1. Collective Behavior & Social Movements
Sociology, Tenth Edition

2. 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
Sociology, Tenth Edition

3. Studying Collective Behavior
Collective behavior is wide-ranging
So many variables to take into account
Collective behavior is complex
The possible questions and answers are so numerous
Much of collective behavior is transitory
Things arise and dissipate quickly
Sociology, Tenth Edition

4. Sociology, Tenth Edition
Collectivity
A large number of people whose minimal interaction occurs in the absence of well-defined and conventional norms
Two types
Localized – people in physical proximity to one another
Dispersed or mass behavior – people who influence one another even though SEPERATED by great distances
Sociology, Tenth Edition

5. How 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 whose members often share a common identity
Collectives generate weak and unconventional norms
Mobs often destroy and act spontaneously
Sociology, Tenth Edition

6. Sociology, Tenth Edition
Crowds A Temporary Gathering of People Who Share a Common Focus of Attention and Whose Members Influence One Another
HERBERT BLUMMER IDENTIFIED 4 TYPES, WE ADD A 5TH
A CASUAL CROWD: PEOPLE ON A BEACH
LOOSE COLLECTION OF PEOPLE WHO INTERACT VERY LITTLE
A CONVENTIONAL CROWD: A COLLEGE CLASSROOM
RESULTS FROM DELIBERATE PLANNING NORMALLY CONFORMING TO CULTURAL NORMS
AN EXPRESSIVE CROWD: A CHURCH SERVICE
AROUND AN EVENT WITH EMOTIONAL APPEAL
AN ACTING CROWD: PEOPLE FLEEING FROM A FIRE
COLLECTIVITY FUELED BY AN INTENSE, SINGLE-MINDED PURPOSE
A PROTEST CROWD: A COLLEGE STUDENT SIT-IN
PEOPLE ENGAGE IN A VARIETY OF ACTIONS, INCLUDING STRIKES AND BOYCOTTS
Sociology, Tenth Edition

7. When Acting Crowds Turn Violent
Mob
A highly emotional crowd that pursues a violent or DISTRUCTIVE goal
Lynch mob
Riots
A social REUPTION that is highly emotional, violent & undirected
Watts, south central, after a LAKERS championship
Sociology, Tenth Edition

8. Theories of Crowd Behavior
Gustave le Bon’s contagion theory
Crowds exert hypnotic influence over their members, people surrender to a “collective mind” its members rid themselves of inhibitions and act out and the crowd assumes a life of its own
Critical evaluation
Crowd actions result from the intentions and decisions of specific individuals
Not necessarily irrational
Sociology, Tenth Edition

9. Theories of Crowd Behavior
Convergence theory
Motivations are brought to the crowd by the individual members, not vice versa
Crowds amount to a convergence of like-minded people
The crowd doesn’t generate the action, but rather the members themselves stimulate the action of the crowd
Example: neighborhood groups concerned about crime and want to do something about it
Critical evaluation
Some people do things in a crowd that they would not have the courage to do alone
Crows can intensify a sentiment simply by creating a critical mass of like-minded people
Sociology, Tenth Edition

10. Theories of Crowd Behavior
Turner & Killian’s emergent-norm theory
People in crowds have mixed interests
In less stable crowds (expressive, acting, and protest), norms may be vague or changing one does something and others jump on the “bandwagon” people in crowds make their own rules as they go along
Critical evaluation
A symbolic-interaction approach that POINST out that POEOLE in a crowd take on different roles
Sociology, Tenth Edition

11. Sociology, Tenth Edition
Mass Behavior
Collective behavior among people dispersed over a wide geographical area
Types include
Rumor and gossip
Public opinion
Propaganda
Panic and mass hysteria
Fads and fashions
Sociology, Tenth Edition

12. Sociology, Tenth Edition
Rumor and Gossip
Rumor – unsubstantiated information people spread informally, often by word of mouth
Rumor thrives in a climate of ambiguity
Rumor is unstable
Rumor is difficult to stop
Gossip – is rumor about the personal affairs of others
Gossip concerns a small circle of people
Rumors spread widely, but gossip is more localized
Can be used to praise or scorn someone
Can be used to raise one’s standing or keep others in their place
Sociology, Tenth Edition

13. 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
Sociology, Tenth Edition

14. Sociology, Tenth Edition
Panic & Mass Hysteria
Panic
A form of localized collective behavior by which people react to a perceived threat or other stimulus with irrational, frantic, and often self-destructive behavior
Mass hysteria
A form of dispersed collective behavior by which people respond to a real or imagined event often with irrational and even frantic fear and often self-destructive behavior
Sociology, Tenth Edition

15. Sociology, Tenth Edition
Fashions and Fads
Fashions
A social pattern favored for a time by a large number of people
Fashion characterizes all forms of art
Traditional style gives way to changing fashion
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
Sociology, Tenth Edition

16. 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
Sociology, Tenth Edition

17. Figure 23-2 Four Types of Social Movements
Sociology, Tenth Edition

18. Theories of Social Movements
Deprivation Theory
Social movements arise among people who feel deprived
Result of experiencing relative deprivation – a perceived disadvantage arising from some specific comparison
Critical evaluation
Why do social movements arise among some groups and not others
Theory suffers from circular reasoning
Focuses exclusively on the cause telling us little about movements themselves
Sociology, Tenth Edition

19. Figure 23-3 Relative Deprivation and Social Movements
Sociology, Tenth Edition

20. Theories of Social Movements
Wm. Kornhauser’s Mass-Society Theory
Social movements attract socially isolated people who feel personally insignificant.
Movements are personal as ell as political, giving people with week social ties a sense of purpose and belonging
Critical evaluation
Gives no clear standard fro measuring the extent to which we live in a mass society
Belittles the social justice issue suggesting it is flawed people not flawed society that are responsible
Research is mixed on support of theory
Sociology, Tenth Edition

21. Theories of Social Movements
Neil Smelser’s Structural-Strain Theory
Six factors encouraging social movement
Structural conduciveness
Arise out of perceptions of problems
Structural strain
Experiencing relative deprivation
Growth and spread of an explanation
Making clear reasons and solutions for suffering
Sociology, Tenth Edition

22. Theories of Social Movements
Neil Smelser’s Structural-Strain Theory
Six factors encouraging social movement (cont.)
Precipitating factors
Specific events give rise to collection action
Mobilization for action
Action stage; Protest and rallies
Lack of social control
Quick, harsh response, or giving the “green light” for change?
Critical evaluation
Same circular arguments as Kornhauser’s theory
Overlooks important role of resources, mass media and international alliances
Sociology, Tenth Edition

23. Theories of Social Movements
Resource-Mobilization Theory
No social movement is likely to succeed or even get off the ground without substantial resources
Money
Human labor
Offices and communication facilities
Access to mass media
Critical evaluation
Powerless can promote change if they are organized an have committed members
Overstates the extent to which powerful people are willing to challenge the status quo
Sociology, Tenth Edition

24. Theories of Social Movements
Cultural Theory
The people in any particular situation are likely to mobilize to form a social movement only to the extent that they develop shared understandings of the world that legitimate and motivate collective action
Critical evaluation
Does not address how and when powerful cultural symbols turn people from supporting the system toward protest
Sociology, Tenth Edition

25. Theories of Social Movements
New Social Movements Theory
Emphasizes the distinctive futures of recent social movements in postindustrial societies
Most of today’s movements are international
Tend to focus on cultural change and improving social and physical surroundings
Draws support from middle and upper classes
Critical Evaluation
Tends to exaggerate differences between past and present social movements
Sociology, Tenth Edition

26. 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
Sociology, Tenth Edition

27. Figure 23-4 Stages in the Lives of Social Movements
Sociology, Tenth Edition

28. Social Movements of the 21st Century
Many of the nation’s serious social woes remain unchanged.
Poor public schools, crime, size of government, race relations, cost of political campaigns, health care costs, free speech, etc.
Reasons why social movements will continue to be part of the American scene.
Protest should increase as more historically marginal groups gain a greater political voice.
Technology means people can stay current with events as they happen.
Because many problems are global in scope, only international cooperation can solve them.
Sociology, Tenth Edition