Collective Behavior
                     COLLECTIVE 
BEHAVIOR
INTRODUCTION
The Collective behavior definition can take many 
forms, but it is mainly the behavior of large numbers 
of people grouping together, often spontaneously. 
Collectivity is when a relatively large number of 
people whose interactions may undermine, or 
bypass, established patterns of behavior.
SOURCE: study.com 2
VIOLATES THE NORMS
The collective behavior usually violates the norms 
and values of the dominant culture or society. 
Collective behavior is temporary and unplanned. 
SOURCE: study.com 3
CHARACTERSTICS
characteristic of collective behavior is that it is not regulated 
by rules, norms, or procedures. Since there are no norms to 
collective behavior, it can often become unpredictable. 
Although starting as unpredictable, collective behavior may 
also signify the beginnings of more organized social behavior 
which eventually can develop patterns, norms, and even 
leadership. 
SOURCE: study.com 4
FORMS OF COLLECTIVE 
BEHAVIOR
There are three primary forms of collective 
behavior: the crowd, the mass, and the public.
SOURCE: study.com 5
GROUP BEHAVIOUR
1. Collective behavior involves limited and short-
lived social interactions, 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.
SOURCE: study.com 6
CROWDS
1. A crowd is a large number of people who 
gather together with a common short-term or 
long-term purpose.
2. The four types he distinguished are casual 
crowds, conventional crowds, expressive 
crowds, and acting crowds. A fifth type, protest 
crowds, has also been distinguished by other 
scholars.
SOURCE: open.lib.umn.edu 7
RIOTS
1. A riot is a relatively spontaneous outburst of 
violence by a large group of people. 
2. The term riot sounds very negative, and some 
scholars have used terms like urban revolt or 
urban uprising to refer to the riots that many 
U.S. cities experienced during the 1960s.
SOURCE: open.lib.umn.edu 8
TYPES OF RIOTS
1. Several types of riots may be identified 
according to the motivation and goals of the 
participants in the riots. 
2. Protest riots express discontent regarding a 
political, social, cultural, or economic issue, 
while celebration riots express joy or delight 
over an event or outcome, such as the 
celebration of a football team’s championship 
that gets out of hand. 
3. Another popular typology distinguishes four 
types of riots: purposive, symbolic, revelous, 
and issueless (Goode, 1992).
SOURCE: open.lib.umn.edu 9
SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
1. A social movement is an organized effort by a 
large number of people to bring about or 
impede social, political, economic, or cultural 
change. 
SOURCE: open.lib.umn.edu 10
DISASTER BEHAVIOR
1. A disaster is an accident or natural catastrophe 
that causes many deaths and much property 
destruction. 
2. Some disasters, such as plane crashes and the 
Titanic sinking, are very “localized” and affect 
a relatively small number of people, however 
tragic the consequences might be for those 
directly affected.
SOURCE: open.lib.umn.edu 11
THANK YOU
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