PSYC 2120 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Social Proof, Normative Social Influence, Mass Psychogenic Illness

• School: York University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 2120
• Professor: Kerry Kawakami

Document Summary

When the situation is a crisis: whe(cid:374) the situatio(cid:374) is a (cid:272)(cid:396)isis, (cid:449)e usuall(cid:455) do(cid:374)"t ha(cid:448)e ti(cid:373)e to stop a(cid:374)d thi(cid:374)k a(cid:271)out e(cid:454)a(cid:272)tl(cid:455) which course of action to take. It is natural for us to see how other people are responding: contagion the rapid transmission of emotions or behaviour through a crowd. When other people are experts: the more expertise or knowledge a person has, the more valuable they will be as a guide in an ambiguous or crisis situation, experts are not always reliable sources of information. Shortly after, the driver began to feel nauseated and started vomiting. He checked if any of the other passengers were feeling ill and a passenger behind him reported having a headache and thought there was a suspicious smell on the bus. The driver feared there was a chemical attack and placed a distress call. Other passengers began to feel sick as well as several paramedics on the scene.