Collective+Behavior

Definition:the spontaneous, unstructured, and temporary behavior of a group of people in response to the same event, situation, etc.(Dictionary.com) Collective Behavior has to do the behavior of a Group and the tendency of other to follows other even if they dont know why. Besides being large-scale social phenomena, sociologists' interest in their genesis and development stem from the fact that they are major engines of social change.(Trinity.edu) This explains movements like Linsanity,Tebowmania and Kony 2012. People who normally wouldn't watch certain sports or support certain causes are pulled into because as the movement grows momentum it becomes hard to ignore and people get pulled into the movement.

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===== There are Three theories to try to explain Collective Behavior: Connections: In Seinfeld after George and Jerry try the Soup Nazi's soup they tell Elaine and Kramer and they start bringing people as well. This is only a small example of Collective Behavior. At NHS once some people started nuggeting backpacks a lot of people caught on and started nuggeting backpacksmedia type="youtube" key="EOuWwEkZGMc" height="315" width="560" How Might the above video be an example of Collective Behavior?
 * 1) **Contagion Theory** - the Contagion Theory was made by Gustave Le Bon. According to him, crowds hypnotize their members and the members abandon responsibility because of their anonymity. This happens with a lot of protesting groups and tends to lead to Mob Behavior because of the Diffusion of Responsibility
 * 2) **Convergence Theory** - The Convergence Theory says that people try to find like-minded people and create groups with them.So in this theory Kony 2012 would become a big deal because Invisible Children found like-mided people who are more prone to want to help people.
 * 3) **Emergent-Norm Theory** - according to Ralph Turner and Lewis Killian and the Emergent-Norm people in crowds make their own rules as they act.They start as a diverse group but then they start to form rules as people start acting in different ways. An example of this is Mr.Plasko's March Madness story at first the group was just a lot of people in the middle of the road celebrating a win. But then when someone set the Boat on fire that set a precedent and people started grabbing things and using them in destructive manners.

Bibliography:

"collective behavior." //Dictionary.com Unabridged//. Random House, Inc. 23 Mar. 2012. .