Social Psychology

Social Psychology

Introduction to Social Psychology

  • Instructor: Dr. Heanoy

Helping & Harming Others

  • Prosocial behavior:
    • Defined as behavior intended to help others.
    • Typically occurs without any expectation of personal gain or reward.
    • Example: A student helps a stranger pick up spilled groceries.
  • Antisocial behavior:
    • Includes aggressive acts that likely cause social or emotional harm.
    • Example: A student deliberately spreads a hurtful rumor about a classmate.
  • Humans display both prosocial and antisocial behavior, influenced by various situational factors:
    • Observing others.
    • Shared identity.
    • Feeling observed.
    • Peer pressure.
    • Provocation.
    • Anonymity.

Bystander Nonintervention

  • Defined as when individuals see someone in need but fail to help them.
  • The failure to help is often not due to apathy but psychological paralysis caused by:
    • Pluralistic ignorance: The error of assuming that no one in a group perceives things the same way we do, especially when determining if an ambiguous situation is an emergency.
    • Diffusion of responsibility: A reduction in feelings of personal responsibility in the presence of others, which can impede the interpretation of a situation as an emergency and discourage assistance.

Social Loafing

  • Defined as when individuals become less productive in a group context.
  • The combined output of a group is often less than the sum of individual efforts due to:
    • Diffusion of responsibility: Individuals feel less personally accountable in group settings compared to working alone.
  • Social loafing may be influenced by cultural factors; it tends to be more prominent in Western cultures (e.g., Canada, US) than in non-Western cultures (e.g., Japan, China).
  • Antidote: Making sure each group member is identifiable can mitigate social loafing, such as through evaluating individual performances.

Prosocial Behavior & Altruism

  • Altruism: Helping others for unselfish reasons.
    • Possible motivations include:
    • Relieving one’s distress (self-centered reason).
    • Relieving the distress of others (genuine altruism).
    • Example: Genuine altruism is influenced by empathy, which affects the likelihood of helping others.
  • Situational influences on helping behavior:
    • Inescapable situations increase the likelihood of helping.
    • Specific characteristics of the victim can impact decision-making.
    • Current mood can sway helping initiatives.
    • Exposure to role models who help can encourage similar behavior.
  • Remedy for bystander non-intervention:
    • Enlightenment effect: Awareness from exposure to bystander effect research can change actual behavior for the better; learning about the bystander effect reduces its prevalence.
  • Individual differences in helping behavior:
    • Personality: Extroverts are generally more likely to help than introverts.
    • Gender differences: Men tend to help more than women, particularly in scenarios involving physical or social risks.

Aggression

  • Defined as behavior intended to harm others, either physically or verbally.
  • Situational influences on aggression:
    • Interpersonal provocation: Tendency to retaliate against those who provoke us.
    • Frustration: Likely to behave aggressively when unable to achieve goals.
    • Media influences: Exposure to media violence can increase aggressiveness through observational learning.
    • Aggressive cues: External stimuli (e.g., guns) related to violence can heighten aggression in response to provocation.
    • Arousal level: Increased physiological arousal can be misinterpreted as anger, prompting aggression.
    • Alcohol and drugs: Reduced inhibitions can occur due to disinhibition of the prefrontal cortex, leading to violent behavior.
    • Temperature: Higher temperatures can aggravate irritability, increasing the likelihood of losing temper when provoked or frustrated.

Differences in Aggression

  • Certain personality traits can influence levels of aggression:
    • Negative emotions.
    • Impulsivity.
    • Lack of close relationships.
  • Gender differences in types of aggression:
    • Males typically exhibit more physical aggression.
    • Females often engage in relational aggression, which is a form of indirect aggression including spreading rumors, gossiping, and nonverbal putdowns intended for social manipulation.
  • Correlation of aggression and testosterone: This relationship is still a topic of debate and remains controversial.
  • Cultural influences:
    • The prevalence of physical aggression varies across cultures; it is generally lower among Japanese and Chinese populations compared to European and North American cultures.
    • In the US, a culture of honor exists, defined as the social norm of defending one’s reputation in the face of perceived insults, resulting in higher rates of violence, particularly in southern regions, but primarily within the context of disputes.