Editing Crowd psychology (section)

=== Social identity theory ===
The [[social identity theory]] posits that the self is a complex system made up primarily of the concept of membership or non-membership in various social groups. These groups have various moral and behavioral values and norms, and the individual's actions depend on which group membership (or non-membership) is most personally salient at the time of action.<ref name=Ref.1/>

This influence is evidenced by findings that when the stated purpose and values of a group changes, the values and motives of its members also change.<ref name=Ref.7>{{cite book|last=Guilford|first=J.P.|title=Fields of Psychology|url=https://archive.org/details/fieldsofpsycholo0000guil|url-access=registration|year=1966|publisher=D. Van Nostrand Company, Inc.|location=Princeton, NJ.|pages=[https://archive.org/details/fieldsofpsycholo0000guil/page/192 192]–205|edition=Third}}</ref>

Crowds are an amalgam of individuals, all of whom belong to various overlapping groups. However, if the crowd is primarily related to some identifiable group (such as Christians or Hindus or Muslims or civil-rights activists), then the values of that group will dictate the crowd's action.<ref name=Ref.1/>

In crowds which are more ambiguous, individuals will assume a new social identity as a member of the crowd.<ref name=Ref.2/> This group membership is made more salient by confrontation with other groups – a relatively common occurrence for crowds.<ref name=Ref.2/>

The group identity serves to create a set of standards for behavior; for certain groups violence is legitimate, for others it is unacceptable.<ref name=Ref.2/> This standard is formed from stated values, but also from the actions of others in the crowd, and sometimes from a few in leadership-type positions.<ref name=Ref.2/>

A concern with this theory is that while it explains how crowds reflect social ideas and prevailing attitudes, it does not explain the mechanisms by which crowds enact to drive social change.<ref name=Ref.1/>