Mass hysteria
247836
224941659
2008-07-11T02:54:18Z
Mark Shaw
1775788
rv unexplained deletion
'''Mass hysteria''', also called '''collective hysteria''', '''mass psychogenic illness''', or '''collective obsessional behavior''', is the [[Social psychology|sociopsychological]] [[phenomenon]] of the manifestation of the same or similar [[Hysteria|hysterical]] [[symptom]]s by more than one person. A common manifestation of mass hysteria occurs when a group of people believe they are suffering from a similar [[disease]] or ailment.<ref>[http://www.csicop.org/si/2000-05/delusions.html Mass Delusions and Hysterias / Highlights from the Past Millennium (Skeptical Inquirer May 2000)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
==Characteristics==
Mass hysteria typically begins when an individual becomes ill or hysterical during a period of stress.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200504/s1353989.htm Doubts raised over Melbourne airport scare. 27/04/2005. ABC News Online<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> After this initial individual shows symptoms, others begin to manifest similar symptoms, typically [[nausea]], [[muscle weakness]], [[fits]] or [[headache]].<ref>[http://www.acsh.org/healthissues/newsID.155/healthissue_detail.asp ACSH > Health Issues ><!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Sightings of religious [[miracle]]s are often attributed to mass hysteria.<ref>[http://www.csicop.org/si/2000-05/delusions.html Mass Delusions and Hysterias / Highlights from the Past Millennium (Skeptical Inquirer May 2000)<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Cases of [[moral panic]] often have symptoms that overlap with mass hysteria.{{Fact|date=September 2007}}
==Criticism==
American paranormal and UFO researcher [[Jerome Clark]]<ref>Clark, Jerome<ref> (1993). ''Unexplained! 347 Strange Sightings, Incredible Occurrences, and Puzzling Physical Phenomena.'' Canton, Milwaukee: Visible Ink Press. ISBN 0-8103-9436-7.</ref> argues that mass hysteria is often a flimsy ''[[Post hoc ergo propter hoc|post hoc]]'' explanation and "a classic [[Victim blaming|blame-the-victim strategy]]" in cases where authorities or experts can find no explanation for puzzling or frightening events.
Two notable cases where mass hysteria was controversially claimed as the cause of an incident are the [[Gloria Ramirez|toxic lady]] event and the [[2007 Peruvian meteorite event]].
==Popular culture==
In the 18th [[Airborne_(House_episode)|episode]] of [[House (TV series)|House]] season 3, a mass hysteria, triggered by the symptoms of a sick passenger, took place on an airplane. The six elements required to set off a mass hysteria can be observed in the episode.
==References==
{{reflist}}
==See also==
*[[Bandwagon effect]]
*[[Bacchanalia]]
*[[Bear market]]
*[[Collective consciousness]]
*[[Collective behavior]]
*[[Collective Effervescence]]
*[[Collective intelligence]]
*[[Conversion syndrome]]
*[[Craze]]
*[[Crowd psychology]]
*''[[Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds]]'' by [[Charles Mackay]]
*[[Fan Death]]
*[[Folie à deux]]
*[[Group behaviour]]
*[[Groupthink]]
*[[Herd behavior]]
*[[Herd instinct]]
*[[Hysteria]]
*[[London Monster]]
*[[The Mad Gasser of Mattoon]]
*[[Mean world syndrome]]
*[[Meme]]
*[[Mob mentality]]
*[[Mob rule]]
*[[Moral panic]]
*''[[Morangos com Açúcar]]''
*[[Morgellons]]
*[[New Delhi monkeyman]]
*[[Photosensitive epilepsy]]
*[[Penis panic]]
*[[Reign of Terror]]
*[[Sheeple]]
*[[Spring Heeled Jack]]
*[[Stampede]]
*[[Stock market bubble]]
*[[Stock market crash]]
*[[Tanganyika Laughter Epidemic]]
*[[Witch-hunt]]
==External links==
*[http://www.selfhelpmagazine.com/articles/depress/antidprs.html "Mass Hysteria."] SelfhelpMagazine.com [[November 3]], [[2000]].
*[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0WDP/is_2001_July_16/ai_77057810 Mass hysteria hits Malaysian school]
*[http://health.howstuffworks.com/collective-hysteria.htm Six hundred girls in Mexico suffer from collective hysteria]
[[Category:Mass hysteria]]
[[Category:Group processes]]
[[Category:Crowd psychology]]
[[Category:Emotion]]
[[de:Massenpanik]]
[[fr:Hystérie collective]]
[[he:היסטריה המונית]]
[[hu:Tömeghisztéria]]
[[it:Isteria di massa]]
[[nl:Massahysterie]]
[[ru:Массовые истерии]]
[[fi:Joukkohallusinaatio]]