Collective Obsessional Behavior:

Collective Obsessional Behavior refers to a phenomenon where a group of people simultaneously fixate on or become obsessed with certain ideas, behaviors, or fears, often spreading rapidly through social interaction, media, or cultural influence. This can lead to shared compulsive or repetitive actions, thoughts, or emotional states that seem disproportionate or irrational.

Key Aspects:

• Group fixation: Many individuals in a community or social group focus intensely on the same subject or behavior.
• Emotional contagion: Emotions like anxiety, fear, or excitement spread through the group, amplifying the obsession.
• Repetitive behaviors or thoughts: The group may engage in repeated rituals, rumors, or conversations about the obsessional topic.
• Social reinforcement: Interaction within the group strengthens the obsessional focus.
• Examples: Mass hysteria, moral panics, mass psychogenic illness, social media-driven viral fears or trends.

Related Concepts:

• Mass hysteria / Mass psychogenic illness: Physical symptoms or panic spreading without an identifiable organic cause.
• Moral panic: Intense public concern over a perceived threat to societal values.
• Obsessive-compulsive behavior on an individual scale: When collective obsessional behavior resembles OCD-like patterns but occurs socially.

Shervan K Shahhian