With the recent riots in London, Manchester, Birmingham, and
other locations, it is an apt time to examine crowd behaviour
and the ‘mob mentality.’ So, what causes mob mentality? There
are a number of explanations for mob mentality within social
psychology. These include: Deindividuation – when people are
part of a group, they experience a loss of self-awareness.
Identity – when people are part of a group, they can lose their
sense of individual identity. Emotions – being part of a group
can lead to heightened emotional states, be that excitement,
anger, hostility, etc. Acceptability – behaviours that are
usually seen as unacceptable suddenly become acceptable when
others within a group are seen to be carrying them out.
Anonymity – people feel anonymous within a large group, which
reduces their sense of responsibility and accountability.
Diffusion of Responsibility – being part of a group creates the
perception that violent or unacceptable behaviour is not a a
personal responsibility but a group responsibilit