General Information On Collective Consciousness

By Sonya Riley


Collective consciousness, which may be written as collective conscience, is used when referencing a set of shared beliefs, moral attitudes and ideas. Such shared things serve as an undivided source among different societies. The term was originally used by Emile Durkheim, a French sociologist who wrote about this concept in his book Division of Labor in Society, which was published during the early 1890s.

The French word that is conscience is compared to, and translated as, conscious or conscience in the language of English. It might also be defined as awareness or perception. There are people who use the term conscience as if there is no way to translate this technical term or foreign word in English. Usually it is not related to moral conscience but an understanding that is shared in regards t social norms. With the word collective, Durkheim clearly states no intention of reifying or hypostatizing. This word, to him, refers to a commonality to most, or a social fact.

Durkheim discusses this topic in four of his books, including The Elementary Forms of Religious Life, Suicide, Rules of Sociological Method, and The Division of Labor in Society. He maintained that in primitive or traditional groups a totemic religion is present and has a great effect on unity of members. This is done through developing common consciousness. In these kinds of societies, which center around tribal, clan or family relationships, the traits of consciousness of a person are shared among all in a society, creating mechanical solidarity through a shared likeness.

The concept and term is used outside of the social theory presented by Durkheim. There are several things categorized under this term that represent society of the modern day. This term is used by parapsychologists and sociologists.

Mary Kelsey is a lecturer of sociology who employed the term in the early 2000s. She used this word to describe people who exist in a social group and are aware of the shared circumstances and traits. Said awareness leads people to act as a community in order to have solidarity. Instead of living as an individual, people join forces to create groups that are dynamic and share resources and knowledge.

A newer theory being used suggests that character of consciousness is connected to the form of mnemonic encoding in a group. For instance, groups that are cohesive and have informal set ups usually present major facets of society as episodic memories. This influences that collective ideologies and behaviors, which often leads to indulgent atmosphere, solidarity and exclusive ethos.

In societies, there are many collective groups, such as: family, community, organizations, nations and regions. Such units have their own capabilities to judge, reflect, conceptualize, think, reform and act. The different behaviors perceived among the groups will range based on varying consciousness. That is, variations that exist are believed to have practical meaning.

Collective consciousness was first introduced in an 1893 book written by Emile Durkheim. He was a French sociologist who used this term to reference shared ideas, beliefs and moral attitudes found among different societies. This particular concept has since been used by psychologists and sociologists in order to describe ideas and theories relative to the modern world.




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