Science, Tech, Math › Social Sciences Collective Behavior Share Flipboard Email Print Social Sciences Sociology Key Concepts Major Sociologists Deviance & Crime News & Issues Research, Samples, and Statistics Recommended Reading Psychology Archaeology Economics Ergonomics Maritime By Ashley Crossman Updated December 04, 2014 Definition: Collective behavior is a type of social behavior that occurs in crowds or masses. Riots, mobs, mass hysteria, fads, fashions, rumor, and public opinion are all examples of collective behavior. It is argued that people tend to surrender their individuality and moral judgment in crowds and give in to the hypnotic powers of leaders who shape crowd behavior as they like.