PSY2042 Week 9 Slides

Acknowledgment of Country

• Monash University acknowledges the unceded lands of the Kulin Nations and pays respects to their Elders.

PSY2042 Group Dynamics and Intergroup Behavior

Learning Objectives

1. Define a social group and understand reasons for membership and its impact on social performance.

2. Explain group cohesiveness, socialization, and norms.

3. Understand intergroup behavior and social conflict.

4. Describe interpersonal conflict and social dilemmas.

5. Explain intergroup emotions, collective behavior, deindividuation, and emergent norm theory.

6. Discuss methods for improving intergroup relations and major forms of negotiation.

Definition of a Group

• Definition: A group involves two or more individuals in face-to-face interactions, recognizing each other’s membership and interdependencies to achieve mutual goals (Johnson & Johnson, 1987).

Distinction Between Groups and Aggregates

• Not all collections of individuals are groups; groups are characterized by members' interactions and awareness of their group identity as opposed to social aggregates which are simply collections of unrelated individuals.

Characteristics of Groups

Variations Among Groups

• Differences can exist in size, duration, structure, and formality.

• Focus on group size, atmosphere, task structure, and leadership by social psychologists.

• Entitativity: Indicates group distinctiveness and coherence.

  • High entitativity: Defined boundaries and similar internal structure.

  • Low entitativity: Fuzzy boundaries and diverse structures.

Types of Groups

• Common-bond groups: Members are interpersonally attached, prioritizing personal goals over group goals.

• Common-identity groups: Groups where member identity is tied to the group, emphasizing collective rewards.

Group Norms

• Norms define acceptable behaviors, providing a moral compass for members and persisting over time even as membership evolves.

• Norms are established through social interactions and may be explicit or implicit with sanctions enforced through social networks.

Group Cohesiveness

• Features include uniformity of conduct, attachment among members, and mutual support.

• Encompasses psychological processes that reflect how attached individuals are to the group and its goals.

  • Based on the group's attractiveness and the likelihood of achieving individual goals (Festinger et al., 1950).

Factors Influencing Cohesiveness

• Similarity, cooperation, interpersonal acceptance, and shared threats enhance cohesiveness.

• Liking can be categorized into personal attraction (intimate relationships) and social attraction (group norm alignment).

Group Socialization

• Groups evolve over time, influencing processes of group dynamics and individual behavior.

• Model of Group Socialization (Moreland & Levine, 1982): Describes individual adaptation within groups and how new members instigate change.

Group Structure

Roles within Groups

• Defined roles assist in labor division, social expectations, and self-definition within the group.

• Roles can apply to subgroups and can enhance or detract from group effectiveness based on flexibility.

Effects of Groups on Individual Performance

Social Facilitation vs. Social Inhibition

• Social facilitation: Performance improves in the presence of others during simple tasks.

• Social inhibition: Performance declines in complex tasks due to evaluation anxiety.

Theories Explaining Group Influence

1. Drive Theory (Zajonc, 1965): Presence of others creates arousal, enhancing dominant responses on simple tasks but hindering complex tasks.

2. Evaluation Apprehension (Cottrell, 1972): Performance is affected by whether an audience is attentive, linking arousal to evaluative scenarios.

3. Distraction-Conflict Theory (Baron & Byrne, 1987): Attention diversion from tasks to observers impacts performance.

Social Loafing

• Definition: Individuals exert less effort in collaborative settings due to diminished accountability.

• Key reasons include output equity, evaluation apprehension, and lack of clear performance standards (Geen, 1991).

Why People Join Groups

• Fulfills a basic human need for belonging and self-worth (Baumeister & Leary, 1995).

• Physical proximity promotes mutual support while aiding personal safety and goal achievement (Sherif, 1966).

Intergroup Behavior

• Definition: Influences in perception, cognition, or actions due to recognition of group membership.

• Involves dynamics between in-groups and out-groups, leading to social harmony or conflict.

Relative Deprivation

• Definition: The perceived gap between one's attainments and expectations (Gurr, 1970).

• Two forms: egoistic (within-group comparisons) and fraternalistic (between-group comparisons).

Aggression in Intergroup Behavior

• Collective aggression explained by frustration-aggression hypothesis; influenced by group dynamics.

Realistic Conflict Theory

Phases of Experimentation

1. Camp Activities: Initial friendships formed.

2. Group Isolation: Separate norms developed.

3. Competition: Led to hostility.

4. Cooperation: Required collaboration on shared goals.

• Findings indicated that mere contact did not improve intergroup relations; competition heightened aggression.

Conflict, Cooperation, and Social Dilemmas

• Behavior influenced by goals through structured games, e.g., the Prisoner's Dilemma, where cooperation yields the best outcomes.

Improving Intergroup Relationships

• Intergroup Anxiety: Anxiety during interactions with stigmatized groups; sources include realistic and symbolic threats.

• Effectiveness of Contact: Improves attitudes but may not generalize to entire groups due to interpersonal nature.

Methods to Enhance Relations

• Superordinate Goals: Shared goals can unite conflicting groups; failure to achieve can exacerbate conflict.

• Formal Education: Reduces prejudice; effectiveness varies based on external systemic influences.

Conclusion

• End of the lesson with appreciation for participant attention.