mass psychology: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Academic, formal, journalistic
Quick answer
What does “mass psychology” mean?
The study or manifestation of collective, emotional, and often irrational behaviour in large groups.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The study or manifestation of collective, emotional, and often irrational behaviour in large groups.
The mental and emotional states, belief systems, and behavioural patterns that emerge in crowds, populations, or societies, distinct from the psychology of individuals.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is identical in spelling and conceptual usage between varieties. No lexical or grammatical differences exist.
Connotations
Generally consistent. May have stronger historical connotations in Europe related to totalitarian regimes and crowd theory (Le Bon).
Frequency
Slightly higher relative frequency in academic/social science contexts in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “mass psychology” in a Sentence
the mass psychology of [NOUN PHRASE: the crowd]to understand/study/manipulate mass psychologymass psychology suggests/indicates/shows that...Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mass psychology” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The media can mass-psychologise a population. (rare/derived)
- The leader aimed to mass-psychologise his followers. (rare/derived)
American English
- Campaigns are designed to mass-psychologize the electorate. (rare/derived)
- Advertisers seek to mass-psychologize consumers. (rare/derived)
adverb
British English
- The crowd reacted mass-psychologically. (very rare/derived)
- The idea spread mass-psychologically. (very rare/derived)
American English
- The trend caught on mass-psychologically. (very rare/derived)
- They were influenced mass-psychologically. (very rare/derived)
adjective
British English
- The mass-psychological effects were profound. (derived)
- He wrote a mass-psychological analysis. (derived)
American English
- They studied the mass-psychological phenomenon. (derived)
- The report highlighted mass-psychological triggers. (derived)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Analysing mass psychology is key to predicting market bubbles and consumer trends.
Academic
Gustave Le Bon's 1895 work, 'The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind', is a foundational text on mass psychology.
Everyday
The panic buying was a clear example of mass psychology in action.
Technical
Neuroimaging studies are now investigating the neural correlates of mass psychology phenomena.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “mass psychology”
Strong
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “mass psychology”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mass psychology”
- Using as a synonym for 'popular opinion' (it's about the *process*, not just the *state*).
- Misspelling as 'mass-psychology' (it's an open compound noun).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Sociology is the broader study of society, its institutions, and social relationships. Mass psychology is a more specific focus on the mental and emotional processes unique to crowds or large groups.
Yes. While often associated with negative phenomena like panic or aggression, it can also explain positive collective actions like peaceful social movements, widespread charitable giving, or communal joy during celebrations.
Gustave Le Bon ('The Crowd'), Sigmund Freud ('Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego'), and Elias Canetti ('Crowds and Power') are foundational figures.
It is not a standalone discipline but a key subject area within social psychology, sociology, political science, and behavioural economics.
The study or manifestation of collective, emotional, and often irrational behaviour in large groups.
Mass psychology: in British English it is pronounced /ˌmæs saɪˈkɒlədʒi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌmæs saɪˈkɑːlədʒi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The madness of crowds”
- “To get caught up in the crowd”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a MASSive crowd losing its individual PSYCHOLOGY and becoming one emotional entity.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE CROWD IS A SINGLE ORGANISM / IDEAS ARE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the MOST accurate description of 'mass psychology'?