Group Psychology and The Analysis of the Ego

In this monograph Freud describes psychological mechanisms at work within mass movements. A mass according to Freud is a “temporary entity consisting of heterogeneous elements that have joined together for a moment.” He refers heavily to the writings of sociologist and psychologist Gustave Le Bon summarizing his work at the beginning of the book in the chapter Le Bons Schilderung der Massenseele (“Le Bon’s description of the group mind”). Like Le Bon Freud says that as part of the mass the individual acquires a sense of infinite power allows him to act on impulses that he would otherwise have to curb as an isolated individual. These feelings of power and security allow the individual not only to act as part of the mass but also to feel safety in numbers.