COLLECTIVE

BEHAVIOR, SOCIAL

MOVEMENTS, AND

SOCIAL CHANGE

COLLECTIVEBEHAVIOR IS…a term sociologists use to refer to a miscellaneous set of behaviors in which large numbers of people engage.

Collective behavior differs from group behavior in three ways:

1. Collective behavior involves limited and short-lived social interaction while groups tend to remain together longer.2. Collective behavior has no clear social boundaries; anyone can be a member of the collective while group membership is usually more discriminating.3. Collective behavior generates weak and unconventional norms while groups tend to have stronger and more conventional norms.

Kinds of Collective Behavior

Fadsalso known as a craze, refers to a fashion that becomes popular in a culture (or subcultures) relatively quickly, remains popular, often for a rather brief period, then loses popularity dramatically.

Mass Hysteriasare mass public near-panic reactions that can also exhibit themselves in the sudden onset of psychogenic illnesses, or illnesses that are the result of psychology and not an external source.

Riotsare forms of civil disorder characterized by

disorganized groups lashing out in a sudden and intense rash of violence, vandalism or other crime that often occur in reaction to a perceived grievance or out of dissent.

Theories of

Collective

Behavior

Contagion Theory

-originally proposed by Gustave LeBon (1896)-proposes that crowds exert a hypnotic influence on their members-hypnotic influence, combined with the anonymity of belonging to a large group of people, results in irrational, emotionally charged behavior-that the behavior of a crowd is an emergent property of the people coming together and not a property of the people themselves

Convergence Theory-argues that the behavior of a crowd is not an emergent property of the crowd but is a result of like-minded individuals coming together-if a crowd becomes violent (a mob or riot), this is not because the crowd encouraged violence but rather because people who wanted to become violent came together in the crowd

Emergent-Norm Theory

-combines Contagion and Convergence Theory, arguing that it is a combination of like-minded individuals, anonymity, and shared emotion that leads to crowd behavior-takes a symbolic interactionist approach to understanding crowd behavior-people come together with specific expectations and norms, but in the interactions that follow the development of the crowd, new expectations and norms can emerge, allowing for behavior that normally would not take place

SOCIAL MOVEMENTS ARE…any broad social alliances of people who are connected through their shared interest in blocking or affecting social change.

Types of Social

Movements

Alternative Social Movementsare interested in changing one particular behavior shared by individuals.

Ex.: alcoholics anonymous programs

Redemptive Social Movementsare interested in altering the entire lifestyle of an individual.

Ex.: trying to convert a person to another religion

Reformative Social Movementsseek to correct existing problems by setting new goals.

Ex.: human rights group

Revolutionary Social Movementsseeks to overthrow the established authority.

Ex.: EDSA People Power Revolution

Stages of Social

Movements

Theories of Social

Movements

Deprivation Theory

-argues that social movements have their foundations among people who feel deprived of some good(s) or resource(s)-individuals who are lacking some good, service, or comfort are more likely to organize a social movement to improve (or defend) their conditions

Mass-Society Theory-argues that social movements are made up of individuals in large societies who feel insignificant or socially detached-according to this theory, provide a sense of empowerment and belonging that the movement members would otherwise not have

Structural-Strain Theory

-proposes six factors that encourage social movement development:1. structural conduciveness - people come to believe their

society has problems2. structural strain - people experience deprivation3. growth and spread of a solution - a solution to the problems

people are experiencing is proposed and spreads4. precipitating factors - discontent usually requires a catalyst

(often a specific event) to turn it into a social movement5. lack of social control - the entity that is to be changed must

be at least somewhat open to the change; if the social movement is quickly and powerfully repressed, it may never materialize

6. mobilization - this is the actual organizing and active component of the movement; people do what needs to be done

Resource-Mobilization Theory

-emphasizes the importance of resources in social movement development and success-argues that social movements develop when individuals with grievances are able to mobilize sufficient resources to take action-offers an explanation why some discontented/deprived individuals are able to organize while others are not

Political Process Theory

-similar to resource mobilization in many regards, but tends to emphasize a different component of social structure that is important for social movement development: political opportunities-argues that there are three vital components for movement formation: insurgent consciousness, organizational strength, and political opportunities

Culture Theory

-builds upon both the political process and resource-mobilization theories but extends them in two ways: first, it emphasizes the importance of movement culture; second, it attempts to address the free-rider problem (those who benefit from resources, goods, or services do not pay for them, which results in an under-provision of those goods or services)

SOCIAL CHANGE IS…is used to indicate the changes that take place in human interactions and interrelations

THE END!Thank You!