Collective Behavior & Social Movements

1. Course : Intro to sociology
Chapter # 25:
Collective Behavior & Social
Movements
By,
Sumaira Aslam
Lecturer, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan

2. Collective Behavior
DEFINITION:
“activity involving a large number of
people, often spontaneous, and
sometimes controversial is called
collective behavior”.

3. Characteristics Of Collective Behavior
1. Temporary in nature
2. Not regulated by any set of rules
3. Unpredictable
4. No prior planning
5. Irresponsible manner
6. Unusual in nature
7. Based on rumors & misinformation
generally

4. Forms Of Collective Behavior
1. Crowd Behavior
2. Mass Behavior
3. Public And Public Opinion

5. 1. Crowd Behavior
Crowd:
“Temporary collection of people”
Crowd Behavior:
“Behavior of temporary collection of people
together to stimuli”
Example: A group of passengers forming A
crowd near A roadside on the highway when
the driver stops the bus for light refreshment.

6. 2. Mass Behavior
A mass is not the same as crowd
Mass:
“ Relatively large number of persons, spatially
dispersed and anonymous, reacting to one or
more of the same stimuli but acting individually
without regard for one another”
Mass Behavior:
“unorganized, unstructured , uncoordinated,
individually chosen behavior of mass”

7. Continued………………………………..
Example:
The spectators at hockey game are a
crowd
Those watching game at home on
televisions are mass.
So, many people acting individually rather
than as group, move in the same
direction is known as mass behavior.

8. 3. Public & Public Opinion
The public:
“An unorganized aggregation of persons.”
 A public has three opinion;
1. Existence of a problem
2. Discussion on the problem by the people
3. Attempting to form collective opinion on its solution
 Generally:
The opinions differ among the people

9. Public Opinion
“Public opinion consists of the views of the
members of public on a certain issue”
Definitions by Horton & hunt;
1. An opinion held by a substantial number of
people.
2. The dominant opinion among a population.

10. Social Movement
It is one of the major form of collective behavior
Definition
“A social movement is a collective effort to
promote or resist change ”

11. Characteristics Of Social Movements
1. Collective action
2. Oriented towards social change
3. Ideology behind the movement