Herd Instinct in Peace and War

The book is based on a collection of essays about the biological and social mechanisms of collective behavior. Wilfred Trotter compares the behavior of people and animals living in groups, and through this explains how the need to be part of a community arises. The focus is on the influence of the majority on beliefs, the tendency to follow a leader, the pressure of common norms, and the willingness to accept collective reactions as one's own. A separate place is given to the discussion of war, mass panic, propaganda, and political behavior. The author examines how the herd instinct manifests in peacetime and during periods of social tension. The publication relates to social psychology and the psychology of crowds, but is written as a broad reflection on the connection between the individual and society.