Collectives &
Social Movements
Characteristics of
Collectives
 Limited

Interaction
Interaction is limited or
non-existent
 Unclear

Unclear or
unconventional
 Limited

norms
unity
Members unlikely to
share sense of group
unity
Types of Collective
Behavior
 Crowds

Types:
– temporary gathering
 Casual



- concert

and
uncoordinated group
action
Object of attachment for
a short period


 Panics
 Spontaneous
Attachment to a style of
appearance by a large
group
Fads
– mob or riot
Hostile emotions
Activity or Idea
Public opinion


Y2K
Fashion
Emotionally charged
 Acting


- speaker
Common purpose
Unfounded anxiety

Little to no interaction
 Expressive

Mass Hysteria

– buying tickets
 Conventional


Public views on issues
Rumors

Info. that is true/false that
spreads rapidly
 Contagion

Theory
Crowd has hypnotic
power
 People
give up
individuality

Factors influencing
behavior:
 Number
of people
 Emotion
 Value-Added



Theory
Will collective behavior
occur?
Which direction will it
take?
Series of preconditions
that lead to behavior
Theories on
Collective Behavior
 Emergent-Norm

Theory
Individuals in crowd have
different attitudes,
behaviors, and
motivations
 Traditional
apply
norms do not
Interaction
New behaviors
New norms
Types of Social Movements
 Reactionary
 Members
are
suspicious and hostile
towards change
 Example:
KKK
 Conservative
 Members
attempt to
protect social values
from change
 Example:
Prohibitionists
 Revisionary
 Change
or improve
some part of society
 Usually focused on
single issue
 Example:
suffrage
women’s
 Revolutionary
 Total
and radical
change
 Overthrow of a govt.
 Example:
Indian
independence
 Agitation
 Smaller
of issue
group stirs up public awareness
 Legitimation
 Movement
gains more acceptance
 Attracts more attention
 Leaders begin to emerge
Growth of the
 Bureaucratization
 Movement
Social
Movement
becomes formal
 Develops ranked authority, policies,
and strategy for success
 Institutionalization
 Movement
becomes part of society
Relative Deprivation
Theory
Explaining Social
 Group feels
Movements
economically or socially
deprived


Relative to others
Attempt to gain access to:
 Higher
incomes
 Better working
conditions
 Voting rights
 Example:

Women’s rights
movement
Resource Mobilization
Theory
 Organization
and
effective use of
resources
 Resources:



Body of supporters
Financial resources
Access to media