[A] Deindividuation Flashcards
How did Zimbardo express the nature of deindividuation?
A psychological state with lowered self-esteem and decreased concern about evaluation from others, and an increase in behaviour usually inhibited by social norms.
When does deindividuation occur?
When one is anonymous, such as in a crowd at a fight, school or football match.
How can deindividuation be prevented?
- encouraging self-awareness
- reducing catalysts for deindividuation
- less tight security means
What research did Zimbardo carry out?
Groups of 4 female undergraduates were used in a repeated measures design, they were required to give shocks to aid learning. The group in the anonymous condition (face covered, not introduced by name) gave shocks two times higher than those who were not anonymous (wearing normal clothes, introduced to each other).
What did Rehm et al find?
Children wearing team uniform when playing sport were more aggressive than those in their normal clothes.
What did Prentice-Dunn et al find?
Reduced self-awareness, and not anonymity leads to deindividuation.
What did Watson find?
Warriors in 23 societies who changed their appearance were more violent and went to a higher extent of killing, torturing and mutilating their victims than those who did not change their appearance.
Give three strengths of deindividuation theory.
- Universalistic, supported by research from lots of different types of people.
- Cultural support from Watson.
- Supports the determinism side of the debate.
Give three weaknesses of deindividuation theory.
- Does not consider that people may choose to become aggressive in crowds.
- Does not consider biological or genetic factors.
- Mainly male-dominated research (apart from that by Zimbardo).
