ScholarWorks@중앙대학교

초록

In Western European society, the Elaborated Social Identity Model-grounded in rational crowd psychology-is accepted as an established crowd psychology theory. Contextualized against this backdrop, this study aimed to empirically analyze crowd psychology in South Korea through the lens of the ESIM, primarily focusing on determining whether the nature of crowd psychology in South Korea is abnormal and delineating the factors that precipitate shifts in crowd psychology. Employing a qualitative investigative framework, this study's analytical research methodology involved conducting semi-structured interviews with protest organizers and police officers overseeing rallies and protests. The analysis revealed several noteworthy findings: First, protest crowds in South Korea generally exhibit attributes of "rational crowd psychology." Despite the occasional occurrence of unlawful acts, these instances are construed as stemming from individual "rational choices" propelled by benefit calculations rather than being driven by irrational psychology. Second, antecedent factors-including political decisions, external threats, and stimulation from counter-protest organizers-influence crowd psychology in South Korea, with organizers' stimulation (incitement) serving as a mediating factor. Additionally, this study empirically demonstrated that indiscriminate stimulation and unwarranted responses by the police adversely influence the change in crowd psychology. In sum, this study's qualitative findings offer strong evidence-based support for South Korean crowd psychology's consistency with the ESIM.

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