SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY LECTURE NOTES III DCM CLASS
THE INDIVIDUAL AS PART OF A SOCIAL GROUP
Most people have a strong need for affiliation, they enjoy being with others. Hence frequently
join and interact in groups. The extent to which the members share the values of group is known
as cohesion
Social facilisation
This is an increase in performance that occurs when other people are present. Robert (1965)
proposed that the presence of other people increases arousal. Greater arousal increases the
likelihood that the most dominant response for a particular behavior will be shown e.g. during
strikes and demonstrations even the most docile/quiet member of a group will vigorously
participate
Social loafing
This is the tendency to exert less effort when working on a group task that does not involve
evaluation of individual participants. The presence of other people does not automatically
guarantee that performance will improve, this especially occurs when a group collectively works
towards a common goal and individual efforts are not being monitored or evaluated.
Social loafing can be reduced by making the task more involving, challenging or appealing.
Deindividuation
Phenomenon in which the presence of a group results in a loss of personal identity and a
decrease in responsibility, when every one is doing the same thing and no one is watching. This
usually inhibits behavior and it could be positive but in most cases destructive. The wild
destructive behavior of crowds after a major victory is known as deindividuation
GROUP INTERACTIONS AND GROUP DISCUSSIONS
When a group of unacquainted individuals is formed, certain predictable behaviors occur. First
the group will need a leader if it is to function effectively. To maintain group cohesion, leaders
may employ the following techniques especially to reach a common group decision.
Brainstorming
This is a problem solving technique involving the free expression of ideas by group members.
Once ideas have been expressed, they lead to the generation of other related ideas. In this
members feel a sense of belonging especially when their ideas are accepted and used in solving
group problems.
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Group think
This is the process of making decisions that tend to promote harmony within a group. It is the
mode of thinking that happens when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group
overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives. Group members try to minimize conflict and reach
a consensus decision without critical evaluation of alternative ideas or viewpoints.
Factors leading to group think
High level of group cohesiveness
Isolation of group from the outside information or influences
Dynamic and influential leader
High stress from external threats
Characteristics of groupthink
Feeling of invulnerability
Belief that the group is always right
Tendency to ignore or discredit information contrary to the groups position
Strong pressure on group members to conform
Stereotyping of out group members
Negative effects of groupthink
The primary socially negative cost of groupthink is the loss of individual creativity, uniqueness.
Groups make very poor decisions with a low probability of success.
Group polarization
Shifts or exaggeration in group member’s attitudes or behavior as result of group discussion
Individuals in a group would want to have a slightly more liberal, riskier or more polite position
compared to others. Since individual decision tends to slightly shift from the normal this
phenomenon is known as polarization and in this case known as choice shift.
Also this occurs when people hear views similar to theirs they tend to be more extreme in their
own decision (persuasive argument). A group member who is usually critical on a particular
thing will even be more critical if he/she finds out that members hold ideas similar to his/hers.
Another explanation of group polarization is diffusion of responsibility. The feeling of group
members that they cannot be held responsible for the decisions of the group
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Social comparison may play a role in group polarization. People compare their ideas with the
ideas of others whom they respect and who may hold more extreme attitudes than theirs. They
then tend to act as those particular people.
PREJUDICE AND DISCRIMINATION
Groups are not always the same; they could have different race, color, profession, wealth etc.
Judging a person on the basis of stereotypes about the group to which the person belongs is
known as prejudice.
Discrimination is that behavior that adversely affects members of a particular group
What are some of the sources of prejudice?
Socialization. Many prejudices seem to be passed along from parents to children. The media—
including television, movies, and advertising—also perpetuate demeaning images and
stereotypes about assorted groups, such as ethnic minorities, women, gays and lesbians, the
disabled, and the elderly.
Conforming behaviors. Prejudices may bring support from significant others, so rejecting
prejudices may lead to losing social support. The pressures to conform to the views of families,
friends, and associates can be formidable.
Economic benefits. Social studies have confirmed that prejudice especially rises when groups are
in direct competition for jobs. This may help to explain why prejudice increases dramatically
during times of economic and social stress.
Authoritarian personality. In response to early socialization, some people are especially prone to
stereotypical thinking and projection based on unconscious fears. People with an authoritarian
personality rigidly conform, submit without question to their superiors, reject those they
consider to be inferiors, and express intolerant sexual and religious opinions. The authoritarian
personality may have its roots in parents who are unloving and aloof disciplinarians. The child
then learns to control his or her anxieties via rigid attitudes.
Ethnocentrism. Ethnocentrism is the tendency to evaluate others' cultures by one's own cultural
norms and values. It also includes a suspicion of outsiders. Most cultures have their ethnocentric
tendencies, which usually involve stereotypical thinking.
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Group closure. Group closure is the process whereby groups keep clear boundaries between
themselves and others. Refusing to marry outside an ethnic group is an example of how group
closure is accomplished.
Conflict theory. Under conflict theory, in order to hold onto their distinctive social status,
power, and possessions, privileged groups are invested in seeing that no competition for
resources arises from minority groups. The powerful may even be ready to resort to extreme acts
of violence against others to protect their interests. As a result, members of underprivileged
groups may retaliate with violence in an attempt to improve their circumstances.
How can you reduce prejudice in your community?
For decades, sociologists have looked to ways of reducing and eliminating conflicts and
prejudices between groups:
One theory, the self-esteem hypothesis, is that when people have an appropriate education and
higher self-esteem, their prejudices will go away.
Another theory is the contact hypothesis, which states that the best answer to prejudice is to
bring together members of different groups so they can learn to appreciate their common
experiences and backgrounds.