NMAT Social Sciences Practice Test

Which theory states that individuals in a crowd release their underlying personal tendencies?

Emergent Norm theory Mass behavior Contagion theory Convergence theory

Correct Answer:

Convergence theory

Explanation:

Contagion theory is about how emotions and impulses spread quickly in a crowd, causing individuals to lose personal restraint and act on feelings they might suppress when alone. In a group, arousal is shared, and private tendencies surface and intensify through this emotional contagion, making it feel like those underlying urges are being released. By contrast, convergence theory says crowds form because people with similar motives come together, so behavior reflects preexisting dispositions rather than a release of hidden impulses. Emergent norm theory focuses on how new norms arise to guide collective action, not on unleashing latent tendencies. So the description of releasing underlying personal tendencies best aligns with contagion theory.

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