7B: Social processes that influence human behavior

Question 1

What is social facilitation?

Answer 1

It is a theory that describes when you perform better on easy tasks when others are watching you; it enhances easy behavior and impairs difficult behavior

Question 2

What is the co-action effect?

Answer 2

Better performance in presence of others carrying out the same task

Question 3

What is the audience effect?

Answer 3

Better performance in presence of passive spectator/audience

Question 4

What is activation theory?

Answer 4

Presence of others work as a basis of arousal to provide enhanced performance

Question 5

What is deindividuation?

Answer 5

When in a group, an individual’s self-awareness and responsibility is lost

Question 6

What factors affect deindividuation in a group?

Answer 6

Anonymity
Diffused Responsibility
Group Size

Question 7

What is the bystander effect?

Answer 7

A phenomenon that occurs when presence of others hinders other drive to help a victim in a situation; the likelihood to a help a person in need decreases with greater number of people around; a result of diffused responsibility

Question 8

What is social loafing?

Answer 8

The tendency for people to exert less effort if they are being evaluated as a group than if they are individually accountable

Question 9

What is peer pressure?

Answer 9

When people influence how you act, the decisions you make and how you behave; can be negative or positive

Question 10

What is group conformity?

Answer 10

When individuals are compliant with groups goals even when they are in contrast with an individual’s goal - done in an attempt to be accepted by the group

Question 11

What is group polarization?

Answer 11

The group’s tendency to make more extreme decisions than the individuals initial opinions;

They’re inclined to take greater risk;

The average view of a member of the group is accentuated or enhanced by group membership

Question 12

What is groupthink?

Answer 12

Occurs within a group when the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in a consensual perspective without much thought or alternative viewpoints; individuals agree with the decisions made within the group

Question 13

What is conformity?

Answer 13

Change of personal behavior due to real or imagined pressure

Question 14

What is normative influence?

Answer 14

Compliance, conforming with the majority even if one disagrees to avoid rejection

Question 15

What is informational influence?

Answer 15

Internalization, complying because we want to do the right thing and adopt to others viewpoints

Question 16

What is obedience?

Answer 16

Altering behavior to the ideas of authority

Question 17

What are norms?

Answer 17

The spoken or unspoken rules and expectations for the behavior of the members in a society.

Question 18

What are sanctions?

Answer 18

Rewards and punishments for behavior that are in accord with or against the norms.

Question 19

What are formal norms?

Answer 19

They are precisely defined, publicly presented and accompanied by strict penalties for anyone that violates them. e.g. Laws

Question 20

What are informal norms?

Answer 20

Generally understood but less precise and carry no specific punishment

Question 21

What are folkways?

Answer 21

Norms that are less important but shape everyday behavior

Question 22

What are mores?

Answer 22

Norms that are highly important for the benefit of society and are strictly enforced

Question 23

What is anomie?

Answer 23

It refers to the lack of social norm or the breakdown of social bonds between an individual and society

Question 24

What is deviance?

Answer 24

Violation of societies standards of conduct of expectations; any behavior that strays away from expectations or usual norms

Question 25

What are the types of deviance?

Answer 25

Formal (violating law)
Informal (violating social norms)
Cultural (violating ones culture)
Psychological (developing personality disorder)
Group (particular group deviating from social norms)

Question 26

What is strain theory?

Answer 26

It states that social structures within society may pressure citizens to commit crime; it focuses on how anomic conditions can lead to deviance

Question 27

What is labeling theory?

Answer 27

A theory of how the self-identity and behavior of individuals may be determined or influenced by the terms used to describe or classify them. It is associated with the concepts of self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotyping

Question 28

What is socialization?

Answer 28

A continual process of developing one’s identity, beliefs and knowledge; involves learning the values, behaviors, norms and social skills to appropriate social status; people learn to be proficient and functional members of society

Question 29

What are agents of socialization?

Answer 29

Things that influence our lives and development of culture over time

Question 30

What are the agents of socialization?

Answer 30

Family, School, Peers, Workplace, Religion/Government and Mass Media/Technology

Question 31

What is cultural assimilation?

Answer 31

Assimilation is the process by which an individual forsakes aspects of his or hew own cultural tradition to adopt those of a different culture; generally, the individual is a member of a minority group and is attempting to conform to dominant culture

Question 32

What is cultural amalgamation?

Answer 32

Amalgamation occurs when majority and minority groups combine to form a new group, a unique cultural group is formed

Question 33

What is multiculturalism?

Answer 33

A perspective that endorses equal standing for all cultural traditions; promoting the idea of cultures coming together in a true melting pot rather than in a hierarchy.

Question 34

What is a subculture?

Answer 34

A segment of society that shares a distinct pattern of traditions and values that differ from that of the larger society. A culture within a culture.