The social consequences of collective emotions

Intergroup Emotions Theory: Production, Regulation, and Modification of Group-Based Emotions

“…Both emotion regulation and identity regulation can be extrinsic (performed by others, usually fellow group members) or intrinsic (performed by the individual him or herself ). Given the functionality of positive and shared groupbased emotions, it is no surprise that groups-especially intentionally formed groups (like clubs, religious affiliations, and professional associations) as well as natural groups (such as gender, ethnicities, and age cohorts)-engage in specific practices and behaviors that enhance positivity and sharing of emotion, as an additional social "glue" that increases identification and readiness for collective action (Beyer, von Scheve, & Ismer, 2014;de Rivera, 2014;Lawler, 2003). As noted earlier, emotions are under strong normative control, and the transmission of injunctive norms (what people ideally should or ought to do; what is approved, expected, and correct) is essential for group cohesiveness and commitment (Thomas, McGarty, & Mavor, 2009).…”

Deep Transformations: Lived Experiences and Emotions in Social Change Narratives

“…In the most common understanding, collective emotions form through shared emotional experiences and contagion in face-to-face interactions, such as gatherings (Collins, 2014;Sullivan and Day, 2019). In the context of change, this perspective is often used by scholars to understand the transformative power of rituals (Beyer et al, 2014) and emotional events for collective action and resistance (Yang, 2005). Collective emotions also form in response to shared culture and social knowledge (von Scheve and Ismer, 2013), such as cultural codes, norms, values and representations in which we get socialized.…”

Collective Emotion: A Framework for Experimental Research

“…This process would explain how micro-level small-scale interactions translates, at macro-level, into social groups exhibiting solidarity and shared identity. For example, it has been argued that collective emotion contributes to national identification (Beyer et al, 2014;Sullivan, 2018). This functional approach is also central in Salmela's typology based on shared concerns, with stronger types of collective emotion predicting social bonding to a greater extent than weaker types of collective emotion (Salmela, 2012(Salmela, , 2014.…”

“…Does collective emotion, which involves feeling connected to other invididuals, foster collective action, which is characterized by united agency (i.e., the sense of acting as one)? Lastly, previous research suggests that collective emotion can have negative outcomes, such as violence in intergroup conflict (e.g., Beyer et al, 2014; Sullivan, 2014), poor collective decision-making, and lack of creativity as consequences of group conformity and obedience (Gelfand et al, 2020). These observations raise questions about the type of groups and interactions that favour positive over negative social consequences.…”