Transcript Collective Behavior and Social Movements

Chapter 17, Sections 1 and 2
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Limited interaction– brief, sometimes nonexistent.
Unclear norms– no widely understood
guidelines.
Limited unity– lack of similar desired goals.
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Crowds
Mobs
Riots
Panics
Mass hysteria
Fashion
Fads
Rumors
Urban legends
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Public opinion= refers to the collection of
attitudes that members of a public have on
a given issue.
 Propaganda= an organized and deliberate
attempt to shape public opinion.
▪ Most effective way to influence the way that people
think.
▪ Can be used negatively or positively.
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Catagion theory= hypnotic power of a
crowd encourages people to give up
individuality to the stronger pull of the
group.
 Gustave LeBon
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Factors giving power to crowds:
 Individuals gain anonymity
 Spread of emotion is rapid and contagious
 Members are suggestible.
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Emergent-Norm Theory= traditional norms
do not apply; with no clear standards,
individuals wait for a leader to emerge and
instill norms.
 Ralph Turner and Lewis Killian
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Value-added theory= 6 basic principles;
these principles build upon one another. The
more preconditions/principles that are
present, the greater the likelihood of a
collective behavior occurring.
 Each condition present beforehand adds value, or
likelihood to the collective behavior.
 Neil Smelser
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Goal of a social movement is to change
society
 Reactionary movement= reverse current social
trends.
▪ Re-emergence of the KKK in 1950s/1960s
 Conservative movement= protect society’s
prevailing values from the threat of change.
▪ Religious movements– protecting traditional family
values.
 Revisionary movement= improve or revise some
part of society.
▪ Women’s suffrage movement of 1900s.
 Revolutionary movement= total and radical
change of existing social structure.
▪ American Revolution, Bolshevik Revolution, Castro’s
revolution in Cuba
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Four stages identified by Malcolm Spector and
John Kitsuse (example w/labor movements)
 Agitation
▪ Belief that a problem exists (low pay, harsh working
conditions)
 Legitimation
▪ There is support for this movement (labor unions receive
recognition)
 Bureaucratization
▪ Ranked structure of authority (labor unions have increased
number, elect leaders)
 Institutionalization
▪ Established part of society (labor unions now resist attempts
to change their structure)
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Relative Deprivation Theory
 People join because they feel deprived of what
they feel they deserve.
 Seek to gain what they lack, but that others have.
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Resource-Mobilization Theory
 Organization and effective use of resources is
necessary to have a social movement.
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Both theories can be applied to a social
movement.
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Think of a social movement that has shaped
history– world or U.S.
On a sheet of paper, clearly identify the four ‘life
cycles’ of this movement.
Possible examples:
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Civil Rights movement
Women’s rights movement
Religious movements
Progressive movement
Awareness movement