Posted: September 4th, 2023

PSYC 512

Question 1: Large diffuse crowds often turn to violence and property damage. One explanation of this phenomenon offered in the book is that in a crowd, people experience a sense of deindividuation—a sense that they are not accountable for their own actions—and it is this deindividuation that accounts for the violent turn of events. Yet many large diffuse crowds rarely if ever turn violent—like the crowds going to work in most large cities. What makes some crowds turn violent while others don’t? List several explanations for this discrepancy.

Question 2: What biblical principle(s) apply in the above scenario?

400 Words total this includes the 22 responses

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DiscussionAssignmentInstructions.docx

PSYC 512

Discussion Assignment Instructions

Each module there will be a prompt that involves 2 questions posed to the student. The student will post one thread of at least 200 words by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Thursday of the assigned module. The student must then post two replies of at least 100 words by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Sunday of the assigned module. For each thread, students must support their answers to the first question with at least 2 unique academic citations in APA format, and their answers to the second question with at least 2 unique Scripture verses in APA format. Acceptable sources include the textbook, the Bible, etc.
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Question 1:

There are several explanations for why some crowds turn violent while others don’t.

Deindividuation: As you mentioned, deindividuation is a sense of anonymity and lack of personal responsibility that can lead to violence in crowds. This is because people in a crowd are less likely to feel accountable for their actions, and they may be more likely to engage in risky or destructive behavior.
Groupthink: Groupthink is a phenomenon that occurs when group members are so focused on reaching consensus that they ignore dissenting opinions and make poor decisions. This can lead to violence if the group is motivated by anger or hatred.
Frustration: Crowds can also become violent if they are frustrated or angry. This is because violence can be a way of expressing frustration or anger, and it can also be a way of gaining attention or power.
Social contagion: Social contagion is the spread of behavior from one person to another. This can lead to violence if people in a crowd see others engaging in violent behavior.

It is important to note that not all crowds that experience deindividuation, groupthink, frustration, or social contagion will turn violent. However, these factors can increase the risk of violence in a crowd.

References:

Diener, E., & Crandall, R. (1978). Deindividuation: A social psychological perspective. Annual Review of Psychology, 29, 197-233.
Janis, I. L. (1972). Victims of groupthink: A psychological study of foreign-policy decisions and fiascoes. Houghton Mifflin.
Zimbardo, P. G. (1970). The human choice: Individuation, reason, and order versus deindividuation, impulse, and chaos. In Nebraska Symposium on Motivation (Vol. 16, pp. 237-307). University of Nebraska Press.

Question 2:

The Bible teaches several principles that can help to prevent violence in crowds.

Love your enemies: Jesus taught his followers to love their enemies (Matthew 5:44). This means that we should not seek revenge on those who have wronged us, and we should instead try to show them love and compassion.
Turn the other cheek: Jesus also taught his followers to turn the other cheek when they are slapped (Matthew 5:39). This means that we should not retaliate when we are wronged, but instead we should show forgiveness and mercy.
Resist the devil: Paul wrote that we should resist the devil, and he will flee from us (James 4:7). This means that we should not give in to temptation, and we should instead stand firm in our faith.

These are just a few of the biblical principles that can help to prevent violence in crowds. By following these principles, we can help to create a more peaceful world.

References:

Bible. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.biblegateway.com/
James, W. (1890). The principles of psychology. Holt.

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