Module 5: Social Psychology, 12.2 Self Presentation

Learning Objectives

  • Describe social roles and how they influence behavior

  • Explain what social norms are and how they influence behavior

  • Define script

  • Describe the findings and criticisms of Zimbardo’s Stanford prison experiment

Introduction to Social Psychology

  • Social psychology is the study of how people affect one another’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

  • The discipline emphasizes the situational perspectives and how environmental factors influence behavior, including culture and social influences.

  • This section examines various situational forces that have significant impacts on human behavior, such as social roles, social norms, and scripts.

  • Humans utilize their social environment as a source of information or cues on how to behave.

  • Situational influences can significantly affect decisions, such as whether to assist a stranger in an emergency or behavior in an unfamiliar environment.

Social Roles

  • Definition of Social Role: A social role is described as a pattern of behavior expected of an individual in a specific setting or group (Hare, 2003).

  • Individuals may hold multiple roles simultaneously, such as:

    • Student

    • Parent

    • Aspiring Teacher

    • Son/Daughter

    • Spouse

    • Lifeguard

  • Influence of Social Roles on Behavior:

    • Social roles impact how individuals behave based on culturally shared expectations of particular roles.

    • Example: The expected behaviors of students in a college classroom typically include attentiveness, taking notes, and silence, although deviations, like texting, can occur.

    • The environment dictates the role behaviors—how one behaves in a family setting versus a workplace setting may differ significantly.

    • In family gatherings, individuals may be more relaxed and humorous, while in a work setting, they may adopt a more serious and professional demeanor.

    • Social roles can affect identity and personality, leading to variations based on context and social group (Malloy et al., 1997).

Social Norms

  • Definition of Social Norm: Social norms represent a group’s expectations for appropriate and acceptable behavior of its members, guiding how individuals should behave and think (Deutsch & Gerard, 1955; Berkowitz, 2004).

  • Questions about social behaviors include:

    • What behaviors are expected?

    • What topics are appropriate for discussion?

    • What is acceptable attire?

  • Norms exist in various social settings, including families, workplaces, gangs, and social media platforms (e.g., Instagram).

Scripts

  • Definition of Script: A script is understood as an individual’s knowledge of the sequences of expected events in specific settings (Schank & Abelson, 1977).

  • Scripts guide behavior in various situations, such as:

    • First day of school

    • Entering an elevator

    • Dining in a restaurant

  • Cultural variations in scripts:

    • Example: In the U.S., individuals make eye contact to get a server’s attention, whereas in Brazil, making a “psst” sound may be more appropriate.

    • Lack of scripts can lead to confusion and discomfort in unfamiliar environments.

    • Understanding social norms in new cultures is vital for smooth interactions.

Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment

  • Overview: Conducted by social psychologist Philip Zimbardo in the summer of 1971, the Stanford prison experiment revealed the powerful influence of social roles, norms, and scripts.

  • Methodology:

    • Over 70 male volunteers were selected via a newspaper advertisement to study the psychological effects of prison life.

    • Participants underwent psychological screening to exclude those with psychiatric, medical issues, or criminal backgrounds, resulting in 24 healthy male college students.

    • Participants were compensated $15 per day (approximately $80 today) and randomly assigned roles as either a prisoner or a guard.

  • Setting: A mock prison was set up in a basement at Stanford.

    • Prisoners were arrested at their homes by police, booked, and taken to the mock prison.

    • The experiment was designed to last several weeks.

  • Development of Roles:

    • Both prisoners and guards quickly immersed themselves into their roles; guards exhibited increasingly sadistic behaviors, while prisoners suffered from anxiety and helplessness.

    • The psychological intensity of this situation forced Zimbardo to terminate the experiment after only 6 days due to concerning behaviors observed in both groups.

  • Significance: The experiment illustrates the profound impact social structures can have on human behavior and the ease with which people conform to expected roles.

  • Criticisms:

    • Ethical concerns regarding participant treatment and psychological harm.

    • Questions surrounding the study's generalizability (Bartels et al., 2016; Griggs, 2014; Le Texier, 2019).

    • Recruitment methods may have influenced outcomes (Carnahan & McFarland, 2007).

    • Guidelines provided for expected guard behaviors possibly shaped observed outcomes rather than purely reflecting spontaneous actions.

    • Attempts to replicate the experiment yielded differing results, challenging the validity of the original findings (Reicher & Haslam, 2006).

  • Contemporary Relevance: The Stanford prison experiment bears similarities to the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib during the Iraq War, illustrating enduring issues of authority, power dynamics, and the consequences of situational influences in human behavior.

    • Notably, the abuses at Abu Ghraib were documented through photographs taken by perpetrators themselves, emphasizing the stark reality of moral and ethical failures during such events.