NCJ Number
51486
Date Published
1978
Length
207 pages
Annotation
BASED ON OBSERVATIONS OF CROWDS AND RIOTS, THIS BOOK ANALYZES SOME OF THE BEHAVIORS WHICH CHARACTERIZE COLLECTIVE ACTIVITIES, FOCUSING ON NONVERBAL INTERACTIONS.
Abstract
THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO DETERMINE HOW CROWD MEMBERS CREATE AND USE FORMS OF NONVERBAL INTERACTIONS AS A MECHANISM FOR COORDINATING AND CONDUCTING COLLECTIVE ACTIVITIES. THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES ARE INVOLVED: (1) TASK ACTIVITIES, WHICH ARE PARTICULAR TO GOALS OR PROBLEMS OF THE OCCASION; AND (2) CROWD ACTIVITIES, WHICH ARE UNIVERSAL TO RECURRENT GOALS OR PROBLEMS OF ANY SITUATION OF COLLECTIVE ASSEMBLY. THIS BOOK IS INTENDED FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR, SPATIAL INTERACTION, FORM AND FORM PERCEPTION, NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION, SOCIAL CONTROL OR DISRUPTION, AND THE PROCESSES BY WHICH SITUATED MEANINGS ARE ASSIGNED TO COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR. IT IS STATED THAT CONCEPTIONS OF SOCIETY'S COMPOSITION BECOMES A REALITY IN CROWDS WHERE THE INTERACTIONS OF PEOPLE REPRESENTING VARIED STATUS, ETHNIC GROUPS, MODES OF DRESS AND DEMEANOR, CULTURAL SIGNS, SOCIAL CLASSES, COMMUNITY ACTIONS, GENERATIONS, LIFESTYLES, SELF-IMAGES, AND CONFLICTING INTERESTS TAKE PLACE. THE RESULTS OF THESE COLLECTIVE INTERACTIONS CAN RANGE FROM THE MUNDANE TO PANICS AND RIOTS. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE INTERPRETATION BY THE PRESS AND POLITICIANS OF RADICAL CROWD DEMONSTRATIONS USUALLY FORMS THAT OF THE PUBLIC, ALTHOUGH IT MAY NOT BE ENTIRELY ACCURATE. THE APPENDICES CONTAIN DETAILS OF THE METHODOLOGY FOLLOWED, IN WHAT WAS PRIMARILY PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION. DESCRIPTIONS OF SYSTEMATIC DATA COLLECTION, CONCEPT FORMATION, THE PROCESS OF HANDLING DEMANDS OF REFLEXIVITY, AND PRAGMATIC SURVIVAL ARE PROVIDED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY, AUTHOR INDEX, SUBJECT INDEX, FOOTNOTES, AND FIGURES ARE INCLUDED. (JCP)