Crowds, audiences, and publics are all types of temporary social groups. Crowds are unorganized groups that form spontaneously around a common focus of attention. They are easily formed and dispersed. Audiences are groups that gather for a specific purpose at a predetermined time and place, and have some structure and rules of conduct. Publics are dispersed groups united psychologically by shared opinions on social issues. They think and feel collectively but have no direct contact.

1. Mr.Allen Anil. Mohite
Clinical Instructor
PBBSc(N)
College Of Nursing Wanless Hospital Miraj
416410

2. While groups like the family, neighborhood and village
community are permanent ones, crowds, public and
audiences are just temporary groups Such groups are
the traits of modern mass societies.

3. CROWD
Definitions
 According to Maclver & Page, crowd is "A physically
compact aggregation of human beings brought into
direct, temporary, and unorgan1zed contact with one
another. It is quickly created and quickly dissolved.
 According to Lundberg and others, "A crowed is a
temporary collection of persons who react to a
common focus of attention, and engage in
spontaneous interaction"

4.  We conclude that crowds are aggregates of people
gathered around some focus of attention. They are
temporary, easily made, and easily dissolved. Crowds
are a common sight in urban centers. Some of them
are passive and some very active. In our discussions, we
are concerned with the active crowds, some of which
may be called mobs too. Though the crowds are
classified into various types, by sociologists/social
psychologists, the simplest classification is that of
(i) ordinary crowd and (i1) mob.

5. General Characteristics of Crowd
Very briefly, the general characteristics of the crowd are given below
1. It s unorganized, it has no structure.
2. Crowd is transitory and unstable.
3. The role of leader is important in a crowd, especially in an active crowd of
the mob type, as is the leader Who will direct and guide the crows action,
4. It has physical presence of' a large number of people.
5. A crowd, especially of the active type, should have common interest, to
enable all the members to act together.
6. The crowd should have a focus of attention. It may be an accident
spot, a person, or even an idea as we find in a revolutionary crowd

6. Psychological Characteristics of Crowd
The psychological traits of crowd are important, in as
much as crowd is a psychological group, more so, in an
active crowd. Normal behavior disappears. Some of the
psychological traits of an active crowd are as follows

7. Psychological Characteristics of Crowd
1. It has a sense of power
2. It displays intensified emotions.
3. It has high degree of suggestibility
4. Crowd is unmoral, as the moral code does not work in a
crowd.
5. The crowd has very low intelligence.
6. There 1s much inter-stimulation in the crowd.
7. It is quite irresponsible. The members of the crowd
behave in a very irresponsible manner, and confess later
on, "I am sorry I was out of my mind", etc.

8. Different Types of People in Crowd
If we analyze minutely, there are different types of people in
crowd too.
I. Lawless people : antisocial elements.
II. Impulsive people : are easily led by others.
III. Cautious people: are those who have criminal
tendencies.
IV. Yielders: who yield to the pressure' of others.
V. Supporters : such people may not take, part in the anti-
social activities of the crowd, but support and encourage
it.
VI. Resistant people: Who try to control or stop the activities
of the crowd.

9. PUBLIC

10. PUBLIC
The public is merely a psychological group who think and
feel about social issues. They are diffused, and are
found in far off places. 'They are psychologically united
due to some social issues.

11. Definitions
 Kingsley Davis defines public as "A dispersed group; it
is a feeling and thinking group.
 According to Morris Ginsberg, "The public is an
unorganized and amorphous aggregation of
individuals who are bound together by common
opinions and desires but are too numerous for each to
maintain personal relations with the others"

12. Characteristics of the Public
We can observe the characteristics of the public through the above
definitions, very briefly:
1. Public is a disposed group.
2. It is psychological group. It thinks, feels, and experiences
certain common things
3. In pubic, all people do not have unanimous opinion.
4. The members of the public communicate each other through
mass media
5. Public is an organized group.
6. There 1s no personal contact in public of course, they can cone
together of discuss on a particular issue in the form of an
audience

13. Difference between crowd and public
Crowd Public
Members in close proximity Members are scattered
No personal identity Personal identity 1s kept up
Absence of thinking It is a thinking group
Highly suggestible Not suggestive generally
A person can be member of only one
crowd at a time
A person can be member of different
pubic around diverse issues.
Highly emotional Not emotional
Opinions of a crowd not accepted or
demanded to take action.
Opinions of a public are demanded and
accepted in order to help the govt. Or
the authority concerned to take action.
Life too shore Exists for a longer time
Active crowds have leaders . Public does not have a leader
. Crowd is irresponsible & immoral and
unintelligent.
Responsible, moral and intelligent

14. Public Opinion
As a result of public, there is public opinion, which is
very in modern times of democracy, and propaganda.
In fact, our election are measurement of public
opinions. Changing public opinions change
governments too.
According to VV Akolar, public opinion simply refers
to that mass of ideas which people have or express on a
given issue“
To George Atteberry and others, "public opinion may
be thought of as the sum total of the collective.
Judgments of all publics"

15. Characteristics of Public Opinion
The nature of public opinion may be indicated as below :
a) It is the sum total of peoples opinion on any particular issue.
b) It is formed through a definite process first a dialogue on the
issue, then formation of different view-points, the discussions,
and finally come to certain majority opini0n. Such opinion
may not be unanimous, but the majority usually accepts the
views of the majority, and thus, a public opinion is finally
formed for action.
c) There is some stability
d) Public opinion is not a unanimous opinion, yet it is a
compromise between the majority opinion and minority
opinion. Public opinion is usually followed by action

16. Audience

17. Audience
This is age of audience as there are meetings all over,
including class rooms, public meetings, etc. this is also
a psychologically important group that sees, listens,
and thinks.

18. Definitions
 According to VV Akolkar, An audience is a temporary
assembly whose members have gathered for u a
definite and Similar purpose. Each one come to the
spot on account of his or her individual interest.

19. Definitions
Some of the important traits of an audience are given
below
i. It is an aggregate of people at a particular place and
time.
ii. It has a pre-determined purpose.
iii. It has certain norms, and so, there is some sort of
discipline too.

20. Classification of Audience
Audiences are of various types as follow
Information : seeking audience e.G.. Class room, tv
hall, etc.
Conversational audience :such audiences are for
discussions.
Recreational: we have cinema, sports stadium, etc.
Religious :this is for religious worship, as in churches,
temples and mosques.
Political: such audiences are addressed usually by
political leaders.

21. Classification of Audience
Thus, there are very many types of audience depending upon our
interest, religious, political and educational audiences are
common in modern society. Students attend classes, and they
become audience, there may be few people or large number of
people
Some sociologists social psychologists have mentioned about
hypothetical audience, or say, unreal audience. They are
members of a very large audience who cannot see or hear
anything. This depends upon the arrangements for the audience
e.G. Seating arrangements, loudspeaker arrangements, focus of
attention (teacher, film, players, etc.)

22. Difference Between Crowd And Audience
Crowd Audience
A crowd has no definite purpose Audience has definite purpose
Crowd gets collected at its own Planned way
No predetermined time or place predetermined place and time
No rules of behavior There are rules of conduct
Unorganized, uncontrolled Organized & controlled
Emotional and suggestible Less emotional and suggestible
Low intelligence Intelligent
Like-interest group Common interest group
Sense of power and unity No sense of power or unity
Unstable and transitory Relatively stable & durable.