MCAT Psych/Soc: Social Processes that Influence Human Behavior

Social facilitation

Describes the tendency of people to perform at a different level when others are around OR people perform simple tasks better when in the presence of others

ex: social facilitation

What is this an example of: you can hike longer when with other people, or you study better when you have a study buddy. This rule does not apply for complex tasks since you might get nervous and mess up.

Social facilitation

Describes the tendency of people to perform at a different level when others are around OR people perform simple tasks better when in the presence of others

ex: social facilitation

What is this an example of: you can hike longer when with other people, or you study better when you have a study buddy. This rule does not apply for complex tasks since you might get nervous and mess up.

Deindividuation

A loss of self-awareness in large groups., this is basically mob mentality. When you're in a mob, you're not longer an individual thinker, and you'll end up doing bad stuff that you won't if you were alone.

example of deindividuation

ou usually don't steal, but one day you're in the middle of a mob looting a store, you are more likely to loot also.

Bystander effect

someone get's attacked, and all the bystanders do nothing. The more bystanders there are, the less likely someone helps out.

social loafing

you pitch in less effort on a group project than an individual project.

Social control

ways to prevent anarchy

informal control

type of social control: unenforced social norms. Eg. You don't tell jokes at a funeral.

formal control

type of social control: stuff you can be prosecuted for. Such as vandalism.

peer pressure

you want to be accepted by society, so you do stuff that your peers do.

conformity

Changing your behavior because of peer pressure.

obedience

Changing your behavior because of authority.

group polarization

when you're in a group, you tend to make more extreme decisions, do more extreme things. For example, a group of liberals discussing over issues - the conversation will get more and more liberal.

groupthink

when you're in a group, you tend to go with the flow and shut away your individual reasoning. This leads to poor decision making as a group.

Social norms

punishment for not conforming to social norms. Eg. Shame and ridicule of the individual

Folkway

a casual social norm. Eg. Burping at a dinner table.

Mores

a more coercive social norm than folkways. Eg. Going out naked.

Taboo

most severe social norm. Eg. polygamy

Anomie

the lack or undermining of social norms. Eg. Individualism, social inequity, isolation.

Deviance

violation of social norms

Differential association

Perspectives on deviance: associating with deviant people causes you to become deviant too. This can promote social change.

labeling theory

Perspectives on deviance: labeling people affects their self image, and can lead to either more conformity or deviance. For example, labeling someone as a pothead can either cause them to stop smoking because they are ashamed of being a pothead. Or, they can embrace the label and say, yep, that's what I do.

Strain theory

Perspectives on deviance: social structure can pressure people to commit crime. Eg. A lower class at the bottom of society, with all the discrimination associated with it, pressures that individual to steal.

Fad

Aspects of collective behavior: a short-lived trend, a "thing". Eg. Beanie babies.

Mass hysteria

aspects of collective behavior: rumors and fears affecting a group of people. Eg. Witch hunt.

riot

aspects of collective behavior: a group of people vandalize the streets because of they are not happy at society.

Agents of socialization (e.g., the family, mass media, peers, workplace)

you learn the norms of society by interacting with these agents.