Social Influence and Group Processes

What is a group?

An organised system of two or more individuals, who are interacting and interdependent, who have common motives, have a set of role-relationships among its members, and have norms that regulate the behaviour of its members

What is Social Influence?

The process by which the actions of an individual or group affect the behaviour of others

Characteristics of groups

A social unit consisting of two or more individuals who perceive that they belong in the group. Helps distinguish one group from another.

A collection of individuals who have common motives and goals. Towards a goal or against a threat

A collection of individuals who are interdependent

Individuals who are trying to satisfy a need through their join association also influence each other

A gathering of individuals who interact with one another either directly or indirectly

A collection of individuals whose interaction is structured by set of roles and norms. Same functions and adhere to group norms. Norms tell us how we should behave

What is a crowd?

They may be present by chance

Large collection of people but they are neither structured of feel any belongingness

Irrational and there is no interdependence

What are Teams?

Special kinds of groups

Complementary skills and are committed to a common goal or purpose.

Members are mutually accountable

Positive synergy through coordinated effects

Difference between group and team

In groups performance is dependent of contribution of individual members. In teams both individual and teamwork matters

In groups the leader holds responsibility over work while in teams there may be a leader but the members are independent and accountable

What is an audience?

Collection of people who have assembled for a special purpose like a cricket match

Generally passive

What are mobs?

Made when audience goes into frenzy

Definitive sense of purpose

Actions of persons are in a common direction

Homogeneity of though and behaviour

Impulsive

Why do people join groups?

Security (Groups reduce insecurity, being with people give sense of comfort and protection)

Status (Being member of a group gives up recognition and a sense of power)

Self-Esteem (Gives self-worth and establish a positive social identity)

Satisfaction of one’s psychological and social needs (Satisfy sense of belongingness, giving and receiving attention, love and power)

Goal achievement (Help in achieving goals which cannot be done individually, power in majority)

Provide knowledge and information (We do not have all information groups give us some)

How are groups formed?

Proximity (repeated interactions)

Similarity (Like consistency and relationships that are consistent, reinforce and validate our opinions)

Common motives and goals

What are the Stages of Group Formation?

Forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning

Group and the goal and whether they fit in the goal. Excitement and apprehension are there in the forming stage.

Intragroup conflict is known as storming. Conflict among members about how target is to be performed. Who is to control the group and its resources. Aim and a hierarchy is developed and how to achieve it.

Norming is a stage in which a group develop norms to group behaviour

Performing is the stage in which group tries to achieve its group, maybe kas developmental stage

In adjourning stage in which stage is disbanded.

Elements of group structure

Roles (Typical behaviour that depicts a person. Socially defined expectations that individuals in a given situation are expected to fulfill. Role expectations)

Norms (Beliefs and standards that are to be followed and are enforced by group members)

Status (Relative position or status which may be ascribed or achieved

Cohesiveness (We feeling”, Groupthink is a consequence of extreme cohesiveness. Too much is not good.)

Who talked about group think?

Irving Janis

What is group think?

Overrides the motivation to realistically appraise courses of action

Appearance of consensus of unanimous agreement within a group

No one expresses dissenting opinion because they think it would undermine the cohesion of a group and they would be unpopular

What does a group with groupthink think?

Exaggerated sense of its own power to control events and tends to ignore real world cues

Where does groupthink happen?

Socially homogenous, cohesive groups taht are isolated.

How to prevent groupthink?

Encourage and reward critical thinking and even disagreement among group members

Encourage groups to present alternative courses of action

Invite outside experts to evaluate the group’s decision

Encourage members to seek feedback from trusted others

Types of groups

Primary and secondary groups

Formal and Informal groups

Ingroup and outgroup

Difference between Primary and Secondary Group

You are born into Primary group such as Family and caste. You interact with them face to face. You cannot leave them. Are central during childhood

Secondary groups are joined like political parties you can choose to leave or join. More impersonal and indirect

Difference between formal and Informal Group

Formal groups are more organized and structured. Their functions are states explicitly and formally like a university. There are a set of norms

In informal there is just a close relationship amoung members

Ingroup vs Outgroup

Ingroup is yours (We). Supposed to be similar and are viewed favorably.

Outgroup is other people (They) Are different and viewed differently and are perceived negatively

What was the Minimal Group Paradigm Experiment?

Paintings by Vasssily Kandinsky and Paul Klee.

Experiment based on decision making.

They knew which group they were in and distributed money to themselves

What is Social Faciliation?

Individual performing an activity alone in the presence of others

Happens if efforts are seen individually

What is Social Loafing?

An individual performing an activity along with others as part of a larger group

Reduction in individual effort when working on a collective task.

Tug of War

Latane

What did the Latane experiment show?

As size increased the noise rose up by individual effort went down

What are the reasons for Social Loafing?

Feel less responsible for the overall task being performed

Motivation decreases because they are not being evaluated

It is not to be compared to other groups

Improper coordination

Belonging to the same group is not important for members

How to reduce social loafing?

Make the efforts of each individual more identifiable

Increasing pressure to work hard

Increasing the importance or value of a task

Making them feel that their work is important

Strengthening group cohesiveness

Do groups take more polarized decision?

Yes as a result of discussion in the group

Why does group polarization happen?

You are with people who are likeminded and you hear more favorable opinions

You bandwagon when you feel like something is validated by the public

You perceive them as ingroup and start conforming