The language of the masses

Sim, F.; Mackie, P.

doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2015.10.005

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…[13]). Where collective behaviour is referred to, it tends to be only as a 'panic' or 'stampede' [14], despite the vast majority of Hajj rituals passing without incident.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting collective behaviour at the Hajj: place, space and the process of cooperation

Alnabulsi

Drury

Templeton

2018

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Around 2 million pilgrims attend the annual Hajj to Mecca and the holy places, which are subject to dense crowding. Both architecture and psychology can be part of disaster risk reduction in relation to crowding, since both can affect the nature of collective behaviour-particularly cooperation-among pilgrims. To date, collective behaviour at the Hajj has not been systematically investigated from a psychological perspective. We examined determinants of cooperation in the Grand Mosque and plaza during the pilgrimage. A questionnaire survey of 1194 pilgrims found that the Mosque was perceived by pilgrims as one of the most crowded ritual locations. Being in the plaza (compared with the Mosque) predicted the extent of cooperation, though crowd density did not. Shared social identity with the crowd explained more of the variance than both location and density. We examined some of the process underlying cooperation. The link between shared social identity and giving support to others was stronger in the plaza than in the Mosque, and suggests the role of place and space in modulating processes of cooperation in crowds. These findings have implications for disaster risk reduction and for applications such as computer simulations of crowds in pilgrimage locations.This article is part of the theme issue 'Interdisciplinary approaches for uncovering the impacts of architecture on collective behaviour'.

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“…[13]). Where collective behaviour is referred to, it tends to be only as a 'panic' or 'stampede' [14], despite the vast majority of Hajj rituals passing without incident.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Predicting collective behaviour at the Hajj: place, space and the process of cooperation

Alnabulsi

Drury

Templeton

2018

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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“…A prevalent representation of Islam in the West is of intolerance and even violence (Ahmed & Matthes, ), and the Hajj itself is often associated in public discourse with disaster in the form of so‐called “stampedes” (Sim & Mackie, ). The present study offers a positive picture of the potential of the Hajj for psychological change and for harmony between different groups.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the impact of the Hajj: Explaining experiences of self‐change at a religious mass gathering

Alnabulsi

Drury

Vignoles

et al. 2019

Euro J Social Psych

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Previous research has shown that participation in the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca can lead to both more positive outgroup attitudes and increased commitment to Muslim identity. We describe a survey of pilgrims (N = 1,176) carried out at Mecca, during the Hajj, which tested explanations for these experiences of self‐change at the time of their occurrence. In line with contact theory, perceived cooperation among pilgrims indirectly predicted more positive outgroup attitudes (as well as enhanced Muslim identification), via identification with the crowd. In line with social identity and identity congruence explanations, positive emotional experience and the perception that the crowd embodied the Muslim value of unity predicted self‐change variables through identification with the crowd. The finding that participation in an all‐Muslim gathering increases positive views of other groups (including non‐Muslims) through identification with the crowd offers an alternative perspective to suggestions that such gatherings might encourage intolerance.

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“…On September 24, 2015, at least 2431 pilgrims died and 427 were reported missing after overcrowding of huge masses in the blocked street of Mina leading up to Jamaraat; 465 of them were Iranian pilgrims. This event was the deadliest tragedy of the recent decade of (Hajj) ( 1 ) Figure 1 .…”

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confidence: 99%