Study Notes for BSS 1: The Individual and His/Her World
Group Behavior
Social Facilitation: The tendency for people to perform differently when in the presence of others than when alone.
Example: Increased performance in well-practiced tasks due to the presence of an audience.
Group Polarization: The phenomenon where group discussions lead to an enhancement of the group's prevailing tendencies or attitudes.
Example: If a group is initially leaning towards a particular opinion, after discussion, the members may adopt more extreme positions.
Deindividuation: A psychological state characterized by a loss of self-awareness and a reduction of social identity, often in group situations.
Example: Crowds can lead individuals to act in ways they typically wouldn’t when alone (e.g., rioting).
Social Loafing: The tendency for individuals to put forth less effort when they are part of a group compared to when they work alone.
Example: Group projects in school where some members contribute less, relying on others to do the work.
Culture, Social Identity, and Conformity
Culture: Shared beliefs, values, norms, and material objects that characterize a group and guide behavior.
Social Identity: The part of an individual's self-concept that is derived from their perceived membership in a social group.
Conformity: Changing beliefs or behaviors in order to fit in with a group. It can be driven by normative influence (the desire to be liked) or informational influence (the desire to be correct).
Classical Conditioning, Operant Conditioning, and Social Learning Theory
Classical Conditioning: A learning process that occurs through associations between an environmental stimulus and a naturally occurring stimulus.
Example: Pavlov's dogs learned to associate the sound of a bell with food.
Operant Conditioning: A method of learning that employs rewards and punishments for behavior.
Example: Training a dog to sit by providing a treat (positive reinforcement) when it obeys.
Social Learning Theory: Theory developed by Albert Bandura, emphasizing that people learn behaviors through observation, imitation, and modeling.
Example: Children imitate aggressive behavior observed in adults (Bobo doll experiment).
Important Issues from" Race: The Power of an Illusion: The House We Live In"
This documentary explores the concept that race is a social construct rather than a biological fact, examining how societal structures create and perpetuate racial inequalities.
Key Themes:
The historical context of housing policies and their impacts on racial segregation.
The implications of systemic racism on social and economic opportunities.
The Five Factors of Attraction
Proximity: Geographic closeness can lead to increased interactions and intimacy.
Physical Attractiveness: Often influences initial relationships and perceptions.
Similarity: Shared interests and values strengthen attraction.
Reciprocal Liking: We tend to be attracted to people who like us back.
Familiarity: Repeated exposure to someone can increase liking them by reducing uncertainty.