Collective effervescence is a powerful emotional reaction that occurs when a group of people experience something together. It can produce positive experiences, such as religious or sporting events, or negative experiences, such as riots. Key elements for collective effervescence to work include a single focus and a motivating force. The group personality determines the outcome, which can motivate people to do things they wouldn’t do alone. Religious experiences and sporting events are prime examples of collective effervescence.
Mass effervescence is an amplified and excited reaction made possible when a group of people experience something emotional together. There are two completely different aspects to this phenomenon. This communal effervescence can produce an uplifting positive incident, such as a religious experience that makes attendees feel closer to their god or the excitement of fans at a sporting event. On the other hand, a community emotional reaction can also slip away the morals and inhibitions of the people attending an event and align with the morals of the group. An example of this is the destruction of property or personal violence seen during riots.
Some key elements must come together for the collective effervescence to work. First, the group of people must be collectively focused on a single idea or outcome. Second, a motivating force, such as a charismatic speaker, social injustice, or even a sporting event must be the catalyst to bond the attendees.
When both of these elements are in place, the people in the group begin to change. A person’s individuality will slip away. The individual identity of each person will be assumed by the group and a group personality will evolve. Often, as personal identity erodes, emotions heighten and the mind becomes more receptive to accepting the ideas of the group or the ideas of the speaker.
The personality of the group is what determines the outcome of the collective effervescence. A gang personality might cause a person to change their life for the better by giving up drugs or motivate the person to work for social change by donating money to a charity or physically working for a charity. A charismatic leader who exploits herding behavior might even motivate people to lose weight and eat healthier.
Religious experiences fueled by this collective group dynamic often produce the strongest emotions. A collectively uplifting religious experience can strengthen the participant’s faith, make one feel closer to their god, or could even make an agnostic believe in a faith. These life-changing experiences would either not happen to one person on their own or would be much more difficult to cultivate on their own. Cults often use the power of collective effervescence to build the bond between members and even nurture new members.
Sporting events are a prime example of this community effervescence. A person sitting at home alone is less likely to get emotionally and even physically involved in cheering on their team. Groups of supporters gathered in someone’s home, around the television or a crowd gathered in a stadium, however, will often be emotionally and physically involved in the outcome of one of the teams.
Collective effervescence can also motivate people to do things they would never do or even consider doing as individuals. The riots are a good example of this. Sometimes, people united against a social injustice will build up a group anger that overrides personal morals. Law-abiding citizens can find themselves under the spell of the perceived energy and end up breaking shop windows or trying to physically harm the police.
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