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Mass Gatherings, Health, and Well‐Being: From Risk Mitigation to Health Promotion
Author(s) -
Hopkins Nick,
Reicher Stephen
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
social issues and policy review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.798
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1751-2409
pISSN - 1751-2395
DOI - 10.1111/sipr.12071
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , promotion (chess) , health promotion , process (computing) , identity (music) , health benefits , public relations , psychology , business , public economics , social psychology , political science , medicine , computer science , public health , economics , nursing , psychiatry , physics , politics , acoustics , law , traditional medicine , operating system
Mass gatherings are routinely viewed as posing risks to physical health. However, social psychological research shows mass gathering participation can also bring benefits to psychological well‐being. We describe how both sets of outcomes can be understood as arising from the distinctive forms of behavior that may be found when people—even strangers—come to define themselves and each other in terms of a shared social identity. We show that many of the risks and benefits of participation are products of group processes; that these different outcomes can have their roots in the same core processes; and that knowledge of these process provides a basis for health promotion interventions to mitigate the risks and maximize the benefits of participation. Throughout, we offer practical guidance as to how policy makers and practitioners should tailor such interventions.