Collective Behaviour, Social Movements, and Social Change Chapter Twenty.

Collective Behaviour, Social Collective Behaviour, Social Movements, and Social ChangeMovements, and Social Change

Chapter TwentyChapter Twenty

The QuestionThe Question

What would you do if you believed that injustice What would you do if you believed that injustice was being committed?was being committed?

If something you fundamentally believed in was If something you fundamentally believed in was being destroyed?being destroyed?

What actions would you take?What actions would you take? What power do you think you have?What power do you think you have? What is your moral responsibility?What is your moral responsibility? Would you go out of your way to make your Would you go out of your way to make your

community better for others?community better for others?

man in tiananmen square 1989

Buddhist monk Buddhist monk protest South protest South Vietnamese Vietnamese governments governments prohibition of prohibition of

Buddhists Buddhists religious religious

practices 1963practices 1963

OutlineOutline

Collective BehaviourCollective Behaviour Social MovementsSocial Movements Social Movement TheoriesSocial Movement Theories Social Change in the FutureSocial Change in the Future

Collective BehaviourCollective Behaviour

Conditions for Collective BehaviourConditions for Collective Behaviour Dynamics of Collective BehaviourDynamics of Collective Behaviour DistinctionsDistinctions Types of Crowd BehaviourTypes of Crowd Behaviour Explanations of Crowd BehaviourExplanations of Crowd Behaviour Mass BehaviourMass Behaviour

Collective BehaviourCollective Behaviour

DefinedDefined: Voluntary, often spontaneous : Voluntary, often spontaneous activity that is engaged in by a large number activity that is engaged in by a large number of people and typically violates dominant of people and typically violates dominant group norms and values group norms and values

Contrast to organizational behaviourContrast to organizational behaviour ExamplesExamples: social protests against social : social protests against social

problemsproblems

Conditions for Collective Conditions for Collective BehaviourBehaviour

CollectivityCollectivity: a relatively large number of : a relatively large number of people who mutually transcend, bypass, or people who mutually transcend, bypass, or subvert established institutional patterns and subvert established institutional patterns and structuresstructures

ConditionsConditions::– TimingTiming– Breakdown in social control mechanismBreakdown in social control mechanism– Structural factors that increase likelihood of a Structural factors that increase likelihood of a

type of responsetype of response

Factors of the Likelihood of Collective Behaviour

Likelihood of Collective Behaviour

Structural Factors

Timing

Break down of social Control

Dynamics of Collective Dynamics of Collective BehaviourBehaviour

Acting outside of established normsActing outside of established norms Need of immediate communicationNeed of immediate communication Attitudes: individual tend to have attitudes Attitudes: individual tend to have attitudes

about something but do not do anything about something but do not do anything about itabout it

Why collectively and not individually?Why collectively and not individually?– Strength in numbersStrength in numbers

DistinctionsDistinctions

CrowdsCrowds Defined: a relatively Defined: a relatively

large number of large number of people who are in one people who are in one another’s immediate another’s immediate vicinityvicinity

MassesMasses Defined: a large Defined: a large

number of people who number of people who share an interest in a share an interest in a specific idea or issue specific idea or issue but are not in one but are not in one another’s immediate another’s immediate vicinityvicinity

Casual and Conventional

Causal: large; happen to be in one place at one

time

Conventional: those who come together for a

scheduled event

Expressive and Acting Crowds

Expressive: Come together to express a strong emotions

Acting: intense and violent

Mob: a highly emotional crowd who are violent against a person, groups or places

Riot: violent crowds with no target

Panic: when people react to a real or perceived threat

Protest

Not violent;

may take the form of

civil disobedience

(Martin Luther

King Jr)

Types of Crowd BehaviourTypes of Crowd Behaviour

Theories of Crowd BehaviourTheories of Crowd Behaviour

Contagion TheoryContagion Theory Social unrest and circular reactionSocial unrest and circular reaction Convergence TheoryConvergence Theory Emergent Norm TheoryEmergent Norm Theory

Contagion Theory Contagion Theory

Gustave Le Bon (1841-1931)Gustave Le Bon (1841-1931) people feel vulnerable and, with anonymity, people feel vulnerable and, with anonymity,

the crowd transforms people from being the crowd transforms people from being rational to being irrational and with a rational to being irrational and with a common mind common mind

You will do things in a crowd that you would You will do things in a crowd that you would never deem appropriate to do on your ownnever deem appropriate to do on your own

Social unrest and circular Social unrest and circular reactionreaction

Robert Parks wanted to understand how are Robert Parks wanted to understand how are traditional cultural rules broken by Crowd traditional cultural rules broken by Crowd Behaviour?Behaviour?

Social unrest is transmitted by a process of Social unrest is transmitted by a process of circular reaction—discontent is passed to circular reaction—discontent is passed to others and then returns again from whence others and then returns again from whence it beganit began

Convergence theoryConvergence theory

the shared emotions, goals, and beliefs the shared emotions, goals, and beliefs many people bring to crowd behaviour. many people bring to crowd behaviour. These shared elements bring people These shared elements bring people togethertogether

Applied to lynch mobs and environmental Applied to lynch mobs and environmental protestsprotests

Emergent Norm TheoryEmergent Norm Theory

The vitality of social norms in shaping crowd The vitality of social norms in shaping crowd behaviourbehaviour

The behaviour is not purely random and The behaviour is not purely random and irrationalirrational

Example: the Los Angeles riots of 1992 Example: the Los Angeles riots of 1992 purposively targeted Korean businessespurposively targeted Korean businesses

Meaning and norms are redefined by the Meaning and norms are redefined by the crowd.crowd.

Mass BehaviourMass Behaviour

DefinedDefined:: a collective behaviour a collective behaviour

that takes place when that takes place when people respond to the people respond to the same event in much same event in much the same way (e.g., a the same way (e.g., a rock concert) even rock concert) even though they may be though they may be geographically geographically separated.separated.

Types:Types: RumoursRumours GossipGossip Mass hysteriaMass hysteria Public opinionPublic opinion FashionsFashions FadsFads PropagandaPropaganda

Mass BehaviourMass Behaviour

RumoursRumours Unsubstantiated Unsubstantiated

reports on an issue or reports on an issue or subjectsubject

GossipGossip Refers to rumours Refers to rumours

about the personal about the personal lives of otherslives of others

Mass hysteriaMass hysteria Dispersed collective Dispersed collective

behaviour that occurs behaviour that occurs when a large number when a large number of people react with of people react with strong emotions and strong emotions and self-destructive self-destructive behaviour behaviour

Mass BehaviourMass Behaviour

FadsFads Temporary but widely Temporary but widely

copied activity copied activity enthusiastically enthusiastically followed by large followed by large numbers of people. numbers of people. Short term.Short term.

FashionsFashions Currently valued style Currently valued style

of behaviour, thinking of behaviour, thinking or appearanceor appearance

Pierre Bourdieu Pierre Bourdieu believes fashion is believes fashion is one-way individuals one-way individuals can express their class can express their class differencesdifferences

Mass BehaviourMass Behaviour

Public OpinionPublic Opinion Political attitudes and Political attitudes and

beliefs communicated by beliefs communicated by ordinary citizens to ordinary citizens to decision makers.decision makers.

Where are political Where are political decisions made at the Tim decisions made at the Tim Horton’s or in the Standing Horton’s or in the Standing Committees by the Elite? Committees by the Elite?

PropagandaPropaganda Information provided Information provided

by individuals or by individuals or groups that have a groups that have a vested interest in vested interest in furthering their own furthering their own cause or damaging an cause or damaging an opposing one opposing one

Power of Persuasion Power of Persuasion

Social MovementsSocial Movements

DefinedDefined: an organized group that acts : an organized group that acts consciously to promote or resist change consciously to promote or resist change through collective action through collective action

ElementsElements::– More likely in democraciesMore likely in democracies– Help excluded groups into political processesHelp excluded groups into political processes– Rely on volunteersRely on volunteers

Types of Social MovementsTypes of Social Movements

ReformReform RevolutionaryRevolutionary ReligiousReligious AlternativeAlternative ResistanceResistance

ReformReform MovementsMovements

Movements that seek to improve societyMovements that seek to improve society Work within existing structures Work within existing structures Work to change public policy Work to change public policy Examples: labour movements, animal rightsExamples: labour movements, animal rights MADD Mothers Against Drunk Driving MADD Mothers Against Drunk Driving http://http://

www.madd.orgwww.madd.org/activism//activism/

Revolutionary Revolutionary MovementsMovements

Hope to bring about a total change in societyHope to bring about a total change in society French(1789), American (1779), or Russian French(1789), American (1779), or Russian

Revolutions (1917)Revolutions (1917) The Ithaca Buck an attempt to challenge the The Ithaca Buck an attempt to challenge the

global capitalist systemglobal capitalist system TerrorismTerrorism– – calculated unlawful use of calculated unlawful use of

physical force or threats of violence against physical force or threats of violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, organization, or individual for the government, organization, or individual for the purpose of gaining some political, religious, purpose of gaining some political, religious, economic or social objectiveeconomic or social objective

Religious MovementsReligious Movements Inner change focusInner change focus Liberation TheologyLiberation Theology: stresses the role of : stresses the role of

political action and oriented itself toward the political action and oriented itself toward the goal of political liberation from poverty and goal of political liberation from poverty and oppression. Sister Geraldine-Rossbrook House oppression. Sister Geraldine-Rossbrook House

The The Social GospelSocial Gospel movement was a prominent movement was a prominent Protestant movement in the late 19Protestant movement in the late 19 thth-20th -20th century that attempted to apply Christian century that attempted to apply Christian principles to social problems. Salvation Armyprinciples to social problems. Salvation Army

Alternative MovementsAlternative Movements

To seek limited change in some aspects of To seek limited change in some aspects of people’s lives or behaviourspeople’s lives or behaviours

Example: Example: – The Women’s Christian Temperance Union The Women’s Christian Temperance Union

to prevent the use of alcoholto prevent the use of alcohol– Vegetarianism and the organic food Vegetarianism and the organic food

movementsmovements

Resistance MovementsResistance Movements

Seek to prevent changeSeek to prevent change Example: the Pro Life Movement to Example: the Pro Life Movement to

protect the rights of the unbornprotect the rights of the unborn http://www.family.org/http://www.family.org/

Stages in Social MovementsStages in Social Movements

Preliminary stage -Preliminary stage - wide spread unrest, wide spread unrest, becoming aware of a problembecoming aware of a problem

Coalescence stageCoalescence stage – getting organized to – getting organized to publicize a problempublicize a problem

Institutionalization stageInstitutionalization stage – organizational – organizational structure develops.structure develops.

Social Movement TheoriesSocial Movement Theories

Relative DeprivationRelative Deprivation Value-AddedValue-Added Resource MobilizationResource Mobilization Social ConstructionistSocial Constructionist New Social MovementNew Social Movement

Relative DeprivationRelative Deprivation

ThemeTheme: people are not satisfied with their : people are not satisfied with their present conditionpresent condition

They may feel when they compare their They may feel when they compare their achievement with those of similarly situated achievement with those of similarly situated persons and find that they have less than persons and find that they have less than what they deservewhat they deserve

Value-AddedValue-Added

Certain conditions must be met for the Certain conditions must be met for the development of a social movement each step in development of a social movement each step in the production process adds something to the the production process adds something to the finished productfinished product

1) Structural conduciveness1) Structural conduciveness 2) Structural strain2) Structural strain 3) Spread of generalized belief3) Spread of generalized belief 4) Precipitating factors4) Precipitating factors 5) Mobilization for action5) Mobilization for action 6) Social control factors6) Social control factors

Resource MobilizationResource Mobilization

Members of a social movement gather, Members of a social movement gather, trade, use, and occasionally waste trade, use, and occasionally waste resources such as: money, members’ time, resources such as: money, members’ time, access to the media, property and access to the media, property and equipment.equipment.

Social movements do not just exist because Social movements do not just exist because of widespread unrest but because there are of widespread unrest but because there are organizations existing that make it possible organizations existing that make it possible to express social displeasure.to express social displeasure.

Social ConstructionistSocial Constructionist

A version of symbolic interactionismA version of symbolic interactionism Frame analysis from GoffmanFrame analysis from Goffman Goal: to try to isolate some of the basic Goal: to try to isolate some of the basic

frameworks of understanding available in frameworks of understanding available in our society for making sense out of events our society for making sense out of events and to analyze the special vulnerabilities to and to analyze the special vulnerabilities to which these frame of reference are subject which these frame of reference are subject (Goffman)(Goffman)

Social ConstructionistSocial Constructionist

Applied to a social movement:Applied to a social movement: A grievance needs to be presentA grievance needs to be present Then, these ways of framing it are created:Then, these ways of framing it are created:

– 1) Diagnostic framing1) Diagnostic framing– 2) Prognostic framing2) Prognostic framing– 3) Motivational framing3) Motivational framing– 4) Frame alignment4) Frame alignment

Frame alignmentFrame alignment

Framing the social issue is important to Framing the social issue is important to create a link between individual interest and create a link between individual interest and the social movement.the social movement.

Frame bridging Frame bridging Frame amplification Frame amplification Frame extensionFrame extension Frame transformationFrame transformation

New Social MovementNew Social Movement

Theme: scholars look at a diverse array of Theme: scholars look at a diverse array of collective actions and the manner in which collective actions and the manner in which these actions are based on politics, these actions are based on politics, ideology, and cultureideology, and culture

Elements:Elements:– Personal identity, race, class, gender and Personal identity, race, class, gender and

sexualitysexuality

New Social MovementNew Social Movement

– Ecofeminism- Ecofeminism- feminists that are concerns with feminists that are concerns with the environment and believe that environmental the environment and believe that environmental neglect and abuse is implicit in the patriarchal neglect and abuse is implicit in the patriarchal capitalist business model. capitalist business model.

– Environmental racismEnvironmental racism —the belief that a —the belief that a disproportionate number of hazardous facilities disproportionate number of hazardous facilities are placed in low-income areas populated are placed in low-income areas populated primarily by people of colourprimarily by people of colour

Social Change in the FutureSocial Change in the Future

Other factors besides collective behaviour Other factors besides collective behaviour and social movements contribute to change. and social movements contribute to change. They include:They include:

The Physical EnvironmentThe Physical Environment PopulationPopulation TechnologyTechnology Social InstitutionsSocial Institutions

Social Change in the FutureSocial Change in the Future

Other factors besides collective behaviour Other factors besides collective behaviour and social movements contribute to change. and social movements contribute to change. They include:They include:

The Physical EnvironmentThe Physical Environment PopulationPopulation TechnologyTechnology Social InstitutionsSocial Institutions

ReferencesReferences

The Tank Man Producer: Anthony Thomas, Cutting Edge 2006 http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2300254722104314948&q=man+in+tiananmen+square&hl=en

World Changing http://www.worldchanging.com/

Power of PersuasionPower of Persuasion Nation Achieves (U.S.) Nation Achieves (U.S.) http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/powers_of_persuasion/powers_of_persuasion_inhttp://www.archives.gov/exhibits/powers_of_persuasion/powers_of_persuasion_intro.htmltro.html

QuestionsQuestions

What is the most significant social change that has What is the most significant social change that has affected your life? Explain how this social change affected your life? Explain how this social change happened.happened.

Explain the difference between relative Explain the difference between relative depravation and resource mobilization theory.depravation and resource mobilization theory.

What factors can influence crowd behaviour?What factors can influence crowd behaviour? Explain the stages of social movements give Explain the stages of social movements give

examples of movements that you believe are at examples of movements that you believe are at the different stages and why?the different stages and why?

Give an example of each type of social movement.Give an example of each type of social movement.