social change
The altercation, modification, or transformation of public policy, culture, or social institutions over time.
collective behavior
Voluntary, often spontaneous activity that is engaged in by a large number of people and typically violates dominant-group norms and values.
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 vicinty.
dominant emotion
The "publicly expressed feeling perceived by participants and observers as the most prominent in an episode of collective behavior.
aggregates
A collection of people who happen to be in the same place at the same time but who share little else in common.
casual crowds
Relatively large gatherings of people who happen to be in the same place at the same time.
acting crowds
Collectivities so intensely focused on a specific purpose or object that they may erupt into violent or destructive behavior.
mob
A highly emotional crowd whose members engage in, or are ready to engage in, violence against a specific target; a person, a category of people, or physical property.
riot
Violent crowd behavior that is fueled by deep-seated emotions but is 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 perceived threat with strong emotions and self-destructive behavior.
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; it attempts to explain how moods, attitudes, and behavior are communicated rapidly and why they are accepted by others.
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.
rumor
An unsubstantiated report on an issue or subject.
gossip
Rumors about the 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 of behavior, thinking, or appearance.
public opinion
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.
relative deprivation theory
The theory that people who are satisfied with their present condition are less likely to seek social change. Relative deprivation refers to the discontent that people may feel when they compare their achievements with those of similarly situated persons a
value-add theory
The assumption that certain conditions are necessary for the development of a social movement.
resource mobilization theory
The ability of members of a social movement to acquire resources and mobilize people in order to advance their cause.
social constructionist theory
Based on the assumption that a social movement is an interactive, symbolically defined, and negotiated process that involves participants, opponents, and bystanders.
frame analysis
Suggests that our interpretation of the particulars of events and activities is dependent on the framework from which we perceive them.
political opportunity theory
Based on the assumption that social protests that take place outside of mainstream political institutions are deeply intertwined with more conventional political activities that take place inside these institutions.
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.