Lecture 2 - groups Flashcards
Psychological group
Interacting people considered by themselves or other to belong together
Psychological group
Interacting people considered by themselves or other to belong together
Psychological group
Interacting people considered by themselves or other to belong together
Main Characteristics of Groups:
PRINT (Purpose, Role, Interdependent, Norms, Ties)
- Have a purpose (Instrumental vs. Affiliative)
- Adhere to group norms
- Each member has job or role within the group
- Members have affective/emotional ties to others in group (related to group cohesiveness)
- Members are interdependent
Instrumental
Group members are performing some task in order to achieve some goal
Eg jury, team
Affiliative
Serves a need for belonging/fulfill self-esteem functions
eg sororities
Grp norms
Shared perceptions of how you are to behave
Cohesiveness
The strength of the relationships that link members of a group together
Factors that infl grp cohesiveness
- Mutual attraction
- Propinquity
- Adherence to norms
- Grp’s success at moving toward its goal
- Grp loyalty
Propinquity
Physical proximity
Norman Triplett (1897)
- Arguably conducted the first social psychology experiment
- Perceived groups has facilitating some sort of behavior
- Found - The presence of others appeared to facilitate performance (“Social Facilitation”)
Robert Zajonc (1965)
Arousal Theory of Social Facilitation
Arousal Theory of Social Facilitation
- The mere presence of others leads to a state of arousal.
- That arousal enhances/facilitates what is your dominant response (i.e., how you normally respond).
- Easy = enhanced performance
Difficult tasks = inhibited performance
Explanations for Arousal
- Mere exposure
- Evaluation apprehension
- Distraction conflict theory
Mere exposure
Explanation for arousal
- The mere presence of others is arousing
- Found to be insufficient to produce arousal
Evaluation apprehension
Explanation for arousal
- The possibility that others can either punish or reward our behavior that is arousing
- (the thoughts of others’ evaluations is what is arousing)
Distraction-Conflict Theory
The presence of others is distracting our attention from the task that we need to be performing
Zimbardo (1969) Model of Deindividuation
You become less of an individual in groups
Antecedents of Deindividuation
o Arousal
o Anonymity
o Diffusion of Responsibility
Characteristics of deindividuation
- Less self observation and evaluation
- Less concern with the evaluations of others
- Weakening of internal controls - eg Less guilt and shame
Bxs of deindividuation
Not good o Impulsivity o Irrationality o Emotionality o Anti-social activity
Warfare and deindividuation
NO deindiv = 13 percent aggressive
Deindiv = 80 percent aggressive
Halloween mayhem
- Children arrived either alone or in groups
- Children either identified or anonymous
Findings: - Group and identified stole as much candy as those alone and anonymous
- Group and anonymous stole the most candy
Social norms
Expected standards of behavior and belief established and enforced by a group.
- ppl who violate tend to be punished either formally or informally
Black sheep effect
Ingroup deviants are rejected more than outgroup deviants
Ostracism
The intentional exclusion or ignoring of other individuals or groups
Goal of a group
To arrive at the best decision
Goal of individual in a group
- Impression management
- Avoid hurting others’ feelings
- Avoiding responsibility if things go wrong
Factors affecting group decision-making ability
- Group size
2. Grp cohesiveness
Illusion of efficiency
Regards the idea that small groups are more effective
- Literature demonstrates both large and small groups tend to be equally effective in addressing social dilemmas
Task-based cohesiveness
How much faith do you have in your group members being able to achieve the group’s goals
Interpersonal cohesiveness
Likeability
Dialectical Bootstrapping
Neither estimate was better than the other
Group polarization
Group-produced enhancement or exaggeration of members’ initial attitudes through discussion
Why group polarization occurs
- Pervasive arguments account
- Social Comparison account
- Research supports both –> These accounts are consistent with the understanding motivation
Pervasive arguments account
Exposed to new arguments validating initial beliefs, thus strengthening the initial position
Social comparison account
Shift view to those of others in the group
Groupthink
A kind of thinking in which maintaining group cohesiveness and solidarity are more important than considering the facts in a realistic manner
Conditions for Groupthink
- Group is cohesive and isolated
- Leader is biased and directive
- Group procedures are unclear/Poor decision-making procedures
