<sup>ABSTRACT
Social hysteria, acting as an affective force, drives collective behaviors through the ‘consumption of joy’ manifested in flamboyant and ostentatious rituals. The media-driven commodification of happiness, by decoupling itself from authentic cultural foundations, has precipitated a shift toward performative joy, conspicuous consumption, and the competitive representation of well-being. Adopting a descriptive-analytical approach, this study investigates the nexus between social hysteria and joy consumption. The research employed a sequential mixed-methods design: the qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with twenty experts selected via snowball sampling, while the quantitative phase surveyed 384 female shoppers on the Madani 20-Meter Street in the Islamabad neighborhood of Zanjan during the pre-Norouz period, using the Cochran formula for sample determination. Data analysis was conducted using Grounded Theory via MAXQDA for qualitative synthesis, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS for quantitative validation. The findings reveal that indices such as conspicuous consumption, micro-social competition, consumerism, social pressure, competitive celebrations and travel, collective behavioral pressure, and symbolic joy significantly influence urban action patterns. According to the structural model, the most significant impacts were observed in the constructs of ‘consumerism and social pressure’ (t=3.246) and ‘collective behavioral pressure’ (t=3.795). Furthermore, the constructs of ‘beliefs and emotions’ (t=3.850) and ‘social susceptibility’ (t=3.845) exhibited the strongest influence in reinforcing collective behaviors. The null hypothesis is rejected given the statistical significance (p<0.001). To mitigate social hysteria, a multi-dimensional approach—encompassing cultural policy, education, economic support, and media representation—is essential to prevent the systemic reproduction of social inequality.
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Public celebrations and traditional festivals, particularly the ancient Persian festival of Nowruz, have historically served as vital conduits for social cohesion, collective renewal, and the preservation of national and cultural identity. As a liminal period marking the transition from winter to spring, Nowruz has traditionally functioned as a temporal mechanism for social recalibration, providing a shared space for communal solidarity and the reaffirmation of ancestral values. However, in the contemporary urban landscape, these authentic expressions of joy are increasingly subjected to the corrosive influences of hyper-consumerism and the rapid, often uneven, processes of globalization. The traditional ritualistic dimensions of Norouz are being progressively replaced by a commodified spectacle, where the essence of the celebration is no longer rooted in communal belonging but in the acquisition and display of material goods. This research investigates the emerging ‘paradox of joy,’ a socio-spatial phenomenon where the pursuit of authentic communal happiness is superseded by performative, status-driven consumption patterns. This transition signifies a fundamental shift from joy as a shared cultural experience to joy as a manufactured commodity. In this context, the urban environment becomes a stage for what can be termed ‘social hysteria’—a state of heightened, volatile, and emotionally contagious behavior driven by the perceived necessity of performing socio-economic status through ritualistic consumption. This hysteria is not merely a psychological aberration but a structural byproduct of urban environments that prioritize commercial exchange over social interaction.
Focusing specifically on the Madani Street axis in Zanjan, this study explores how this phenomenon manifests within a specific, high-density commercial corridor. Madani Street, acting as a primary socio-economic artery for the city, serves as a critical site for observing the tensions between tradition and modernity. It is hypothesized that the Madani Street axis serves not merely as a commercial transit point, but as a ‘symbolic theater’ where socio-economic anxieties, class tensions, and identity crises are masked by the competitive consumption of joy. The central question driving this research is: How does the intersection of social hysteria and the commodification of celebration along the Madani Street axis facilitate the deepening gap between surface-level festive performances and the structural, underlying crises of identity and socio-economic stability in the urban context? By interrogating this axis, the study seeks to uncover how the spatial organization of urban commerce can either foster authentic sociality or accelerate the fragmentation of the urban social fabric through the mechanisms of consumerist hysteria.

Methodology
To capture the multifaceted nature of the socio-spatial phenomenon under investigation, this study adopted a rigorous sequential mixed-methods research design. This methodological choice was driven by the need to bridge the gap among the subjective, lived experiences of urban actors and the objective, structural patterns of behavior. By integrating qualitative depth with quantitative precision, the research facilitates a dialectical dialogue between exploratory induction and confirmatory deduction, ensuring that the resulting model is both theoretically grounded and statistically robust. The research was executed in two distinct but interconnected phases. The initial qualitative phase was designed to explore the latent, non-linear dimensions of ‘social hysteria’ that traditional quantitative metrics often fail to capture. Grounded Theory (GT) was employed as the primary inductive framework to allow concepts to emerge directly from the urban context. To achieve this, a purposive snowball sampling technique was utilized to recruit twenty key informants—experts in urban sociology, cultural studies, and urban planning—whose specialized insights provided the necessary depth to understand the underlying drivers of festive behavior. The data, gathered through semi-structured in-depth interviews, underwent a systematic process of inductive abstraction using MAXQDA software. This involved a rigorous three-stage coding procedure: open coding to fragment the data into discrete concepts; axial coding to identify relationships among these concepts; and selective coding to integrate them into a coherent theoretical narrative. This intensive process yielded 482 initial codes, which were subsequently synthesized into a robust conceptual framework consisting of five core dimensions: (1) luxury-driven micro-social competition, (2) the escalation of consumerism and social pressure, (3) the phenomenon of competitive celebrations, (4) collective behavioral pressure, and (5) the prevalence of ‘symbolic joy.’
The subsequent quantitative phase was initiated to operationalize these qualitative constructs and test their structural validity within the Madani Street axis. The findings from the Grounded Theory phase served as the foundation for the development of a structured survey instrument, which was administered to a sample of 384 participants, determined via the Cochran formula to ensure statistical representativeness. To analyze the complex causal relationships among the identified constructs, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was implemented using SmartPLS 3. These partial least squares approach was selected for its superior ability to handle complex models with multi-dimensional constructs. The integrity of the structural model was rigorously validated through a multi-step statistical process. First, measurement model validity was established via Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), yielding a Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) coefficient of 0.8650.8650.865 and a significant Bartlett’s test (p<0.001p < 0.001p<0.001), confirming the suitability of the data for factor analysis. Second, internal consistency and convergent validity were confirmed through high Composite Reliability (CR > 0.7) and Average Variance Extracted (AVE > 0.5). Finally, the structural model’s predictive power was evaluated through a bootstrapping procedure, where the significance of causal linkages was determined by T-statistics. All hypothesized path coefficients achieved a TTT-value exceeding the critical threshold of 1.961.961.96, thereby providing robust statistical evidence for the proposed structural relationships.

Results and Discussion
The empirical investigation of the Madani Street axis reveals that social hysteria is far from a transient psychological aberration or a mere seasonal mood swing; instead, it emerges as a profound, systemic determinant that reconfigures festive behavior within the contemporary urban fabric. By synthesizing qualitative thematic insights with quantitative structural validation, this study demonstrates that the traditional Nowruz celebrations have undergone a fundamental metamorphosis—transitioning from a communal ritual of solidarity to a competitive, performative spectacle of socio-economic status.
Central to this transformation is the phenomenon of ‘performative belonging,’ a concept identified through Grounded Theory and subsequently validated by structural modeling. The qualitative data suggest that the high-density retail environment and intense visual stimulation of Madani Street act as socio-spatial accelerants, triggering a state of symbolic joy that serves as a psychological facade. This is quantitatively confirmed by the dominant influence of ‘Collective Behavioral Pressure’ (β=3.795\beta = 3.795β=3.795) and ‘Consumerism and Social Pressure’ (β=3.246\beta = 3.246β=3.246). These variables function as the primary engines of a ‘perpetual loop of performative celebration,’ where the fear of social exclusion and the perceived necessity of conspicuous consumption outweigh the actual cultural or spiritual values of the Nowruz holiday. Consequently, the street is transformed from a site of organic social encounter into a high-stakes theater of social competition, where individuals feel compelled to mirror the perceived success of others to avoid the stigma of economic inadequacy. This cycle of hysteria is not uniformly experienced but is deeply embedded in gendered socio-cultural structures. The analysis reveals that the management of this performative joy is divided along clear gender lines, driven by the decisive factors of ‘Beliefs and Emotions’ (β=3.850\beta = 3.850β=3.850) and ‘Socio-Cultural Susceptibility’ (β=3.845\beta = 3.845β=3.845). The findings indicate that women bear the disproportionate responsibility for the aesthetic and performative administration of Nowruz rituals, acting as the primary managers of the visual display of household and social prosperity. Conversely, men are tasked with navigating the intense economic pressures and the labor-intensive demands required to sustain this public facade of wealth. This gendered division of labor reinforces the cycle of hysteria, as the aesthetic demands of women and the economic burdens of men become inextricably linked to the maintenance of social status. Ultimately, the integrated findings suggest that the celebratory patterns observed along the Madani Street axis are not authentic expressions of cultural vitality. Instead, they function as sophisticated, defensive psychological mechanisms designed to camouflage deep-seated structural anxieties, including economic instability and identity crises. Through this process, the ‘consumption of joy’ has been effectively commodified, evolving from a communal ritual into a potent instrument of social stratification. This commodification does not merely change how people celebrate; it actively reshapes the social-spatial dynamics of the city, driving a wedge between surface-level festive performances and the underlying crises of urban stability and social cohesion.

Conclusion
The findings suggest that the Madani Street axis has undergone a profound socio-spatial metamorphosis, transitioning from a traditional site of communal solidarity into a hyper-commodified arena for the performative ‘consumption of joy.’ This transformation is not merely a localized phenomenon but a microcosmic reflection of a broader societal crisis. The identified ‘social hysteria’ acts as a diagnostic symptom of a landscape where urban spaces no longer facilitate organic social encounters, but instead reinforce existing socio-economic inequalities by compelling residents—particularly those from precarious middle and lower-class backgrounds—to participate in unsustainable, competitive modes of celebration to maintain social standing. Theoretically, the observed patterns in Zanjan align closely with Guy Debord's notion of the Society of the Spectacle, wherein genuine social existence is supplanted by its mediated representation. In the context of Madani Street, the ‘spectacle’ of Nowruz is no longer an expression of cultural continuity, but a visual performance of economic survival. This creates what can be termed a ‘spatiality of anxiety,’ where the urban environment triggers psychological distress through the constant juxtaposition of festive imagery and the reality of economic precarity. Furthermore, through the lens of Henri Lefebvre’s Right to the City, the findings indicate that the ‘use-value’ of public space - as a place for communal ritual and social cohesion - has been systematically eroded by its ‘exchange-value’ - as a theater for commercial display and status competition. This erosion deprives citizens of their right to inhabit the city in a way that is meaningful, non-commercial, and culturally authentic.
A paradigm shift in urban governance is imperative to mitigate these negative externalities and prevent the further fragmentation of the urban social fabric. We argue that the current top-down, market-driven approach to urban festivities should be replaced by a bottom-up, citizen-centric framework. Specifically, policy-makers and urban planners should prioritize three strategic interventions. First, there should be a deliberate ‘decoupling’ of social identity from ritualistic consumption. This can be achieved by fostering inclusive, low-cost, and community-based cultural programs that emphasize the non-material essence of Nowruz, thereby reducing the pressure of conspicuous consumption. Second, municipal frameworks should become gender-responsive, recognizing and alleviating the disproportionate psychological and economic burden placed on women in the aesthetic management of these socio-cultural rituals. Third, the spatial programming of the Madani Street axis should be re-engineered to prioritize ‘slow urbanism’—creating pockets of non-commercial, organic social interaction that allow for genuine human connection away from the pressures of the retail spectacle. In conclusion, restoring the authentic essence of Nowruz in the urban landscape of Zanjan requires more than superficial policy adjustments; it demands a fundamental pivot toward restoring social solidarity. Without systemic interventions to de-commodify the festive experience, the Madani Street axis will remain trapped in a self-perpetuating cycle of socio-spatial anxiety. The ultimate challenge for contemporary urban governance lies in navigating the transition from a paradigm of symbolic, performative joy to one of sustainable, grounded, and inclusive communal renewal.

Funding
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Authors’ Contribution
Mohammad-Taghi Heidari: Methodology, initial concept, and drafting of the theoretical framework; Majid Hazrati: Statistical analysis, editing, and interpretation.

Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Acknowledgment
The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the local business owners along Madani Street in Islamabad, whose cooperation and assistance during the interview process were invaluable to this study. We would also like to extend our thanks to the anonymous reviewers and experts for their constructive critiques and insightful comments, which significantly contributed to enhancing the quality of this manuscript.</sup>