1. Group Behavior

2. Social Facilitation Theory
If you are really good at something….or it is an easy task…you will perform BETTER in front of a group.
If it is a difficult task or you are not very good at it…you will perform WORSE in front of a group.
Think of super fans at sporting events!

3. Social Loafing
When people work together, they may slack off and not try as hard
Especially likely to occur when people see that other members of the group are not pulling weight

4. Diffusion of Responsibility
Social loafing may be caused by diffusion of responsibility
The tendency for people to feel less responsible for accomplishing a task when the effort is shared among members of a group
Feel less accountable, less likely to worry about what others think, devalue their portion

5. Risky Shift
A social phenomenon – the tendency for people to take greater risks as part of a group than they would as individuals acting on their own
People may feel more powerful (or less vulnerable) as a group
All share responsibility

6. Group Decision Making Used in real life all the time
Committees, juries, Congress, friends…
Psychologists have identified social decision making schemes
Rules that govern group decision making

7. Majority-Win Scheme Decision is the majority
Which movie? Comedy or action? 3 out of 5 friends say comedy, after some discussion, they see a comedy.
Most often situations in which there are no right or wrong choices

8. Truth-Wins Scheme
Realize that one option is better than the others as they learn more
The comedy time is 7pm, while the action movie only shows at 11pm and is half full already
Decision that is based on a clearly better choice between their two options

9. Two-Thirds-Majority Wins
Usually juries, the initial 2/3 decision is reached

10. First-Shift Scheme Applies to groups in deadlock, 50/50 on decision
One friend who wants to see the action film gives in to discussion and votes comedy. Once that friends shifts their decision, others might too.

11. Group Polarization
Groups usually share similar attitudes (as we know!)
You join a group that you feel stronger about
The shared attitudes are likely to grow stronger through time = polarization

12. Group Polarization Can be positive or negative
Increase prejudice
Groups tend to make more extreme decisions than the individual

13. Deindividuation People get swept up in a group and lose sense of self.
Feel anonymous and aroused
Explains rioting behaviors

14. Groupthink
Group members suppress their reservations about the ideas supported by the group
They are more concerned with group harmony
Worse in highly cohesive groups

15. Zimbardo’s Prison Study
Showed how we deindividuate AND become the roles we are given
What do you think happened?

17. Leadership Styles
Leaders help identify goals, establish and implement a plan, as well as emotional support
Leaders can be chosen from inside or outside the group

18. Authoritarian Exert absolute control over all decisions for the group
Military leaders
Expect orders to be carried out immediately and without question

19. Democratic
Encourage group members to express and discuss their ideas and to make their own decisions
Build consensus
May request a vote, follow decision of the majority

20. Laissez-Faire
Encourages group members to express and explore their own ideas
Tend to take a less active role in the decision-making process
Group moves in whatever direction

21. Comparing the Leaders
Crisis, Authoritarian is probably better for making decisions quickly
Democratic or Laissez-faire may be better when group members need to grow as individuals , while searching for new ideas, or helping other members solve problems in their own lives

22. Conformity
To modify one’s attitudes and behavior to make them consistent with those of other people
Helps the need of attention, affection, and belonging

23. Asch’s Study of Conformity

24. Asch’s Results About 1/3 of the participants conformed
70% conformed at least once
To strengthen conformity:
The group is unanimous
The group is at least three people.
One admires the group’s status
One had made no prior commitment

25. Conformity Cultural, Asian cultures you are part of your family
Need for acceptance, usually low self-esteem and high social anxiety
Value being liked over being right
Fear of ridicule or rejection if you stand out

26. Milgram’s Study
Of Obedience

27. Results of the Milgram Study

28. What did we learn from Milgram?
Ordinary people can do shocking things.
Ethical issues….
Would not have received approval from today’s IRB (Internal Review Board).

29. Why do people obey? Socialization Foot-in-the-Door Effect
You are taught to obey authority from a young age
Foot-in-the-Door Effect
Tendency for people to give in to a large demand if they already gave into smaller ones
Confusion about Attitudes
Will become less aware of their own beliefs and will act against them
Buffers
When you can’t see the consequences of their behavior

30. Social Norms
Are an accepted (but often unspoken) standard for appropriate behavior. May vary from culture to culture
Guidelines for certain situations: what to wear, how to act, what to eat, when and where to make a joke
Explicit are spoken or written
Implicit are unspoken or unwritten

31. Social Norms Here are some examples
In U.S. say excuse me when interrupt someone else; eat with mouth closed.
In Asian countries take off shoes upon entering house.
In Latin American and European countries, people might kiss each other on the cheek upon greeting once, twice, three times and sometimes even four times!
It is normal for the prison guards to bark orders and be emotionless while prisoners follow orders.

32. Social Norms Bathing Smoking Drinking Talking during a movie
Wearing certain clothes to an event
Weddings, funerals

33. Altruism
Altruism: an unselfish concern for the welfare of other people. Altruistic people sacrifice their own well-being to help others in need
Genes? Helps pass them on?
People are more likely to help others when they are in a good mood
People who have problems may also, sensitive
Empathy?

34. Altruism/Prosocial Behavior?
Hope to gain approval of others
Help a homeless person?
Inhibiting altruism:
Nothing you can do to help
Afraid of ridicule or social blunder
May offend someone
Dangerous situations of self injury

35. Bystander Effect
People are less likely to give help when other people are around
Hear a seizure in a cubicle near you…
85% helped when they were the only ones to hear
31% helped when they thought 4 other people could hear
WHY!?

36. Prosocial Behavior Kitty Genovese case in Kew Gardens NY
Bystander Effect:
Conditions in which people are more or less likely to help one another. In general…the more people around…the less chance of help….because of…
Diffusion of Responsibility
Pluralistic Ignorance
People decide what to do by looking to others.