LAST MIN SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

 What is collective behaviour

Collective Behaviour in Simple Terms:
Collective behaviour is when a group of people behaves in a similar way. It happens in situations
where normal rules and authority don't provide guidance. For example, a religious gathering is a
form of collective behaviour. It can lead to social unrest, and sometimes, new norms or widely
accepted ideas emerge from it.
Some key points about collective behaviour:
It occurs occasionally, not regularly.
There are no specific rules governing it.
It is often guided by strong emotions like beliefs, hopes, fears, or hatred.
It's unpredictable.
Social life is usually stable, but collective behaviour introduces change. It often happens during crises,
and movements or revolutions can be forms of collective behaviour. There are different types, like
crowds and mobs. Crowds can be stable or turn into mobs, especially in stressful situations. For
instance, people might gather during a road accident. Overall, collective behaviour is a way society
deals with change and uncertainty.

 What is mass society

Understanding Mass Society:
Mass society is marked by rationality, impersonal relationships, extreme role specialization, and a
sense of loneliness despite a concentration of large numbers. Modern cities, with millions of people,
witness a reduction in personal contacts, leading to feelings of insecurity and loneliness. To address
these challenges, individuals often engage in voluntary organizations, clubs, and ashrams.
In mass society, suggestion, persuasion, and propaganda play common roles (Young, 1948). The
desire for crowd contacts in such societies can lead to both rational and irrational behaviors. While
technological progress and impersonality are rational aspects, the sense of insecurity and loneliness
may drive individuals to irrational actions. The prevalence of propaganda and advertisements further
contributes to the complexity of mass society, where a blend of rational and irrational elements
coexists.

 What is audience
Understanding Audience:
An audience is a polarized crowd gathering in one place, indicating mental unity. There are two
types: casual and scheduled. Casual audiences form spontaneously, like watching a street quarrel,
while scheduled audiences assemble in specific places like lecture or cinema halls.
In audience situations, various psychological processes occur:
Interaction with Speaker/Actor: Interaction happens between the audience and the speaker/actor.
Interaction Among Audience Members: Audience members interact among themselves.
Audience aims include seeking facts, interpretations, emotional appeals, and sometimes, engaging in
conversation. For performers like musicians, building rapport with the audience is crucial for
appreciation. If unfavorable, it can turn aggressive. Group activities, like singing, break down
individual isolation, eliminate social differences, and foster shared emotions and feelings

 WHATS A MOB
Understanding Mob Behavior:
A mob is characterized by members displaying similar feelings, thoughts, and actions, regardless of
differences in education, occupation, or intelligence. The members focus on a common object and
react collectively, often with heightened emotions like anger, fear, or joy. Mob behavior can be
irrational, intolerant, and fickle-minded, diminishing the sense of responsibility among individuals.
Common Features of Mob Behavior:
Diminished Sense of Responsibility: Mob members tend to act irresponsibly.
Aggressive Actions: Aggressive mobs may engage in destructive behaviors, attacking objects or
individuals.
Reduced Autonomy: Individuals may lose their sense of autonomy and become part of the mob.
Three Interaction Mechanisms in Mob Behavior:
Suggestion: Influence from others within the mob.
Imitation: Copying behaviors observed in the mob.
Sympathy: Sharing emotions with others in the mob.
Mob behavior is complex, influenced by various factors including individual predispositions and
situational characteristics. It is shaped by a combination of past and present factors, both social and
individual in nature.

 WHATS FASHION
Fashion Fashion is an important example of collective action and it is common with crowd
behaviour. Fashion is a variation that is permissible within limits of custom. Fashion as well as
fads and crases are based on the desire for change, the desire for something new. There is a
psychological reaction and it is outgrowth of emotional and irrational tendencies. It can further
be said that fashion sometimes furnishes the desire of conformity, security and social solidarity.
Social movements are collective efforts to change the society. Some movements are local, some
are national and others are international. The term ‘collective behaviour’ is now used as
‘audience behaviour’, ‘mob behaviour’, ‘social movement’ etc