A Cognitive Science Revival of Collective Behavior Theory

• In Event: 283 - Regular Session. Collective Behavior: Modeling Participation and Action

Abstract

Recent research from cognitive social science reveals that early collective behavior theorists had more right than we tend to credit. This may come as a surprise given the rejection of early theories by the emergence of the social movements field and the coinciding rationalist turn. To break free of old ways of thinking, I use cognitive social science to revisit collective behavior theories with a renewed understanding of cognition and emotion. In so doing, I suggest the future of collective behavior is one which utilizes cognitive science as the foundation from which theories can be rebuilt. After reviving foundational theories, I then draw from my ethnographic research to illustrate how a cognitive science understanding of collective behavior affords new explanations and potential for creative theory building. Specifically, I utilize research on dual process models, mirror neurons, and cognitive/emotive systems to theorize processes of situational “symbol pollution”. In closing, I discuss the implications for collective behavior theory and suggest paths for future development.

Author

• Justin C. Van Ness, University of Notre Dame