I&P - The influence of groups

Question 1

What is a group

Answer 1

Collection of people, experience
In groups (us) - express individuality
Out groups (them) have core traits often negative!

Question 2

Group productivity

Answer 2

Social facilitation - perform better when in competition and when being observed!
Social inhibition - more errors due to complex tasks and embarrassment
Productivity is a weigh up between social facilitation and social inhibiton

Question 3

Simple tasks with the presence of others…

Answer 3

Group productivity increases due to social facilitiation

Question 4

Difficult tasks in the presence of others..

Answer 4

productivity decreases due to social inhibition

Question 5

Social loafing

Answer 5

Where people work less hard in a group then individuals e.g. 6 people seperately pulling a rope is stronger than all 6 together

Question 6

Social loafing causes:

Answer 6

Different standards
Output equity - others load so we don’t want to put in more effort
We may hide from tasks as we may be embarassed

Question 7

Reducing social loafing

Answer 7

Make individual contributions identifiable, emphasise individual contributions and keep the group an appropriate size

Question 8

Group decisions - social inhibiton

Answer 8

Brainstorming less effective in groups due to social inhibitoin

Question 9

Risky shift

Answer 9

Decision in groups riskier than individual due to GROUP POLARISATION - group discussion strengthens the average inclination of group members - hence not necessarily about risk

Question 10

Why do we help others?

Answer 10

Cultural Norms
Reciprocity Norm
Helpful people are generally: altruists (or egoists), in a good men and men (generally help women) and those who feel competent.

Question 11

What is a norm?

Answer 11

A shared belief about appropriate conduct
Behaviours characterise within groups but different to stereotypes as we stereotype those not in out groups
Very resistant to change

Question 12

Soloman Asch

Answer 12

Conformity - shows that we largely yield to the majority

Question 13

Why do we conform?

Answer 13

Avoid embarrassment

Personality types influence - low self-esteem often confrom

Question 14

Culutural differences in conformity

Answer 14

Higher in collectivist cultures! however one deviant can wreck this!

Question 15

Grou influence de-individualisation

Answer 15

Anonymity within a crowd e.g. wearing a mask!

Question 16

Dehumanisation in groups

Answer 16

victims are made anonymous - with war collateral damage is a way of coping with atrocities
Also disinhibition in a group!