Week 8 - Group Dynamics Flashcards
Who is the philosopher king?
Lover of wisdom
Need a navigator to steer the ship
Who is wisdom of the crowds?
Individuals are limited and biased
AVERAGE together = biases cancel out
Aristotle first had this idea of collective = truth
What the two group processes?
FIRST half: individual in group
SECOND half: group performance/decision-making
What is a group?
Defined as THREE or more people who interact and influence one another
Defining a group can be difficult, but what are some benefits of a group?
Protection, food acquisition, mating, sense self/identity, need to belong
What are 3 characteristics of a group?
- Social norms
- Social roles
- Group cohesiveness: stronger evidence that performance influences group cohesiveness vs the other way around
What is social facilitation?
What does it show?
How the presence of others influence our performance?
- Performing task with others doing the SAME
- Performing task in front of AUDIENCE
IT shows…
Presence of others inhibited performance
Presence of others helped performance
What did Zajonic suggest as a solution to the presence of others inhibiting performance?
Presence of others —> creates arousal —> (easy tasks) dominant response is the correct response VS (difficult tasks) dominant response is the incorrect response
So the conclusion is socials facilitation is the process by which the presence of others “_________” performance on “_______” tasks, but “______” performance on “____________” tasks
Enhances
Easy
Impairs
Difficult
What is evaluation apprehension theory?
The presence of others will produce social facilitation effects because we are concerned on how we APPEAR in the eyes of others
What is distraction-conflict theory?
The presence of others will produce social facilitation effect only when those DISTRACT from the task and create attentional CONFLICT
What is social loafing?
Tendency for other people to RELAX in the presence of others when their individual performance cannot be evaluated
Ex) tug-of-war
Social loafing can be influenced by?
- Size of group
- Perceived anonymity (can be identified = loafing disappears, or OTHER way around)
- Importance of group
- Value of Individual effort (if you think you’re valuable = work harder)
- Negative consequences to group
What is deindividuation?
Feeling anonymous in LARGE groups
Loosening on constraints of behaviour
Ex) riots
What are the processes underlying deindividualization?
- May lead to anti-social acts because they feel less accountable for their actions
- May lead to anti-social tendicies, shifts from self —> situation = decrease cognitive control
- May lead to GREATER reliance on social norms —> prosocial/antisocial behaviour
What is social identity model of deindividualization effects? (SIDE)
Give an example
Whether deindividualization affects people for BETTER or for WORSE reflects norms/characteristics of group surrounding individual
Ex) political rally may turn into riot, if norm of AGGRESSION against authority members
Brutality of wars may be “________” to deindividualtion
Related
War paint/masked people found to be more aggressive
What is groupthink?
Give an example
A group-decision making style characterized by EXCESSIVE pressure among group members for CONSENSUS leading to inadequate appraisal of poor decisions
Ex) Bay of Pigs invasion - failure to see how strong Cubas, invasion was a massive failure
When does groupthink occur? (Antecedents)
1) Cohesive and desirable
2) Relatively isolated from dissenting viewpoints
3) Directed leader —> favoured decision
4) Try to reach consensus
5) High stress
What are some symptoms of groupthink?
1) Illusuion of invulnerability
2) Rationale
3) Unquestioned belief in groups morality
4) Stereotyped view of opponent
5) Comformity pressure
6) Illusion of unanimity -
7) Mindguards
What are some consequences of groupthink?
1) Poor information search
2) Incomplete multiple perspectives
3) Failure to examine risks
4) Failure to develop contingency plans
How can we protect groupthink?
1) Leader should be NON-DIRECTIVE
2) Norm of openness established
3) People from the outside should be included in decision (seek anonymous opinions)
What is group polarization?
What are the two kinds of shifts?
Group produced ENHANCEMENT of groups PRE-EXISTING tendencies
2 shifts:
1) risky shift- group decisions are riskier than individual decisions
2) cautious shift- group decisions are more cautious than individual decisions
What are 2 reasons why we polarize after a group discussion?
1) Persuasive arguments: more arguments generated that support them position ENDORSED by
MAJORITY of the group
2) Social comparisons: COMPARE themselves to others, if difference found they MOVE towards GROUP view (wants to be a great group member, but still a little different)
In terms of social dilemmas, conflicts can emerge at the “_____________” and “______________” level
Individual
Group
What is a social dilemma?
What are 3 examples?
Situations in which a SELF-INTERESTED choice, most people will lead to HARMFUL effects for everyone
Ex) the prisoners dilemma- both can’t confess, only one can = less jail time
Ex) the commons dilemma - if people take as much as they want (limited resource), there will be nothing left for anyone
Ex) public good dilemma - individuals expected to contribute to the common pool (taxes)
What is the approach as palliative (‘tunnel’ vision)?
SENSITIVE to (+) outcomes/stimuli
LESS SENSITIVE to (-) outcomes/stimuli
Relives anxious state, look for only what’s good
How can risk-taking be an approach?
Often REWARD focused
INSENSITIVE to (-) outcomes
Ex) casino
Groups become more risky based on what?
1) Polarization
2) Individual shifts to risk during WIDE-SCALE, ANXIETY inducing events (economic hardship???)
What is uncertainty-identity theory?
People JOIN and IDENTIFY w/ groups to reduce (-) feelings of uncertainty about themselves and others
The hormone “________” signals “_______”
Oxytocin
Trust
What are complementary stereotypes?
Mix of (+) and (-) characteristics
What is relative deprivation theory?
Disadvantage groups less bothered/aware by their LOWER status
Because they compare their outcomes with others that are SIMILARLY deprived
