mob
n. a disorderly, unruly, and emotionally charged crowd. Mobs tend to form when some event, such as a crime, a catastrophe, or a controversial action, evokes the same kind of mood and reaction in a substantial number of people. Early analyses argued that individuals in mobs were so overwhelmed by their emotions and the group mind that they could no longer control their actions: Unless the situation was diffused, mobs became volatile, unpredictable, and capable of violent action. Contemporary studies suggest that members of mobs may respond impulsively but rarely lose cognitive control, that mysterious social or psychological processes do not force them to behave abnormally in such situations, and that mobs tend to be organized and goal-directed rather than irrational and frenzied.