Social Psych - Chapter 8

What is the nature of groups

• People often join groups because of a desire to achieve certain task-orientated goals that they cannot attain alone

• Satisfy affiliative motives as the desire for approval, belonging, prestige, friendship and even love

• Accomplishing tasks and emotional-social relationship

Temporal model of group membership

A theory of group membership that occur over time in members and in the group due to their mutual influence and interdependence

• How the group is changed by members ideas and actions

2 phases of evaluation of group membership

• the degree to which the individual meets the needs of the group

• the degree to which the group meets the needs of the individual

5 phases of group membership

1. Investigation ( seeks people to attain groups goals)

2. Socialization ( shape members thinking)

3. Maintenance ( define special roles for members)

4. Resocialization ( persuade others to meet expectations)

5. Remembrance ( the group develops a consensus concerning the ex-members contributions to groups goals)

Group Differ in Social Cohesiveness

• Group size

• member similarity and diversity

• Perceived subversion of group identity

• Gossip ( good or bad)

2 Group situations influence on individual behavior

• Social Facilitation

• Social loafing

Social facilitation

an individual performing an activity in the presence of an audience known as social faciliation

Social loafing

an individual performing an activity as part of a larger group of performers

Mere exposure effect

3 stages

• all humans are predisposed to be aroused when around its own members

• Physiological arousal enhances the performance of whatever response tendency is dominant

• well-learned tasks, the correct responses are also the dominant, but for un-learned tasks the dominant responses are incorrect

Evaluation apprehension

concerned over being judged by others

Distraction conflict

it is the conflict and this conflict alone that induces heightened arousal

Diffusion of responsibility

the belief that the presence of other people in a situation makes one less person responsible for the events that occur in that situation.

Deindividuation

the loss of a sense of individual identity and a loosening of normal inhibitions against engaging in behavior that is inconsistent with internal standards

Social Dilemma

any situation in which the most rewarding shot-term choice for an individual will ultimately cause negative consequences for the group as a whole

Types of Social dilemma

• Conflicts involving limited resources

• The 7 ( prisoner’s dilemma)

Cooperative orientation

Maximize joint gains

Competitive Orientation

strive to outdo other

Individualistic orientation

maximize their own well being

Group structure

• Social norms

• Social roles

• Status systems

• Expectations states theory

social rules

members positions and tasks

Status systems

distribution of power

• Achieved ( earned) ascribed ( given)

• high status ( eye contact, standing tall, self-esteem, command, interrupt)

Expectations states theory

assume how well a new member will contribute to group goals based on skills and demographics

Group cohesion

leads to greater satisfaction and productivity

group cohesion affected by

• group size - decreases

  • larger conflict: increases ; participation: decreases

  • More than 150 ( Dunbars number) strains cognitive capactity

• Member similarity - increases

  • but diversity enhances problem-solving and adaptability

• Perceived subversion: decreases

  • allow moderate dissent to maintain cohesion

• Gossip: increases

  • helps maintain norms

Explanations of Social Facilitation on Individual behavior

• Mere exposure ( increases arousal and dominant response)

• Evaluation apprehension ( diverts cognitive resources)

• Distraction-conflict (presence of others forces choice of what to attend to others

Evaluation - arousal - enhances easy tasks

Evaluation - distraction - impairs difficult tasks

Social loafing

when people contribute less to a group task then they would working alone

Types of influence

• informational influence ( shape decissions)

  • occurs when a person accepts others’ logical arguments + factual

Normative influence

• accepting others definition of reality based on the desire to win approval or avoid criticism

Unamity rule

all group members must agree on the same position before a decision is finalized

Majority - wins rule

a group opts for whatever position is held by more than 50% of its members

Plurality wins rule

when there is no clear majority, the groups opt for the position that has the most support

Group polarization

enhancement or exaggeration of members initial attitudes through discussion

Examples of group polarization

• Political parties

  • Demonizing conservatives by liberals

Produces Group Polarization

• Social comparison

  • role of normative influence

• Persuasive arguments

  • Focus on informational influence

Persuasive persuasion

group discussion by the desire to arrive at the correct or true situation

Groupthink

a deterioration of mental efficiency, reality, testing, and moral judgment in a group that results from an excessive desire to reach consensus.

Characteristics of Group think

• An overestimation of one’s ingroup

• Close-mindedness

• Increased conformity pressure

Leader

The person who exerets the most influence and provides direction and energy to the group

Two characteristics of leaders

• Accomplish goals of the group

• Attention to emotional + interpersonal aspects of group interaction

Contingency model of leadership

leadership effectiveness depends both on whether leaders are task-oriented or relationship oriented and on the degree to which they have situation control

Characteristics of situational control

• The leaders relations with the group

• Task structure

• the leaders position power

Transformational leader

a leader who changes the outlook+ behavior of followers so that they must move beyond their self-interests

Example: Martin Luther King Jr

Core components of transformational leader

• Charismatic communication

• Communicate a vision

• Implement a vision

Laws in PA

• Majority rule for civil cases

• Unamity for crimminal cases

Influencers

individuals with the ability to attract followers + affect their decisions

Examples: Celebrities, Bloggers + content creators + industry experts