sociology, tenth edition collective behavior & social movements
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Sociology, Tenth Edition
Collective Behavior & Social Movements
Sociology, Tenth Edition
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
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
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
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
CrowdsCrowdsA 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
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
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
Theories of Crowd Behavior
• Convergence theory– Motivations are brought to the crowd by the individual Motivations are brought to the crowd by the individual
members, not vice versamembers, 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Figure 23-2 Four Types of Social Movements
Sociology, Tenth Edition
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
Figure 23-3 Relative
Deprivation and Social Movements
Sociology, Tenth Edition
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
Theories of Social Movements
• Neil Smelser’s Structural-Strain Theory• Six factors encouraging social movement
1. Structural conducivenessArise out of perceptions of problems
2. Structural strainExperiencing relative deprivation
3. Growth and spread of an explanationMaking clear reasons and solutions for suffering
Sociology, Tenth Edition
Theories of Social Movements• Neil Smelser’s Structural-Strain Theory• Six factors encouraging social movement
(cont.)4. Precipitating factors
Specific events give rise to collection action
5. Mobilization for actionAction stage; Protest and rallies
6. Lack of social controlQuick, 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
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
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
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
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
Figure 23-4 Stages in the Lives of Social Movements
Sociology, Tenth Edition
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.
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