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Social movements originate from broader forms of collective behavior, which refer to spontaneous and unstructured social actions taken by a large group of people. Examples of collective behavior include protests, strikes, and demonstrations. However, while collective behavior can be unpredictable and brief, social movements are structured and strategic, with clear objectives.
Crowd Types
Sociologist Herbert Blumer categorized crowds into different types based on their level of engagement and purpose:
Casual crowds are loose gatherings of individuals with minimal interaction, such as people at a park or beach.
Conventional crowds are structured gatherings following established norms, such as audiences at a concert or sports event.
Expressive crowds are highly emotional gatherings where people express shared feelings, such as celebrations, religious events, or rallies.
Acting crowds are groups that engage in goal-oriented behavior, often leading to collective action or protests. These crowds may escalate into riots or mobs.
Mass Behavior and Public Behavior
While crowds consist of individuals gathered in a specific physical space, masses and public groups represent broader forms of collective behavior that influence social change in various ways. Mass behavior involves large groups of people who share a common interest or react to the same social phenomenon but are not physically present together.
Examples: Mass behavior examples include people engaging with viral social media trends, following breaking news stories, or participating in nationwide consumer movements.
Public behavior, on the other hand, refers to individuals engaged in discourse and debate about social issues, often shaping public opinion and influencing policymaking.
Examples: Public group behavior can include participants in political discussions, advocacy groups, or individuals responding to media stories.
Flash mobs are a modern form of collective behavior in which people quickly assemble in a public space to perform a coordinated action, often for entertainment or activism. These events demonstrate the power of social media in organizing large-scale spontaneous gatherings. Similarly, protests may emerge suddenly in response to political events, social injustices, or economic crises, showing how collective behavior can escalate into more organized social movements.
Theories on Collective Behavior
Several theories explain how collective behavior contributes to the formation of social movements:
Emergent Norm Theory suggests that new norms develop in response to a social crisis or event, guiding group behavior.
Value-Added Theory proposes that social movements arise when conditions such as structural strain and generalized belief align.
Assembling Perspective focuses on how individuals gather and coordinate to create collective action.
Collective behavior can have significant social consequences, ranging from brief or temporary disruptions to lasting societal changes. While some forms of collective behavior, such as riots, may lead to destruction and instability, others, such as peaceful protests, can raise awareness and lead to meaningful societal changes.
