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We live in an era of economic diversity and segmentation of people behaviors.
This gives a wrong impression that "mass behavior" is a thing of the past.
But  "mass power", whether wise or blind, is
still alive and kicking
in various situations.
Of course, global communication opens accesses for all kind of thoughts,
favoring diversity and segmentation. But it favors also cases when the whole
mankind reacts more or less in unison. It is one of the ideas, although a
bit far-fetched, behind the "noosphere" theory.
Mass (definition): In social sciences, a mass is a
 large human population
segment.
It is even sometimes the biggest share of the whole population of an area.
Yes, a mass
is ...massive!
The people involved are loosely linked by some similar or common interests,
perceptions,
behaviors that transcend population categories. A big common heart ...or bile!
 What forms human masses take?
Loose or organized?
Members of a mass are less physically connected than in crowds or groups.
No elbow rubbing here.
But even so, they tend to have some common beliefs, feelings, attitudes, behaviors.
A human mass, and the related attitude or behavior, takes the shape of:
.
Better be conscious of that contagious emotion fast,
and try to understand if it is positive or negative!
 Or a permanent, more or less
 structured,
 segment of the overall society.
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It fits a complex combination of:
 Hard factors / criteria, such as factual socio-economic characteristics
(for example the same income range),
Soft factors / criteria, such as common beliefs and practices.
Examples
When a compact mass rushes to buy or sell.
 Investors, although showing different profiles (see that word)
and styles sometimes behave as a mass (see herding),
with everyone eager to buy or to sell at the same time
Here also, better detect it fast!
A more mundane example is found in mass medias, that target the majority of the residents
of a large area.
What are the (massive?) effects
Sticky or fluid mass?
Swimming or sinking?
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 Positive incidences |
 Negative effects |
The feeling of unity found in a mass might
foster a smooth working of society, or help
to face some common challenge.
Actually, that common feeling is rather lacking in
 global matters.
A planetary conscience (the "noosphere"?)
could help cope with globalization opportunities
and drawbacks.
This step is still not reached, whatever some
"noetic" pundits and novelists state.
This planet stays fragmented under national
egos, parochial mentalities and self-serving
leaders.
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Common feelings can work at
the expense of personal
thinking freedom.
It is even more worrying
when emotional forces
spread and grow as a
common feeling that
becomes excessive and
irrational (crowd hysterias).
Therefore, mass
behavior is often biased
and can bring ...massive
mistakes (see crowd
behavior).
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common emotional response to an 
