Exam 23: Collective Behavior and Social Movements

Describe contagion theory, convergence theory, and emergent-norm theory. What are the points of similarity and difference between these three theories? Discuss the strengths of each theory, as well as the points that may be criticized.

Convergence theory suggests crowd behavior comes from the people who join the crowd.

What is political-economy theory as an explanation of social movements?

Contagion theory was proposed by Gustave Le Bon.

Mass behavior is defined as collective behavior:

A major oil spill from a ship would be an example of a "natural disaster."

Of all U.S. adults, about what percentage say they have taken part in a protest march or political demonstration?

In preindustrial societies, social movements:

What are the four stages in the life course of a social movement?

Because of their intense emotion, mobs:

Mass-society theory predicts that social movements will involve people who:

Which of the following is the best example of an issue that defines a "new social movement"?

Which of the following is an example of mass behavior?

Provide a one-sentence statement of the contagion theory of crowd behavior.

While gossip may spread throughout a society, rumor is localized.

Neil Smelser argues that an effective social movement need not have a clear statement of the problem nor a clear understanding of a solution.

Structural-strain theory claims that social movements:

Provide a one-sentence statement of the convergence theory of crowd formation.

"New social movements" tend to be about "bread-and-butter" economic issues.

How does collective behavior differ from the other social patterns of interest to sociologists? What are the difficulties in studying collective behavior? What do you see as the special benefits of doing so?