global warming
a process that occurs when carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere and acts like a blanket that holds in that heat
social change
alteration, modification, or transformation of public policy, culture, or social institutions over time
collective behavior
voluntary, often spontanteous activity that is engaged in by a large number of people and typically violates dominant-group norms and values
collectivity
a number of people who act together and may mutually transcend, bypass, or subvert established institutional patterns and structures
crowd
a relatively large number of people who are in one another's immediate vicinity
mass
a number of people who share an interest in a specific idea or issue but who are not in one another's immediate vicinity
dominant emotion
publicly expressed feeling perceived by participants and observers as the most prominent in an episode of collective behavior
aggregates
people who are at the same place at the same time but share little else in common
casual crowds
are relatively large gatherings of people who happen to be in the same place at the same time. Ex: people in the mall or a subway car
conventional crowds
made up of people who come together for a scheduled event and thus share a common focus. Ex: religious ceremonies, graduations, concerts, lectures
expressive crowds
provide opportunities for the expression of some strong emotion. Ex: worshippers in a religious ceremony, mourners
acting crowd
collectives so intensely focused on a specific purpose or object that they may erupt into violent or destructive behavior. Ex: mobs, riots, and panics
mob
a highly emotional crowd whose members engage in, or are ready to engage in, violence against a specific target - a person, category of people, or physical property
riot
violent crowd behavior that is fueled by deep-seated emotions but not directed at one specific target
panic
a form of crowd behavior that occurs when a large number of people react to a real or preceived threat with strong emotions and self-destructive behavior
protest crowds
engage in activities intended to achieve specifc political goals. Ex: marches and strikes
civil disobedience
nonviolent action that seeks to change a policy or law by refusing to comply with it
contagion theory
focuses on the social-psychological aspects of collective behavior; attempts to explain how moods, attitudes, and behavior are communicated rapidly and why they are accepted by others
circular reaction
the interactive communication between persons such that teh discontent of one person is communicated to another who in turn reflects the discontent back to the first person
convergence theory
focuses on the shared emotions, goals, and beliefs that many people may bring to crowd behavior
emergent norm theory
emphasizes the importance of social norms in shaping crowd behavior
mass behavior
collective behavior that takes place when people (who often are geographically separated from one another) respond to the same event in much the same way
rumors
unsubstantiated reports on an issue or subject
gossip
refers to rumors aboutthe personal lives of individuals
mass hysteria
a form of dispersed collective behavior that occurs when a large number of people react with strong emotions and self destructive behavior to a real or perceived threat
fad
a temporary but widely copied activity enthusiastically followed by large numbers of people
fashion
a currently valued style, behavior, thinking, or appearance
public opinion
consists of the attitudes and beliefs communicated by ordinary citizens to decision makers
propaganda
information provided by individuals or groups that have a vested interest in furthering their own cause or damaging an opposing one
social movement
an organized group that acts consciously to promote or resist change through collective action
reform movements
seek to improve society by changing some specific aspect of the social structure
revolutionary movements
seek to bring about a total change in society
religious/expressive movements
concerned with renovating or renewing people through inner change
millenarian
forecast that the end is near and assert that an immediate change in behavior is imperative
alternative movements
movements that seek limited change in some aspect of people's behavior
resistance/regressive movements
seek to prevent change or to undo change that has already occurred
preliminary stage
widespread unrest is present as people begin to become aware of a problem
coalescence stage
people begin to organize and to publicize the problem
institutionalization stage
an organizational structure develops and a paid staff begins to lead the group
relative deprivation
the discontent that people may feel when they compare their achievements with those of similarly situated persons and find that they have less than they think they deserve
unfulfilled rising expectations
newly raised hopes of a better lifestyle that are not fulfilled as rapidly as the people expected or are not realized at all
resource mobilization theory
focuses on the ability of members of a social movement to acquire resources and mobilize people in order to advance their cause
diagnostic framing
identifies the problem and attributes blame or causality to some group or entity so that the social movement has a target for its actions
prognostic framing
pinpoints possible solutions or remedies based on the target previously identified
motivational framing
provides a vocabulary of motives that compel people to take action
frame alignment
the linking together of interpretive orientations of individuals and social movement organizations so that there is congruence between individuals' interests, beliefs, and values and the movement's ideologies, goals, and activities
frame bridging
the process by which movement organizations reach individuals who already share the same world view as the organization
frame amplification
occurs when movements appeal to deeply held values and beliefs in the general population and link those to movement issues so that people's preexisting value commitments serve as a "hook" that can be used to recruit them
frame transformation
the process whereby the creation and maintenance of new values, beliefs, and meanings induce movement participation by redefining activities and evnets in such a manner that people believe they must become involved in collective action
new social movement theory
looks at a diverse array of collective actions and the manner in which those actions are based in politics, ideology, and culture
ecofeminism
based on the belief taht patriacrhy is a root cause of environmental problems
environmental racism
the belief that a disproportionate number of hazardous facilities (including industries such as waste disposal/treatment and chemical plants) are placed in low-income areas populated primarily by people of color
infrastructure
a framework of support systems, such as transportation and utilities, that makes it possible to have specific land uses (commercial, residential, and recreational) and a built environment (buildings, houses, highways, and such) in order to aid people's da