CRITICAL THINKING EXERCISE

Scenario:

Several hundred students at the local university attended a student rally protesting conditions at the university. Following the peaceful rally, the students decided to march down to the administration building to continue their peaceful demonstration. When the peaceful students arrived at the administration building, they noticed that about fifty people, whose identity was concealed from public view had joined the peaceful march. They also noticed that they were carrying backpacks full of rocks and bottles. The original peaceful students that had attended the rally confronted the new arrivals and told them of their desire to keep the demonstration peaceful. The new arrivals refused their request and began to throw rocks and bottles at the administration building. The peaceful students immediately departed the area. The violent people continued to throw rocks and bottles at the administration building. The University Police arrived and arrested many of the violent people.

TASK A:

YOU ARE A SOCIOLOGIST:

Select and write in your Canvas Answer Section below THE NAME OF THE CROWD BEHAVIOR THEORY that would BEST EXPLAIN changes in the crowd behavior as they moved from a peaceful demonstration to a violent action. Your answer should be based on the Sociology Lectures and the Textbook Readings. You must have the CORRECT ANSWER FROM THE SOCIOLOGY DISCUSSION to receive the points for TASK A $(15$ points$)$

TASK B: $($TASK A MUST BE CORRECT TO RECEIVE THE POINTS IN TASK B$)$

As a sociologist$--$you have identified a statement in the Scenario that provides the basis for YOUR CORRECT ANSWER IN TASK A$.$

$1.$ PROVIDE THE STATEMENT$--($taken from the Scenario$)$ AND

$2.$ HOW DID THIS STATEMENT REININFORCE YOUR DECISION that you have selected the Correct Theory BASED ON HOW THAT THEORY IS USED TO EXPLAIN CROWD BEHAVIOR? $(10$ points$)$