mass psychology

American  

noun

1. the study of the behavior of large groups of people.

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Etymology

Origin of mass psychology

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

It is right out of a textbook on mass psychology.

From Salon

Ninety years ago, the psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich wrote about mass psychology and the origins of fascism.

From Salon

Economists and industry experts said the shortages at the gas pump were driven by mass psychology more than actual scarcity of supplies.

From Washington Post

Energy and marketing experts say the rush to buy gas was partly justified and partly a case of mass psychology.

From New York Times

Wilhelm Reich in "The Mass Psychology of Fascism" and Klaus Theweleit in "Male Fantasies" argue that sadism, along with a grotesque hyper-masculinity, rather than any coherent belief system, is the core of fascism, although communist regimes in China and the Soviet Union could be as murderous and sadistic as their fascist counterparts.

From Salon