The experience of collective participation: shared identity, relatedness and emotionality

This paper presents three studies that explore the experience of participating in crowd events. Analysis of semi-structured interviews with football supporters and student demonstrators is used to illustrate the role that shared identity plays in transforming within-crowd social relations (relatedness), and the positive impact this has upon emotionality of collective experience. Questionnaire data collected at a music festival are then used to confirm these claims. The paper argues for a conceptual distinction between shared identity and self-categorisation, and against the contention in classic crowd psychology that a loss of identity is at the root of collective emotion. It concludes by suggesting avenues for future research, including the potential role for collective experience in encouraging future co-action.