The psychology of crowds and leadership in the 2021 Capitol insurrection

Carina Hoerst; Stephen Reicher; John Drury; S. Alexander Haslam; Fergus Neville; Evangelos Ntontis; Sara Vestergren

doi:10.4324/9781003505839-8

The psychology of crowds and leadership in the 2021 Capitol insurrection

Carina Hoerst, Stephen Reicher, John Drury, S. Alexander Haslam, Fergus Neville, Evangelos Ntontis, Sara Vestergren

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

Abstract

In this chapter, we draw on contemporary social-psychological research on crowds and leadership to provide a framework for understanding the violent attack on the Washington, DC, Capitol on January 6, 2021. We document the lead-up to the event, its embedding in the immediate and broader US social and political context, and analyse the impact of Donald J Trump on organised groups that attended the event and on the crowd as a whole. By illustrating a dynamic leadership—followership relationship, we contribute to an examination of the psychological processes behind what we now know as the Capitol Insurrection.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Social psychology of leadership and crowds
Subtitle of host publication	global perspectives
Editors	Mete Sefa Uysal, Sara Vestergren, Yasemin Gulsum Acar
Place of Publication	Abingdon, Oxon
Publisher	Routledge Taylor & Francis Group
Chapter	8
Pages	152-170
Number of pages	19
ISBN (Electronic)	9781003505839
ISBN (Print)	9781032821382, 9781032827148
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003505839-8
Publication status	Published - 26 Sept 2025

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This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

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10.4324/9781003505839-8

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Hoerst, C., Reicher, S., Drury, J., Haslam, S. A., Neville, F., Ntontis, E., & Vestergren, S. (2025). The psychology of crowds and leadership in the 2021 Capitol insurrection. In M. S. Uysal, S. Vestergren, & Y. G. Acar (Eds.), Social psychology of leadership and crowds: global perspectives (pp. 152-170). Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003505839-8

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Hoerst, C, Reicher, S, Drury, J, Haslam, SA, Neville, F, Ntontis, E & Vestergren, S 2025, The psychology of crowds and leadership in the 2021 Capitol insurrection. in MS Uysal, S Vestergren & YG Acar (eds), Social psychology of leadership and crowds: global perspectives. Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, Abingdon, Oxon, pp. 152-170. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003505839-8

The psychology of crowds and leadership in the 2021 Capitol insurrection. / Hoerst, Carina; Reicher, Stephen; Drury, John et al.
Social psychology of leadership and crowds: global perspectives. ed. / Mete Sefa Uysal; Sara Vestergren; Yasemin Gulsum Acar. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2025. p. 152-170.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

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AU - Vestergren, Sara

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ER -

The psychology of crowds and leadership in the 2021 Capitol insurrection

Abstract

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