Transcript Group Behaviour

Group Behaviour
Tell me 3 jokes
Social Facilitation
Refers to the concepts that people often
perform better when other people are
watching than they do when they are
alone.
Robert Zajonc found that dogs and cats –
and even cockroaches – do things faster
when they are in a group than when thay
are alone.
Social Facilitation
Is it a constant factor? NO!! In fact
sometimes it is the opposite. Simple tasks
can be done more efficiently. On the other
hand, complex tasks take longer.
E.g. A mental math speed test verse a chess
game.
Evaluation Apprehension
The concern about the opinion of others, is
another reason that the presence of other
people may affect your performance.
However, if your performance can not be
evaluated (e.g. nap time) your effort won’t
be affected.
Social Performance Summary
To summarize you need to know two things
to predict whether the performance of
others will help or hinder your performance
– whether your individual efforts can be
evaluated and whether the task is simple
or complex.
Social Loafing
When people are working together toward a
common goal rather than working on
individual tasks, they may “slack off” and
not try as hard.
Leading to consequences
Diffusion of Responsibility
Social loafing may occur because of this –
the tendency for people to feel less
responsible for accomplishing a task when
the effort is shared among members of a
group.
Risky Shift
The tendency for people to take greater
risks when they are part of a group than
they would as individuals acting on their
own.
Why would this be?
It would be because . . .
People may feel more powerful in a group or less
vulnerable. This is because the responsibility for
a particular situation or action is shared with the
other group members.
Remember the bystander effect
Would you do this if it was just you and one other
person? Or does it take a group?
Group Decision Making
Majority-Wins Scheme – Majority convinces
the others to go along with their plan
Truth-Wins Scheme – Usually occurs when
new information is given
Two-Thirds-Majority Scheme – The Majority
get their way (used for juries)
First-Shift Scheme – Groups are deadlocked
50/50 first person to switch sides causes
others to follow
Group Polarization
The shared attitudes that group members
hold are likely to grow stronger over time.
It occurs as group members discuss and
act upon the attitudes they share.
What are some examples of negative group
polarization?
Authoritarian Leaders
They exert absolute control over all
decisions for the group. They tell them
what to do and demand that group
members obey their orders. E.g. Military
Democratic Leaders
They encourage group members to express
and discuss their ideas and, in addition,
make their own decisions. They try
optimally for a consensus but if can’t
decide it goes to a _________.
Laissez-Faire Leaders
French for “to let (people) do (as they
choose)”
Like democratic leaders in that they want
group members to express their own ideas
but these leaders take a less active role in
the decision-making process.
Comparing Leadership Styles
Which is the best for a group?
It Depends
No one style is best for every group in any
situation.
In times of crisis authoritarian leaders may
be more effective because they can make
quick decisions.