COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR - THE FACTOR OF THE S OCIAL INTEGRATION AND DISINTEGRATION

The study aims at problems of collective behaviour and discusses the d efinitions and approaches to study, problems and tasks of collective b ehaviour and its forms. Collective behaviour is defined as the relativ ely spontaneous, more emotional, unstructured and uninstitutional beha viour of a large number of people who are reacting to a common influen ce in an ambiguous situation. Particular attention is given to types o r forms of collective behaviour. Collective behaviour is a behaviour o f collectivity: Localized collectivity or dispersed one. Sociologist d istinguish these collectivities from social groups. Types of localized collective behaviour are crowds, crowd behaviour and panic. Types of dispersed collective behaviour are rumor, public opinion, fashion, fad and mass hysteria. Social movements are far more deliberate and long- lasting forms of collective behaviour. Three characteristics distingui sh social movements from other types of collective behaviour: a higher degree of internal organization, typically longer duration and the de liberate intent to reorganize society itself.