Crops

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

Critical Periods. (See CRITI- CAL PERIODS.) CROWD PSYCHOLOGY (sometimes termed Mob Psychology), the science of the mental processes and behavior of human beings when gathered in crowds. The "mind of the crowd" under certain conditions is not the sum of the mental states or actions of its individual members considered apart and as they would be in isolation. In other words, the average individual when associated with others in a group or crowd loses more or less of his or her personality as a consequence of increased suggestibility and a heightened tendency to imitation, together with a kind of self-suppression either from fear or from the absence of opportunity for deliberation. With the great majority of individuals the tendency is to follow prevalent opinion, and this tendency is increased by the actual presence and sight of other men and women swayed in some direction. In a state of isolation an individual is given time for reflection and judgment. In a crowd a movement is started in a moment and the time for deliberation is past. Under such conditions it cannot be said that the average individual is moved against his will. His will is convinced by the movement of the crowd and goes with it, adding to its total force, notwithstanding that before a movement is started it may often depend on the merest accident whether it shall take one direction or another. Beside imitation and suggestibility, bringing the mind of the individual into positive participation in the mind of the crowd, the unconscious suppression of contrary impulses leads to the same results while it lasts; but it also offers an explanation of those rapid and complete alterations in crowd moods, from cruelty to charity, from destructiveness to self-sacrifice, with which the history of crowds is filled. Crowds are often swayed to mass actions of great power, sometimes heroic and sometimes diabolical, each individual rising to heights or sinking to depths far beyond any possible under ordinary conditions of isolation. The heroism of soldiers in battle is largely a matter of crowd psychology, in addition to any natural unselfishness and apart from desire for admiration or honor. It is a question how far an individual may fairly be punished for acts committed as part of the general activities of a crowd; but on this same ground of irresponsibility the law may be justified, consistently with the principles of liberty itself, in forbidding the gathering and a agitation of crowds in situations where such irresponsibility might lead to destruction of life or property. CUBA. New elections (March 15, 1921) confirm choice of Dr. Alfredo Zayas as President. Recognized by U. S. Government, April 17. José Capablanca, Cuban chess champion, wins championship of world by defeating Dr. Emmanuel Lasker (April 26, 1921).