Thousands of people have bought tickets to watch a football final at a stadium in Kolkata. They do not know one another, sit in their own seats, cheer when a goal is scored and go home when the match ends. Which of the following correctly identifies this collection of people and describes it?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → An audience; people who by some coincidence happened to be in the same place at the same time
Option (1) A group; its members interact with one another and have roles and goals — Incorrect. A group is an organised system whose members interact, depend on one another and have roles and goals, like the players on the field. The spectators do not know one another and have no roles, so they do not form a group.
Option (2) An audience; people who by some coincidence happened to be in the same place at the same time — Correct. The spectators came together only because of a shared interest in football. Such people are an audience: a mere collection of people who happen to be in the same place at the same time, with no interaction, roles or interdependence.
Option (3) A mob; marked by polarisation in attention and actions of persons in a common direction — Incorrect. A mob forms when an audience goes into a frenzy. It has a definite sense of purpose, polarised attention and impulsive, common action. These spectators stay calm and leave after the match, so no mob has formed.
Option (4) A team; its members have complementary skills and are mutually accountable for their activities — Incorrect. A team is a special kind of group whose members have complementary skills, a common goal and mutual accountability. That describes the players.
NCERT (2026-27): “Picture B “An audience is also a collection of people who have assembled for a special purpose, may be to watch a cricket match or a movie. Audiences are generally passive but sometimes they go into a frenzy and become mobs. In mobs, there is a definite sense of purpose. There is polarisation in attention, and actions of persons are in a common direction. Mob behaviour is characterised by homogeneity of thought and behaviour as well as impulsivity.” |