Transcript Social Psychology

I can
• Explain the concept of social psychology
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
Social Psychology
In other words…. social psychology
is about human behavior in
groups.
The branch of psychology that studies the effects
of social variables and cognitions on
individual behavior and social interactions
Social Context
The combination of…
(a) People
(b) The activities and
interactions among
people
(c) The setting in which
behavior occurs, and
(d) The expectations
and social norms
governing behavior
in that setting
How Does the
Social Situation
Affect Our Behavior?
We usually adapt our
behavior to the demands of
the social situation….
and in ambiguous situations
we take our cues from the
behavior of others in that
setting.
Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007
Situationism
The view that
people are more
influenced by
external,
situational
factors than by
internal traits or
motivations.
Dispositionism
The view that
behavior is the
result of
internal factors,
such as genes,
traits, character
qualities
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Social Role
One of several
socially defined
patterns of
behavior that are
expected of
persons in a given
setting or group.
Script
The sequence of events and actions that is
expected in a particular setting.
Social Norms
A group’s expectations
regarding what is
appropriate and
acceptable for its
members’ attitudes and
behavior
Congress = Slave owner
Taxpayers = niggar
Social norms influence
students’
political views
The 2 Types of Norms
1. Mores: issues of morality are attached to this
Norm
2. Folkways: fads; no real importance is placed
on this Norm
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All norms can be split into the Do’s (Prescriptive)
and Don’ts (Proscriptive) of society
All norms will fall into 1 of the following categories
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•
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•
Prescriptive More
Prescriptive Folkway
Proscriptive More
Proscriptive Folkway
Complete the “Norm Curve”
Add 10 norms of your culture to the curve.
Pre-scriptive
Pro-scriptive
Mores at the ends
Folkways at the curve
I CAN
• Summarize: The Asch Effect, The
Milgrim Experiment, the Stanford Prison
Experiment, The Lucifer Effect
• Apply groupthink to situations
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Conformity
The tendency for
people to adopt
the behaviors and
attitudes of others
in a group.
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The Asch Effect
Tendency for people to conform, even if they are
aware they are incorrect.
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Conformity:
The Asch Studies
Which line matches the line on the left?
A
Standard line
1
2
3
Comparison lines
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Conformity:
The Asch Studies
What would you say if you were in a
room full of people who all picked line
number three?
A
Standard line
1
2
3
Comparison lines
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Conformity
Correct estimated (percent)
No opposition (control)
100
With partner
80
60
Alone against majority
40
20
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Critical trials
8
9
10
11
12
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Heroic Defiance
Those who are able to resist
the group conformity in the
Asch Experiment
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Group Characteristics That
Produce Conformity
Ashe identified three factors that
influence whether a person will yield
to pressure:
• The size of the majority
• The presence of a partner who dissented
from the majority
• The size of the discrepancy (between the
correct answer and the majority position)
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Groupthink
In “groupthink,” members of the group
attempt to conform their opinions to what
each believes to be the consensus of the
group.
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Conditions Likely to Promote
Groupthink
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•
•
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Isolation of the group
High group cohesiveness
Dictating leadership
Lack of norms requiring methodical procedures
Homogeneity of members’ social background
and ideology
• High stress from external threats with low hope
of a better solution than that of the group leader
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What is Bad About Groupthink
The group agrees without critically testing,
analyzing, and evaluating ideas.
Individual creativity, uniqueness, and
independent thinking are lost.
This has led to things as the
Challenger Disaster and Pearl
Harbor
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