Bruce Isn't Just "Dancing in the Dark"

Bruce Springsteen has been singing in the background while I work in my office this morning. He just sang about a Social Psychology concept in his song, Dancing in the Dark.

We now know that what Gustave Le Bon wrote in his 1896 book, The Crowd, was wrong. There is no such thing as a "group mind" when a mob forms. There is no unanimity observed in crowd behaviors. SOME break windows, but not EVERONE breaks windows. SOME loot, but not EVERYONE loots.

There are four steps necessary for people to behave badly in a mob, when they would not do so if by themselves.

1. Something has to happen to weaken the force of authority.
2. The visibility of the authority must be low.
3. The relationship to authority must be low.

Bruce sang about the fourth step in his Dancing in the Dark phrase: "You can't start a fire without a spark."

4. There needs to be a trigger.

Something, someone, has to start the behavior in the crowd. Think of a "wave" at a sporting event. It doesn't just happen, someone has to start it. There must be a "spark," to use the Boss' term for the "trigger." Someone has to be the first in the crowd to do the behavior, for others to start doing the same behavior.

Po' Lazarus, from the sound track for the George Clooney movie, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, is playing now. So far, no psychology in it yet. I'll keep you posted.