MENTAL EPIDEMIC AS A PHENOMENON OF HUMAN SOCIAL LIFE

Abstract.The article is devoted to the phenomenon of human social life – a mental epidemic. The material discusses the concepts of «mental epidemic», «psychological infection». The classification, features, historical examples of the «mental epidemic» and the factors causing it are given. The mechanisms of mental contagion are described and examples of forms of mass mental contagion in society are given.

Key words: features of a mental epidemic, mental epidemic, the effect of suggestion, the effect of contagion, heliotarax, the effect of human behavior in a crowd, the mechanism of directed suggestion.

Kobzareva Inna – Candidate of Psychological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of General and Developmental Psychology of the Stavropol State Pedagogical Institute

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Andreeva Elena – senior lecturer of the department of general and developmental psychology, deputy head for licensing and state accreditation

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