EMERGENCE OF MUTED VIOLENCE IN CROWD BEHAVIOR - A CASE STUDY OF AN ALMOST RACE RIOT

• NCJ Number: 28576
• Author(s): R A BERK
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 33 pages
• Corporate Author: Northwestern University
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

DEFINITIONS OF NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN STYLE RACE RIOTS AND ANALYSIS OF DATA ON THE NORTHERN RACE RIOT IN THE FACE OF WIDE PUBLIC BELIEF THAT BLACKS HAVE ORGANIZED FOR VIOLENCE.

Abstract

THE STUDY WAS UNDERTAKEN TO SHOW THAT THE NEW RESPECT FOR THE CAPACITY OF THE BLACK COMMUNITY TO ENGAGE IN MASS AND/OR ORGANIZED VIOLENCE ALTERS THE FORM THAT THE NORTHERN RACE RIOT CAN TAKE. THE STUDY SETTING IS AN URBAN WHITE WORKING CLASS COMMUNITY THREATENED BY A SPREADING COMMODITY RIOT. DATA ARE ANALYZED USING A SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL APPROACH TO MASS VIOLENCE WHICH EXAMINES THE BEHAVIOR OF CROWDS BY STUDYING THE KINDS OF EVALUATIONS AND DECISIONS MADE BY INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE COLLECTIVITY. THE FORM OF ACTION TAKEN BY THE MOB IS EXAMINED AS WELL AS PROCESSES THAT TRIGGER MOB ACTION.