For chemistry term, see law of mass action Mass action in science is the idea that a large number of small units (especially atoms or molecules) acting randomly by themselves can in fact have a larger pattern. ...

Mass action in sociology refers to the situations where large number of people behave simultaneously in similar way but individaully and without coordiantion. Social interactions of people and their consequences are the subject of sociology studies. ...

For example, at any given momement, many thousands of people are shopping - without any coordination between themselves, they are nonetheless performing the same mass action. Another, more complicated example would be one based on Max Weber's (famous 19th century German sociologist) work The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism: Weber wrote that capitalism evolved when protestant ethic influenced large number of people to create their own enterprises and engage in trade and gathering of wealth. In other words, protestant ethic was a force behind a an unplanned and uncoordinated mass action that led to the development of capitalism. Maximilian Weber (April 21, 1864 – June 14, 1920) was a German political economist and sociologist who is considered one of the founders of the modern, antipositivistic study of sociology and public administration. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism is a book written by Maximilian Weber, a German economist and sociologist in 1904 and 1905 that began as a series of essays. ... Capitalism has been defined in various ways (see q:Capitalism). ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Ethics is a general term for what is often described as the science (study) of morality. In philosophy, ethical behavior is that which is good or right. ... Enterprise can refer to any of the following: A business or organization. ... Look up Trade in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Trade centers on the exchange of goods and/or services. ... Wealth usually refers to money and property. ...

More developed forms of mass actions are group behaviour and group action. Group behaviour in sociology refers to the situations where large number of people in a given area behave simoultanesly in similar way and have a similar goal, but they individaully and without coordiantion. ... Group action in sociology refers to the situations where large number of people in a given area behave simoultanesly in similar way with have a similar goal, and their actions are and coordinated. ...

See also

• social action