The crowd

Name: The crowd
Author: Gustave Le Bon

By Gustave Le Bon

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Psychiatry/Psychology Sociology

About This Book

When individuals assemble for collective action their psychology acquires new, often unconscious characteristics distinct from personal traits. Such assemblies show reduced critical reasoning, increased suggestibility, emotional contagion, anonymity-fueled impulsiveness, and quick crystallization of shared beliefs under the sway of leaders and prestige. These unconscious forces can create complex cultural products like language yet make societies resistant to sudden reform; institutions and customs change slowly. Study therefore must weigh theoretical reasoning against practical realities, acknowledging hidden causes and recurrent mechanisms—contagion, suggestion, and the conservative power of tradition.

About the Author

Gustave Le Bon

Gustave Le Bon was a French social psychologist and sociologist, best known for his influential works on crowd psychology and the dynamics of social movements. His seminal book, "The Crowd," explores how collective behavior can influence individual actions and societal change. Le Bon's ideas on the psychology of revolution, as articulated in "The Psychology of Revolution," have contributed significantly to the understanding of social upheaval and mass behavior. His writings reflect a keen interest in the interplay between individual psychology and collective phenomena, making him a notable figure in the study of social sciences and human behavior.