theory

Participants develop new norms that challenge the institutional arrangements of a society