Behaviour in Groups

Question 1

What is the bystander effect?

Answer 1

As the number of bystanders increases, the likelihood of being helped decreases

Question 2

What is diffusion of responsibility

Answer 2

Everyone has a threshold for taking action in an emergency situation and when that threshold is crossed, then helping occurs
- the responsibility to help is distributed equally among everyone present
- so if there are more people in the distribution, the threshold for helping will be less likely to be crossed
- everyone has a different threshold for helping in an emergency situation

Question 3

What is social loafing?

Answer 3

Social loafing is the reduction of effort invested when working in a group

Question 4

What is social facilitation?

Answer 4

Social facilitation is when the presence of others can enhance our performance on simple or well-practiced tasks

Question 5

What is the minimal group paradigm?

Answer 5

When people sort themselves into groups based on certain criteria

Question 6

What is ingroup favouritism?

Answer 6

When we perceive someone to be a part of the same group as us, we tend to treat them more favourably.

Question 7

What is intergroup conflict?

Answer 7

Conflict between individuals who are apart of the same ingroup

Question 8

Why do people conform?

Answer 8

• social acceptance
• appearance of loyalty to the group
• if others from the group, we are more willing to do so as well

Question 9

Why are people obedient?

Answer 9

• A substantial proportion of people do what they are told to do irrespective of the content of the act and without limitations of conscience so long that they perceive the command comes from a legitimate authority.