《乌合之众·第一编·群体的心理·群体的一般特征·心理统一律》第1节
In its ordinary sense the word "crowd" means a gathering of individuals of whatever nationality, profession, or sex, and whatever be the chances that have brought them together. From the psychological point of view the expression "crowd" assumes quite a different signification. Under certain given circumstances, and only under those circumstances, an agglomeration of men presents new characteristics very different from those of the individuals composing it. The sentiments and ideas of all the persons in the gathering take one and the same direction, and their conscious personality vanishes. A collective mind is formed, doubtless transitory, but presenting very clearly defined characteristics. The gathering has thus become what, in the absence of a better expression, I will call an organised crowd, or, if the term is considered preferable, a psychological crowd. It forms a single being, and is subjected to the LAW OF THE MENTAL UNITY OF CROWDS. It is evident that it is not by the mere fact of a number of individuals finding themselves accidentally side by side that they acquire the character of an organised crowd. A thousand individuals accidentally gathered in a public place without any determined object in no way constitute a crowd from the psychological point of view. To acquire the special characteristics of such a crowd, the influence is necessary of certain predisposing causes of which we shall have to determine the nature.
注释摘要
勒庞在这一节的开篇做了一个关键的区分，这个区分后来成为整个群体心理学的基石。日常语言中，一群人就是一群人，无所谓国籍职业性别，在马路上、在广场里，站在一起就算。但勒庞认为，从心理学角度看，这根本不算一个群体。集体心理的出现需要特定条件，不是简单的物理邻近。当这些条件满足时，这群人的情感与观念会趋于同一方向，每个人清醒时独立运作的自觉人格会暂时消失，取而代之…