Final answer:
Gustave Le Bon believed that individuals in a crowd develop a collective mind leading to impulsive and irrational behavior, but emergent-norm theory suggests crowds can act rationally, with new norms emerging to guide purposeful collective action.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Gustave Le Bon, when a group of individuals are transformed into a crowd, they develop a collective mind that leads them to act differently than they would as individuals. This phenomenon occurs due to the anonymity and temporary nature of a crowd, which allows individuals to act in ways they might not ordinarily deem acceptable. This can result in characteristics such as impulsiveness, irrationality, and exaggerated emotions. However, emergent-norm theory, which superseded Le Bon's ideas, suggests that crowds can behave rationally, with new norms emerging from within the crowd that are accepted and followed by its members. These norms are shaped by the specific situations and goals of the crowd and can lead to purposeful and rational collective action.
The emergent-norm perspective views crowds as rational and purposeful, with norms developing and being accepted by the crowd as they interact in small groups. This theory explains why norms develop but doesn't specify how they spread through the crowd.