How not to become a zombie: the psychology of the crowd Bashny.Net

Why smart and quite sane people, huddled in a heap, start to behave like primitive animals? And whether the crowd be yourself? Ask the specialist.





We live in a unique time, one of the signs which are the various demonstrations, rallies, marches. And it's great when a person can, without fear to go out and claim their rights, here are just some of these events end in tears – fights, smashing shop Windows or worse. Maybe you have experience of participation in such events? Then you probably felt that at some point you have shut off critical thinking and removed all inhibitions. In the crowd you can afford to do something that you would never have dared alone. For example, in everyday life, you never mention the word rougher "fool", and once in the crowd, cursing last words. The most crazy calls like: "let's torch the house!" you are perceived as logical and correct. Of course, then, alone, you wonder how this brought me? And the thing is a "crowd effect".

About this phenomenon we will tell Lydia Resin, doctor of political Sciences, Professor of the KPI. This was the focus of the thesis is Lydia, she, like very few, understands the mechanism of action of the masses and the consciousness of the individual.

The ancient Greek politician Solon said, "Every Athenian is a sly Fox, but when they gather together for a meeting, then imagine a flock of sheep". Since the days of Ancient Greece, nothing has changed! Because the crowd is a temporary gathering of people who have no common goal, just a common emotion, and very strong. For example, the hatred of those in power. Or the joy of victory of their favorite team. Ongoing studies suggest that the lower the average intellectual level of the crowd, the greater the likelihood that she will begin to act destructively.

The mechanism of the influence of the crowd

— Vortex of emotions. Imagine such a situation. You walk down the street and suddenly notice how some people huddled together in a pile, very emotional discussing some problem, say, higher prices. Five minutes ago you were quite happy with their lives. And now, joining the discussion, I suddenly felt anger and malice. What's the matter? You have to convey the emotion of the crowd, experts say, you are trapped in the vortex of emotions that sucked you in like a whirlpool. The infected by the General mood happens often, even against your will. You want to laugh, when to laugh, to cry – if all the screaming. You experience the pleasure of their unity with the crowd!

— Feeling of impunity. One of the indications that the infection happened is that you used the pronoun "we" instead of "I": "We went", "We are outraged", "We're gonna kick some serious ass!" This is a faceless "we" as if that removes all straps and bans, gives a feeling of permissiveness: I will break the bench, and for me it will be nothing. The break won't be "I" and "we". Any of us have from time to time want to break the rules, the crowd gives a chance to do it. The temptation is too great!

— The appearance of a leader. When the degree of emotions rolls over, necessarily appears as the devil from a snuffbox, a leader or group of leaders. Be assured: if the leader has charisma and knows how to win over the people, the crowd will respond to even the most wild his call! After all, emotions should spill over into some kind of action, often don't care what.
For example, in 20 years in one American town, the crowd tore the innocent Negro, passing by. Shortly before the city is brutally killed a girl, suspicion fell on the residents of the Negro quarter. When the leader ordered: "Kill him!" the crowd, without thinking, did just that. Later it turned out that the murder was committed by whites...
In one of the tour group "the Beatles" was nearly torn to pieces by their own fans: in fact, the crowd is still what to do, the main thing – to do.

"Taken individually, each of us, ultimately, reasonable, taken together, in the crowd during a political meeting, even with friends, we are all ready for the latest folly". Serge Moscovici.

What is the crowd?

It is fair to say that not every crowd is acting destructively. There are 4 types of crowd:

• aggressive ("We have ours, we will build a new world", etc.);
• runaway (when, say, the majority of people starts to panic from somewhere to run, you inadvertently catch and run and all);
• hungry (scenes, blood, justice, etc.);
• showing (pleasure, joy, disagreement etc.).

Why we are tempted to blend in with the crowd?

• The energy of masses of people gives a powerful boost, we as from batteries, charged emotions and mood.
• The sense of power. It's so nice to feel that "together we – force" that "we can do anything".
• The attractiveness of impunity.
• The removal of moral restrictions.

How not to get infected and become a zombie?

The higher your intelligence, the more you have developed critical thinking, the easier it will be to resist the herd instinct of the crowd. A very important indicator of the boundaries of your "I". The smaller they are, the more risk to succumb to the influence of the masses. It's one thing when you associate yourself only with your body, another thing, if this concept is included your family and relatives, and it is quite a different order – this is when the orbit of your "I" is your country or your nation.

However, even the strongest person can be influenced by the crowd, so Lydia Resin recommends:

— Avoid the crowd. Just don't come to the place of the big congestion of people, if you don't want to fall under the influence of the crowd.

— Stand to one side. If we decide to observe what's going on, shouldn't be in the epicenter of events, otherwise the vortex of emotions will suck you definitely.

— Ask questions. Not only to others but to himself: "What these people say?", "Who leads them?", "Who's going?" These questions will help you distance yourself from the crowd.

— Do not try to persuade anyone. People caught up in the emotional tsunami, you do not understand any logical arguments. You'll just run into aggression from the masses.

— The sense of self. It is important to maintain a sense of self and to understand what is the purpose that you, personally, being in the crowd.published

 

P. S. And remember, just changing your mind — together we change the world! ©

Source: my.goodhouse.com.ua