Faces in the Crowd: Individual Studies in Character and Politics

Faces in the Crowd: Individual Studies in Character and Politics is a 1952 work by David Riesman and Nathan Glazer. It expands on themes from their earlier book, The Lonely Crowd, which explored the changing character of the urban middle class in America.

Riesman's theory identifies three character types:
* Tradition-directed: Values are determined by societal traditions, common in pre-industrial societies.
* Inner-directed: Values are set early by the family and remain stable, prevalent in societies with moderate population growth.
* Other-directed: Values are shaped by peer groups and constantly adjust to conform, typical of highly industrialized, densely populated societies.

Faces in the Crowd features interviews that delve into these character types and their relationship to politics and individual decision-making.1