Unit 11; Influence of Others Flashcards
Co-Actor
Another individual performing the same task
Audience
A group watching an individuals performance
Social Facilitation theory
Zajonc
Presence of co-actors / audience = increased arousal to improve performance on well practiced (simple) tasks
Presence of co-actors / audience = hinders performance on complex tasks
Social Learning Theory
We learn appropriate behaviors by modeling and imitating the behavior of others.
- no explicit reinforcement
Example: Bandura Bobo Doll Experiment
Learning aggression
Witnessing violence (bobo or TV) may desensitize us / habituate us to it
Sherif’s autokinetic effect
Imagine movement that never occurred
Individuals adjust their opinions based on others’ beliefs. = you believe it moves further
Subjects gradually conformed to others’ opinion, regardless of starting point
Asch
Compare lines to sample
- confederated make up majority + say obviously wrong answer
- real participant comforms and agrees with them
Normative function
- conform due to a fear of rejection
- avoiding ridicule
- proven by Asch
Ex. fashion trends and memes.
Informational function
Behavior of others provides information about an ambiguous situation.
- conforming due to not knowing how to act
- gaining info
- supported by Sherif’s autokinetic effect
Deutsch’s study
ASCD
Similar to Asch’s but with anonymous answers, still shows doubt + conformity
Group polarization
Group decisions strengthen original inclinations of individual group members
- more extreme
ex. juries, politics, niche interest groups
Groupthink
aka mob mentality
A group decision making environment that occurs when group cohesiveness becomes so strong it overrides realistic appraisals of reality and alternative opinions.
- think they’re unquestionably right
Avoid groupthink
- be impartial
- critical evaluation “devils advocate”
- subdivide the group
- provide a second chance
The bystander effect
think Kitty Genovese
The presence of other witnesses diffuses responsibility to act
Pluralistic ignorance
When each individual in a group sees nobody responding in a given situation, they conclude the situation isn’t an emergency
Diffusion of responsibility
In deciding whether we have to act, we determine that someone else in the group is more QUALIFIED (skilled)
Reducing bystander effect
- be direct when asking for help
- seeing others be helpful = more likely to help others in the future (ex. “priming” the tip jar)
Social loafing
Individuals are less motivated when working in a group than when working alone
(even in a perceived larger group)
Milgram’s experiment
and %
65% of participants continue shocking till the end (even though dangerous)
Obedience
who do we show it to
We show strong obedience, even to minimally powerful authority figures