Collective behavior

Collective behavior is when a bunch of people act together in a way that they wouldn't if they were alone, like a group of people all chanting a catchy phrase at the same time, or a big crowd of people all running in one direction.

When lots of people are together, they can kind of blend into a "collective" or a "herd" and start to do things that they wouldn't do on their own. It's kind of like when you and your friends all start giggling uncontrollably for no reason- it's catching, and it feels fun to be a part of a group all doing the same thing.

Collective behavior can be caused by lots of different things, like feeling excited or scared, or feeling like everyone else is doing the same thing so you don't want to be left out.

Sometimes collective behavior can be a lot of fun, like at a big concert or sporting event, but sometimes it can also be dangerous or scary, like when people all start looting or rioting. So it's important to remember that even when we're part of a group, we still have to make good choices and be responsible for our actions.