Presentation Transcript

SOCI 3006 � Collective Behaviour May 2007 Lecture 8 1. Administrative all material on web 2. Images, Miracles and Apparitions a common form of collective behaviour generally take place in a public, secular setting, despite their often religious nature (note Durkheim on sacred/profane) Images belief in the spontaneous appearance of a religious figure on an everyday object e.g. - the face of Jesus on a grilled cheese sandwich; Jesus and other figures observed on walls, automobile body parts; frying pans; windows, storage tanks, etc. all follow a similar pattern; some individual notices the image, interprets it as the likeness of a religious figure, interprets this as some form of miracle, tells friends, who may then tell others 2. Images, Miracles and Apparitions (cont�d) Images interest/belief in images usually relatively short-term those who believe in the image accept that it is caused by a mundane event (rust, stains, lighting, etc.) but believe that these things have been somehow manipulated by a divine force to show the image - accessibility by large crowds a key factor Miracles tangible physical objects that �miraculously� move, or cry, drip blood, etc. miracles often more denomination-specific, less plausible to general public, more likely to occur indoors 2. Images, Miracles and Apparitions (cont�d) Miracles usually belief/non-belief straightforward � either the statue of the Virgin is bleeding, or it is not, or at least not real blood usually requires predisposition to believe (religious) Apparitions - involve the miraculous appearance of a figure � religious, ghosts, angels, famous people � but unlike images and miracles, the apparition if most often visible to only one or a handful of people - may involve claims from some individuals that they are able to communicate with the apparition - why so many apparitions involve young girls? 2. Images, Miracles and Apparitions (cont�d) The Soybean Savior � Jesus on an Oil Tank Fostoria, Ohio, 1986 Locher analyzes incident using Smelser�s value-added theory structural conduciveness (religious Christian community, rural, image was easily viewed from cars, August was nice weather in evenings, vacation time, image appeared just off the most traveled road in town) - structural strain (high crime rate, hard economic times, very hot, dry weather) 2. Images, Miracles and Apparitions (cont�d) The Soybean Savior � Jesus on an Oil Tank generalized belief (devout believers, devout skeptics, doubting participants, nonbelievers) - mobilization of participants (local people strongly urged others to take a look; the media got involved (August 1986 a slow news time), religious leaders social control � local authorities unable to deter onlookers, so managed, facilitated orderly viewing note: how important a single individual�s �definition of the situation� was in creating, shaping events what caused this event to end? 2. Images, Miracles and Apparitions (cont�d) Our Lady of Clearwater Clearwater, Florida, 1996 � 2001 again, use of Smelser�s value-added theory also, use of Turner and Killian�s types of crowd participants (ego-involved, concerned, insecure, spectators, exploiters) 3. Rumours, Urban Myths and Urban Legends a rumour is an unconfirmed statement or fact passed through informal communication often rumours arise in situations of anxiety/uncertainty, where individuals will seek any sort of information to make sense of what is happening tellers may repeat rumours out of a feeling of �being in the know� or feeling powerful � status, attention, to create excitement believers consider the information plausible and accept it as fact rumours often serve to confirm what believers already suspect or want to believe is true 3. Rumours, Urban Myths and Urban Legends (cont�d) urban legends are a form of rumour told as a story (the bathtub legend, or the Eddie Murphy legend; the Hippie girl and the baby in the oven) urban myths are a form of rumour told in regard to a specific �fact� (cocaine in Coca Cola; tooth in Coca-Cola; the myth of babies sacrificed by Satanic Cults � Geraldo Rivera) the Proctor and Gamble rumour � and analysis using the emergent norm theory 3. Rumours, Urban Myths and Urban Legends (cont�d) uncertainty and the �rumour public� � belief that �something is wrong with the country� and this �Satanism� promoted by a large corporation could be it urgency � if something not done quickly, the devil would take over but note as well poor economy at the time communication of mood and imagery � the circular reaction among the rumour public � the role of the church newsletters and direct-mail flyers (also, eventually, Am-Way) constraint � in particular, among religious congregations fueled by their Ministers 3. Rumours, Urban Myths and Urban Legends (cont�d) selective individual suggestibility � polarization of beliefs, leading to spread of acceptance of rumour by those already selectively likely to accept (religious groups) permissiveness � free to discuss, share concerns, different versions, �takes� on the rumour, openly note: why do we accept rumours when we suspect/know they are false?