Transcript CROWD PSYCHOLOGY

Myths of Crowd Psychology
A myth is a story that we believe in, although
there is actually no basis or evidence for
believing in it.
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HOW DO YOU imagine a crowd of people - say at a
concert, a sporting event or a demonstration?
If you picture an irrational, spontaneous, suggestible,
emotional and even potentially dangerous group then
you are in good company.
Sociologists have found that this view of crowds is
promoted by many authors of introductory sociology
textbooks..
Despite these beliefs both in sociology textbooks and in
the general public, the actual evidence does not
support it. Crowds are not the many-armed destructive
monsters of the popular or even fascist imagination
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If you picture an irrational, spontaneous,
suggestible, emotional and even potentially
dangerous group then you are in good
company
Despite these beliefs both in sociology
textbooks and in the general public, the actual
evidence does not support it. Crowds are not
the many-armed destructive monsters of the
popular or even fascist imagination
Despite these beliefs both in sociology
textbooks and in the general public, the
actual evidence does not support it.
So now we have learnt that it is not dangerous
to be part of a crowd.
Let’s look at some of the “myths” which cause
people to believe that it is dangerous.
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The most common myth about crowds is that they are
spontaneous, or worse, that they are hotbeds of
violence, with complete chaos only a few ill-judged
jostles away.
Research into crowd violence does not support this.
One study of riots shows that violence is normally
related to the presence of two opposing factions. Mixed
crowds - which are the norm - are in fact usually
peaceful and only engage in stereotypical crowdbehavior, e.g. whistling and clapping, face-painting,
singing and shouting depending on the occasion.
In reality most people will go to almost any length to
avoid actual violence, whether they are in a crowd or
not.
2. Crowds are suggestible
The idea that people in crowds have heightened
suggestibility is also a relatively common myth. People
are said to copy each other, looking for a leader, being
open to others' suggestion about how they should
behave, perhaps resulting from a lack of social structure.
Schweingruber and Wohlstein simply find no research
to back up this claim. If there is some truth to the idea
that people in crowds are suggestible, no one has
managed to demonstrate it empirically. One scholar has
asked why, if crowds are so suggestible, they don't
disperse when asked to do so by an authority figure.
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The idea that people in crowds have heightened
suggestibility is also a relatively common myth.
People are said to copy each other, looking for a
leader, being open to others' suggestion about how
they should behave, perhaps resulting from a lack
of social structure.
Schweingruber and Wohlstein simply find no
research to back up this claim. If there is some
truth to the idea that people in crowds are
suggestible, no one has managed to demonstrate it
empirically.
Crowds are irrational
 One type of irrationality frequently attributed to
crowds is panic. Faced by emergency situations people
are thought to suddenly behave like selfish animals,
trampling others in the scramble to escape.
 A long line of research into the way people behave in
real emergency situations does not support this idea.
Two examples are studies on underground evacuations
and the rapid, orderly way in which people evacuated
the World Trade Center after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Many lives were saved that day because people
resisted the urge to panic. Resisting the urge to
irrationality, or panic, is the norm.
Crowds are irrational
One type of irrationality frequently
attributed to crowds is panic. Faced by
emergency situations people are thought to
suddenly behave like selfish animals, trampling
others in the scramble to escape.
A long line of research into the way people
behave in real emergency situations does not
support this idea. Two examples are studies
on underground evacuations and the
rapid, orderly way in which people
evacuated the World Trade Center after
the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Many lives were
saved that day because people resisted the
urge to panic. Resisting the urge to
irrationality, or panic, is the norm.
Crowds are irrational
One type of irrationality frequently
attributed to crowds is panic. Faced by
emergency situations people are thought
to suddenly behave like selfish animals,
trampling others in the scramble to escape.
A long line of research into the way people
behave in real emergency situations does
not support this idea. Two examples are
studies on underground station and the
orderly, rapid way in which people
evacuated the World Trade Center after
the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Many lives were
saved that day because people resisted the
urge to panic. Resisting the urge to
irrationality, or panic, is the norm.
Crowds increase anonymity
A less common myth, but still popular is the idea
that people become more anonymous when they are
in a crowd. This anonymity is said to feed into
spontaneity and even destructiveness, helping to
make crowds violent, dangerous places in which
society's laws are transgressed.
Everyday experience, though, is that people usually
travel in groups, with their family or friends, and so
are not anonymous at all. Research confirms this, for
example one study from the 70s found that most
people at a football match were with one or more
friends. Later research has repeated this finding.
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Everyday experience, though, is that people usually
travel in groups, with their family or friends, and so
are not anonymous at all. Research confirms this,
for example one study from the 70s found that
most people at a football match were with one
or more friends. Later research has repeated
this finding
Crowds are particularly emotional; true or false? Support
your answer from the text.
Crowds are emotional
Less widespread this myth - nevertheless crowds are
thought by some to be particularly emotional. It is argued
that increased emotionality is linked to irrationality and
perhaps violence.
Modern psychological research, though, doesn't see the
emotions as separate to decision-making, but rather as an
integral part. To talk about an 'emotional crowd' as opposed
to a 'rational crowd', therefore, doesn't make sense. People
in crowds make their decisions with input from their
emotions, just as they do when they're not in a crowd
Crowds are emotional
Less widespread this myth - nevertheless crowds are
thought by some to be particularly emotional. It is
argued that increased emotionality is linked to
irrationality and perhaps violence.
Modern psychological research, though, doesn't see the
emotions as separate to decision-making, but rather as an
integral part. To talk about an 'emotional crowd' as
opposed to a 'rational crowd', therefore, doesn't make
sense. People in crowds make their decisions with
input from their emotions, just as they do when
they're not in a crowd
. Crowds are destructive
The least common myth in the sociology
textbooks, but quite a strong cultural
stereotype of crowds, is that they are
destructive. This is closely related to the
myth of spontaneity and is often connected
to violence.
Again Schweingruber and Wohlstein find
that the research shows violence in crowds
is extremely rare. And what violence does
occur is normally carried out by a small
minority - these are the people that make it
onto the news.
Crowds are destructive
The least common myth in the sociology textbooks,
but quite a strong cultural stereotype of crowds, is
that they are destructive. This is closely related to
the myth of spontaneity and is often connected to
violence.
Again Schweingruber and Wohlstein find that the
research shows violence in crowds is extremely rare.
And what violence does occur is normally carried out by
a small minority - these are the people that make it onto
the news.
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1.Crowds are violent – no they are not!
2. Crowds are suggestible - don’t seem to be!
3. Crowds are irrational – not according to what
we read.
4. Crowds increase anonymity – says who?
5. Crowds are emotional – don’t you believe it!
6. Crowds are destructive – that is not what the
evidence claims.
Let’s hope that any terrible stories
you have heard about the final
exam also turn out to be myths!
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Let’s hope that any terrible stories you have
heard about the final exam also turn out to be
myths!