Collective Behavior & Social Movements Macionis, Sociology, 12th Edition, Chapter Twenty-three

Studying Collective Behavior Social movements Organized activities that encourage or discourage social change Collective behavior Activities involving a large number of people, often spontaneous, and typically in violation of established social norms

Collectives Differ From Groups Collectives are based on limited social interaction Interaction in mobs is limited and temporary Collectives have no clear social boundaries Little sense of unity compared to social groups Collectives generate weak and unconventional norms Mobs often destroy and act spontaneously

Crowds People Who Share a Common Focus of Attention and Whose Members Influence One Another A Casual Crowd: People On A Beach A Conventional Crowd: A College Classroom An Expressive Crowd: A Church Service An Acting Crowd: People Fleeing From A Fire A Protest Crowd: A College Student Sit-in

When Acting Crowds Turn Violent Mob A highly emotional crowd that pursues a violent or destructive goal Lynch mob Riots A social eruption that is highly emotional, violent & undirected Watts, south central, after a LAKERS championship

Public Opinion & Propaganda Public opinion – widespread attitudes about controversial issues On any given issue from 2–10% of Americans report they hold no opinion Is this due to ignorance or indifference? Not everyone’s opinion carries the same weight Experts in a field Propaganda– information presented with the intention of shaping public opinion Thin line between information and propaganda Not all propaganda is false

Fashions and Fads Fashions A pattern favored for a time by a large number of people Fashion characterizes all forms of art Can trickle down through less expensive copies THORSTEIN VEBLEN’S conspicuous consumption – people buying expensive products simply to show-off their wealth Fads An unconventional social pattern that people embrace briefly but enthusiastically Sometimes called crazes

Kai Erikson’s Research (2005) The social consequences of disasters of all types: 1) disasters cause damage to human community. 2) social damage is more serious when an event involves some toxic substance. 3) the social damage is most serious when the disaster is caused by the actions of others.

Types of Social Movements Social Movements – an organized activity that encourages or discourages social change Alternative Least threatening, limited change for a limited number of members Example: planned parenthood Redemptive Selective focus, radical change Example: some religious organizations Reformative Limited social change that targets all members of society Example: equal rights amendment movement Revolutionary The most severe, striving for basic transformation of society Example: ultra-conservative political movements

Stages of Social Movements Stage one: emergence Perception that something is wrong Stage two: coalescence Defining itself and “going public” Stage three: bureaucratization Organizing rationally to get job done Stage four: decline Is the movement in need of regrouping or is it simply time for its demise? Reasons: Signals success has been reached Signals organizational problems (leadership, etc.) Leadership sells out to other interests Demise may result from state-sponsored repression

Figure 23-2 (p. 624) Stages in the Lives of Social Movements Social Movements typically go through four stages. The last is decline, which may occur for any of five reasons.

“Write the bad things that are done to you in the sand, but write the good things that happen to you on a piece of marble.” – Arabian Parable