PSYC*2310 Chapter 8: Group Processes Flashcards
What are intragroup processes?
Processes that occur within a group
What are intergroup processes?
Processes that occur between groups of people
How does Rupert Brown define a group?
As two or more people who define themselves as members of it and when its existence is recognized by at least one other
What is the main advantage of Rupert Brown’s definition of a group?
It refers to a group in relation to other groups, rather than as its own system
What type of learning is rooted in an experiential education that integrates the community with academics?
Community-based learning
Which type of learning is increases a second-language learner’s willingness to communicate, both inside and outside the classroom?
Community-based learning
What is social inhibition?
When people do worse on a task in the presence of others than they would have if they were alone
What is social facilitation?
When people do better on a task in the presence of others than they would have if they were alone
What was the main claim of Triplett’s theory of dynamogenesis?
That the presence of others increased motivation
What were two things that Triplett’s theory of dynamogenesis was unable to explain?
- Why the presence of others could at times facilitate performance and at other times inhibit it
- Why the quality of performance in the presence of others was influenced by the difficulty of the task
What did Zajonc propose in his social learning theory of social facilitation?
That the mere presence of others increases physiological arousal, which enhances a person’s dominant response
According to Zajonc, what is a dominant response?
The response that is easy to perform or well rehearsed
According to Zajonc, when is the dominant response the correct response?
On well-learned or easy tasks
Does high arousal lead to better or worse performance on well-learned and easy tasks?
Better performance
According to Zajonc, when is the dominant response the incorrect response?
On difficult or less familiar tasks
Does high arousal lead to better or worse performance on difficult and less familiar tasks?
Worse performance
According to Zajonc’s theory, what are three explanations for why the presence of others leads to arousal?
- The mere presence of others is energizing
- Evaluation apprehension
- Distraction
What is evaluation apprehension?
The concern/ arousal that occurs in response to the fear of being evaluated by an audience
What did Conttrell propose as an alternative to Zajonc’s theory?
That the presence of others was a learned response, not an innate one
T or F: The results of studies investigating social facilitation support both Zajonc’s and Conttrell’s explanations.
True
What is social loafing?
The phenomenon in which a person exerting less effort to achieve a goal when working in a group than they would if they were working alone
According to the collective effort model of social loafing, what three factors contribute to a person’s motivation to exert effort during group tasks?
- Identifiable contributions
- Impact of the contributions
- Task importance
When an individual’s contributions to the group are identifiable, does the tendency to withdraw effort increase or decrease?
Decrease
Why does performing a difficult or unique task for the group not cause an individual to reduce effort?
Because they feel their contribution is important
T or F: Individuals who feel inferior to their group tend to exhibit more effort.
True
How does task importance effect individual motivation in groups?
If the group’s task is very important to a person, they will be highly motivated to work hard
T or F: If the group’s task is very important to a person, they will only be highly motivated to work hard if their individual contributions will be identifiable.
False
What is social compensation?
The notion that if a project is important to a person, they may work even harder to compensate for the poor performance or social loafing of others
What is deindividuation?
The relative state of anonymity in which a group member does not feel singled out or identifiable
Does deindividuation decrease or increase a person’s restraints on their behaviour?
Decrease
Which theory was proposed as an alternative to the deindividuation theory?
The emergent-norm theory
What does the emergent-norm theory propose as a reason for why people are more likely to engage in extreme behaviour in social situations?
They become more attuned to the new norms that arise spontaneously in social situations
What is the main difference between deindividuation theory and emergent-norm theory?
- Deindividuation: People become less aware of social norms
- Emergent-norm: People become more attuned to social norms
In terms of the self-environment relationship, what does deindividuation explain?
What occurs within individuals in groups or crowds
In terms of the self-environment relationship, what does the emergent-norm theory emphasize?
Cues in a specific situation, or the social group
Who modified the deindividuation theory to incorporate both individual and situational factors
Prentice-Dunn et al.
What were the three major problems associated with social loafing online?
- Cyberloafing
- Lack of effort in virtual teams
- Impression management
What is cyberloafing?
Browsing the internet for non-work-related activities when one is supposed to be working
What are two ways to combat employee cyberloafing?
- Implement fair employee computer monitoring
- Create clear policies and norms regarding what type of internet and social media use is deemed appropriate for work
What are two ways to combat the low levels of effort when working in a virtual team?
- Emphasize mutual accountability among groups
- Establish plans of action if conflict arises in teams
