Mass Panic — How Belief Spreads Through Crowds

The Psychology of Superstition · Apr 29, 2026 · 6m

This episode explores how mass panic forms and spreads through crowds. It explains how uncertainty leads individuals to rely on others’ behavior (informational social influence), causing fear to spread rapidly through emotional contagion. As reactions amplify each other, behavior itself becomes “evidence,” turning rumors into beliefs. With modern technology, this process accelerates through digital networks. The episode concludes that mass panic arises not from irrationality, but from natural human instincts to seek safety and clarity—making shared belief feel like truth, even without…