False consensus effect, physical aggression, anger, and a willingness to escalate a disturbance

The present investigation sought to establish the relationships between two measures of aggression and both subjects' self-reported attraction to fights and likelihood that they would join in a crowd disturbance. Subjects were adult males (N = 63) interviewed at an ice hockey game. Tests of the false consensus effect [Ross et al. (1977): Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 13: 279–301] were also undertaken. Physical aggression and anger bore strong, positive correlations with subjects' liking to watch the fights and the likelihood of their escalating a crowd disturbance. Support for the false consensus effect was found insofar as those attracted to the fights and those who would escalate a disturbance estimated a disproportionately greater number of other spectators were similarly attracted to fights and would take similar action. The implications for unruly crowd behaviors were discussed.