PSYCH260: Social Psychobiology - Lecture 8: Group Influence

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms related to group influence, including social facilitation, social loafing, deindividuation, group polarization, groupthink, and leadership.

Group

Two or more people who interact with us and influence one another and perceive us as part of the group.

Social Facilitation

People perform better on well-learned tasks when others are present.

Home Field Advantage

Home teams win a slightly greater proportion of games played at home.

Evaluation Apprehension

Concern for how others are evaluating us.

Social Loafing

People put in less effort when working as a group, especially when individual efforts are not accountable.

Social Loafing

A phenomena when people put in less effort when working as a group.

Deindividuation

When people lose their sense of self and evaluation apprehension due to group influence.

Self-Awareness

A self-conscious state in which we attend to ourselves, leading to increased self-control and consistency between words and actions.

Group Polarization

The enhancement of a pre-existing tendency by the group.

Risky Shift

People have a tendency to make riskier decisions as part of a group than if they were acting alone

Social Comparison

We evaluate our own opinions and abilities by comparing ourselves with others.

Informational Influence

People believe the group has more knowledge.

Normative Influence

Folks want to fit in and gain social acceptance.

Pluralistic Ignorance

People sometimes have a false impression that their own beliefs are different, causing them to conform.

Groupthink

A psychological phenomenon where a group prioritizes harmony and conformity over critical thinking, leading to poor decisions.

Illusion of Invulnerability

Group feels optimistic and believes it cannot fail, leading to excessive risk-taking

Collective Rationalization

The group downplays warning signs or ignores evidence that contradicts its chosen course of action.

Belief in Inherent Morality

The group believes that its actions are always ethical and justified.

Stereotyping Outsiders

The group develops negative stereotypes of those outside the group (e.g., weak, incompetent).

Direct Pressure on Dissent

Members who express doubt are pressured to conform to the group’s view.

Self Censorship

Members withhold their dissenting opinions, fearing ridicule.

Illusion of Unanimity

Members falsely believe that everyone agrees with the group decision.

Self Appointed Mindguards

The group protects itself from information that questions the effectiveness or morality of its decisions.

Brainstorming

A creative problem-solving technique where a group generates a large volume of ideas quickly, without judgment.

Leadership

The process by which certain group members motivate and guide the group.

Task Leadership

Organizes work, sets standards, and focuses on goals.

Social Leadership

Builds teamwork, mediates conflict, and offers support.

Transformational Leadership

Enabled by a leader’s vision and inspiration, exerts significant influence.