Chapter 12: Groups

Question 1

What is the nature and purpose of group living?

Answer 1

It helps with survival and reproduction

Question 2

What is social facilitation?

Answer 2

Originally a term for enhanced performance when others are around. Now, a broader term for the effect, positive or negative, the presence of others has on performance.

Question 3

What is zajonc’s theory of mere presence?

Answer 3

When you’re good at something, you’re faster and better

When you’re bad at something, worse and slower

Question 4

What are the Two steps of zajonc’s theory?

Answer 4

1) presence of others makes us more aroused

2) others makes us more focused, and makes us do what we are automatically inclined to do. If well known, it’ll go better. If less known, will get worse.

Question 5

Test for zajonc’s theory (freebie)

Answer 5

Cockroach and light study

Question 6

What is evaluation apprehension?

Answer 6

People being concerned about looking bad in the eyes of others.

Studies show it works (blindfolded people one)

Question 7

What is social loafing?

Answer 7

Doing less effort on a group task when individual contributions can’t be monitored

Question 8

What is group think?

Answer 8

Faulty thinking by members of cohesive groups in which the critical scrutiny that should be focused to the issues at hand, are sidelined by social pressures to reach a census.

Question 9

What is a main symptom of group think?

Answer 9

Strong directive leaders

This breeds self-censorship (withholding info and opinions in group discussions)

Question 10

How to prevent groupthink?

Answer 10

Don’t make opinions known at the beginning

Allow outside input

Have a devils advocate in the group

Question 11

What is group solutions? (And how do they differ from individual solutions)

Answer 11

More extreme than solutions made by individuals. When the group as a whole leans in one direction, the group discussions tend to take it further.

Question 12

What causes group solutions?

Answer 12

1) persuasive arguments account:
If a group favours one direction, all group discussions will expose group members to more of that opinion.

2) social comparison interpretation:
People want to stand out, so they argue more extreme opinions

Question 13

What is power?

Answer 13

The ability to control one’s and others outcomes

Question 14

What is social hierarchy?

Answer 14

Arrangement of individuals within a group in terms of their relative power

Question 15

How do we use virtue and vice to gain power in groups ?

Answer 15

Virtue: individuals that are good for the group get more social power

Vice: fraud and manipulation

Study: senators who showed more virtue were more convincing

Question 16

How power shapes thoughts and actions. What is the approach and inhibition theory?

Answer 16

High power individuals are inclined to go after their goals and make quick (sometimes rash) judgements. Low power people are more likely to constrain their behaviour to pay attention to others.

Question 17

What are power and empathy failures?

Answer 17

High power individuals : more likely to sterotype
And care less about others

Question 18

How does power cause disinhibited behaviour?

Answer 18

When you feel powerful,

You tend to touch others/ and approach them closely
Overestimate another’s sexual interest in them
Flirt more forwardly
Elevated power is associated with immoral behaviour

Question 19

What does power encourage us to do?

Answer 19

Express our underlying intentions (good or bad)
- power corrupts the corruptible

Question 20

What is deindividuation?

Answer 20

Reduced sense of individual identity accompanied by diminished self regulation that can come over people when they’re in a large group

Question 21

What is the model of deindividuation?

Answer 21

Antecedent (anonymity) conditions

To

internal state (less self evaluation)

To

Behaviours (impulsivity)

Question 22

Testing the model of deindividuation?

Answer 22

Conduct of war: people may be more violence prone when anonymous

Question 23

Explain how anonymity contributes to Halloween mayhem.

Answer 23

If in a group and anonymous, then more likely to take more then one candy

Question 24

What is individualization?

Answer 24

Enhanced sense of individual identity produced by focusing attention on the self. Causes people to act deliberately and with their sense of values

Question 25

What is the self awareness theory?

Answer 25

When people focus attention inwards, they become concerned with self evaluations and how their current behaviour conforms to internal standards.