7D - Empowering Individual Decision Making

Question 1

Independence definition

Answer 1

Being free from the control or influence of others

Question 2

Self-determination definition

Answer 2

Engaging in behaviours without the influence of other people as an external force
- need to be self determined to change a particular behaviour as well

Question 3

Example of self-determination - quitting smoking

Answer 3

Someone choosing to quit smoking based on their own understanding of the negative health benefits or their own desires.

Question 4

Three psychological needs:

Answer 4

• Autonomy: an individual’s ability to act authentically, based on individual choice
• Competence: the level of your skills, abilities and knowledge required to carry out challenging task
• Relatedness: the sense of attachments, connection to and belonging with other people

Question 5

Autonomy definition

Answer 5

The need to be able to act authentically, based on individual choice

Question 6

Competence definition

Answer 6

The need to feel as though you have the skills required to meaningfully carry out behaviours that affect your environment

Question 7

Relatedness definition

Answer 7

The need to feel a sense of attachment, connection to, and belonging with other people

Question 8

Self-determination theory defintion

Answer 8

A concept that people achieve self determination when three basic psychological needs are met: autonomy, competence and relatedness.

Question 9

Example of Self-determination theory - quitting smoking

Answer 9

Jessie and her friends have been smoking for the last 15 years. She has now decided to quit smoking.
- Autonomy: jessie has decided to quit on her own with no influence from anyone else
- Competence: after 15 years jessie may have developed the skills, knowledge and ability to quit smoking. E.g. learnt about the negative health effects and has strategies to help quit
- Relatedness: jessie has developed a strong bond of friendship over 25 years, and is aware that she has a support system no matter the outcome

Question 10

Anti-conformity definition

Answer 10

a deliberate refusal to comply with social norms or standard for thoughts, feelings of behaviours

Question 11

Factors that influence anti conformity:

Answer 11

• Desire for change
• Reactance
• Individuation
• Ally effect

Question 12

Motivating factors for anti-conformity

Answer 12

• Reactance
• Desire for change

Question 13

Reactance definition

Answer 13

A motivational state of distress and resistance, caused by a desire to regain personal freedom after it has been removed or threatened by external sources
- doing something that someones told you not to do

Question 14

Example of reactance - don’t eat the marshmallow

Answer 14

Have you ever felt the urge to do something because someone told you not to? The tension or distress that you feel caused by the desire to regain the freedom to do something is reactance.

Question 15

Desire for change definition

Answer 15

When people who hold the belief that something is unfair, unethical or incorrect hope to bring about change
- when you think of and want change, you will do something to get that change

Question 16

Factors that weaken conformity

Answer 16

• Individuation
• Ally effect

Question 17

Individuation definition

Answer 17

When an individual’s identity and contributions to a group are noticeable
- opposite of deindividuation, no anonymousness, your are upfront and everyone knows who you are or is about to know who you are

Question 18

Example of individuation - not today!

Answer 18

Has there ever been a situation where everyone in class was misbehaving but for some reason the teacher calls you out? Rather than apologising for your behaviour and complying to the expected social norms of apologising, you decide to defend yourself and argue back because of the sense of injustice - this teacher has singled you out and has made you the centre of attention. You end up getting into more trouble, but that idea of standing out and because you’re speaking out because of what you think is wrong is individuation.

Question 19

Ally effect definition

Answer 19

The presence of the ally leads to a reduction in the level of conformity

Question 20

Example of the ally effect- Solomon Asch’s conformity studies

Answer 20

Asch found that it takes only one person to disagree with the group’s judgement to significantly affect conformity.