Aggression L8 Deindividuation

Question 1

What is the definition of deindividuation?

Answer 1

• Psychological state in which an individual loses their personal identity and takes on the identity of a social group
• This results in decreased concern about the evaluation of others

Question 2

How do we shift to a state deindividuation?

Answer 2

• During individuation we are easily identified by others and our behaviour is constrained by social norms, where aggression is discouraged
• When we become part of a crowd however we lose restraint and gain freedom to act in a way we wouldn’t otherwise
• Norms are ignored and responsibility is spread throughout the group so we experience less guilt for displaying aggressive behaviour

Question 3

How did Zimbardo distinguish between individuated and deindividuated behaviour?

Answer 3

• He found in an individuated state our behaviour is rational and normative
• In a deindividuated state our behaviour are emotional, impulsive, irrational and anti-normative

Question 4

What major factor affects deindividuation?

Answer 4

• Anonymity shapes crowd behaviour
• We have less fear of retribution because we are a small and unidentifiable part of a faceless crowd
• For this reason we feel less judged negatively

Question 5

What two types of self-awareness explain the feeling of anonymity?

Answer 5

• Private self-awareness
  
  • Where we pay attention to our own feelings and behaviours, this is reduced when we are part of a crowd
  • Attention becomes focused on outside events in a crowd and we become less self-critical, less thoughtful and into a de-individuated state
• Public self-awareness
  
  • Refers to how much we care about what other people think about our behaviour and this is reduced in crowds
  • We think we are just one individual in a crowd, we are anonymous and behaviour is judged less so we care less and enter a de-individuated state

Question 6

What are Strengths of Deindividuation? (3)

Answer 6

• Halloween trick or treaters
• Anonymous Rape
• KKK and electric shocks

Question 7

Halloween trick or treaters (+)

Answer 7

• 1300 child trick or treaters were given three conditions; anonymity, non-anonymity and conditions of being alone or in a group
• Children given the chance to steal money and sweets
• Anonymous and in a group stole 57% compared to 21% of the non-anonymous, showing anonymous and group is when kids act most socially deviant (deindividuated)

Question 8

Anonymous Rape (+)

Answer 8

• Asked university students in North America ‘Would you rape if you could not be caught?’
• 35% of students said yes, showing deindividuation and anonymity breeds aggressive behaviour

Question 9

KKK and Electric Shocks (+)

Answer 9

• Lab Exp with 3 conditions; Females in KKK outfits, Females in nurse outfit and normal clothes
• PP’s had to give fake shocks to a confederate and pp’s in the KKK outfit administered the highest level of the shocks out of all the groups
• Shows when an individuals identity is disguised and their identity is hidden and part of a group this causes them to be de-individuated and act aggressively

Question 10

What are Weaknesses of Deindividuation? (2)

Answer 10

• Cannot separate from SLT
• SIDE Model

Question 11

Cannot separate from SLT (-)

Answer 11

• Sporting events such as football have a history of violence and aggression from fans
• But Rugby and Cricket also have large groups yet not the same problems
• Shows deindividuation is not the cause but cultural factors affected by SLT where people replicate behaviours, e.g fans in football

Question 12

SIDE Model (-)

Answer 12

• Social Identity Model of De-individuation states that de-individuation actually leads to behaviour that conforms to group norms, whether they are pro-social or anti-social
• Argues that de-individuated behaviour is normative rather than anti-normative as they conform to the groups social norms
• Therefore de-individuated behaviour remains sensitive to norms rather than ignoring them