It is like a chain reaction. It usually happens in some sudden acute situation. For example, when a person sees another person running very fast and frightened and finds the reason why, he will do the same and will follow him. Then the idea spreads to other people and like this arises collective behavior and mass hysteria. .
Mass hysteria can be divided into two categories, which Simon Wessely (1987) classified into: mass anxiety hysteria and mass motor hysteria. The first category, mass anxiety hysteria, is often of a short duration and covers outbreaks demarcated by the phenomena of anxiety such as abdominal pain, fainting, headache, hyperventilation, nausea, chest tightness, dizziness and palpitation (Wessely). It may last a few hours or days (Wessely). The second category is called mass motor hysteria. It covers outbreaks that are more often encountered in the psychiatric literature and are characterized by histrionics and intense muscular movements (Wessely). It may last even several years (Wessely). .
1.2 Historical Examples.
1.2.1 The Salem Witch Trials.
Over thousands of years numerous events in history have culminated into extreme results thanks to mass hysteria. Very significant event throughout history that demonstrate the effect of mass hysteria on society is the Salem Witch Trials in 1692. Based on this historical event, Arthur Miller wrote in 1860 his drama called "The Crucible ". The Salem Witch Trials were classic examples of mass hysteria. They were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people who were accused for using supernatural power in Massachusetts. Mass hysteria started there when four young girls started to show mysterious behavior. They caught these young girls dancing in the moonlight and their behavior seemed like under the influence of Satan. Then other young women started to show this similar mysterious behavior too. Some people from the village joined the mysterious girls and participated in the hysteria with them.
