socSL

Question 1

SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY

Answer 1

Theory:

• the assumption that we form our understanding of the social world by forming associations about in-groups and out-groups - feeling of belonging to a group affecting our identity
• identity dependent on group membership

Study:
Sherif et al
- 11-12 y.o. boys at a camp
- first groups isolated to establish a social identity
- conflict introduced through games where one team would benefit at the expense of the other, name-calling, burning flags etc - negative attitudes as a result of social identity
- cool-off period: boys asked to describe the teams - in-group in favourable terms, out-group in unfavorable terms
- conflict resolved through superordinate goals

Question 2

SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY

Answer 2

Theory:

• assumption that humans learn by observing and imitating the behaviour of others
• direct or indirect influence
• vicarious reinforcement - no positive/negative reinforcement needed - the fact that the model gets punished/rewarded is enough
• cognitive factors according to Bandura:
  –attention (to the model)
  –retention - remember behaviour
  –motivation - want to repeat the behaviour
  (outcome expectancies)
  –potential - physically and mentally able to replicate the behaviour

Study:
Bandura et al (or Odden and Rochat)
- 3-6 yo kids
- Stage 1: observation
- group : observed physical aggression towards the Bobo doll
- group 2: verbal aggression
- group 3: an adult peacefully playing with toys
- group 4: was the control (no observation)
- Stage 2: mild aggression arousal (playing with toys and being told that they are reserved for other children and the kid has to leave them)
- Stage 3: aggressive and non-aggressive toys - child left to choose what to play with
- findings showed clear signs of
observational learning and tendency to imitate same-sex models more

Question 3

FORMATION OF STEREOTYPES

Answer 3

Theory:
- the social perception of an individual based on their group membership or physical attributes
- generalisation
- positive or negative
- social categorisation
- schema processing
- out-group homogeneity
- forming stereotypes based on personal experience with a group (link to study)

Study:
Sherif et al

Question 4

INFLUENCE OF STEREOTYPES

Answer 4

Theory:
-stereotype threat - fear of doing something that will confirm the stereotype
- spotlight anxiety - underperforming because of stereotype threat

Study:
Steele and Aronson
- iv: race and condition (diagnostic - told that the test is to measure the verbal ability, non-diagnostic - told that the test is a problem-solving test)
- diagnostic - black people underperformed, - non-diagnostic - no significant difference between black and white subjects
- shows support for spotlight anxiety theory

Question 5

CULTURAL DIMENSIONS/INFLUENCE OF CULTURE ON BEHAVIOUR

Answer 5

Theory:
- how the values of a society affect behaviour
- trends in behaviour of a given culture
- for example: individualism vs collectivism

Study:
Berry
- GROUPS: Temne from Sierra Leone, Inuit from Canada, traditional way of life + people slightly affected by Western cultures, Scots as a reference group
- TASK: asked to decide (individually) which line matches the original one
-first on their own and then they were told that most people of their ingroup have answered (sometimes correct answer sometimes incorrect)
- findings: Temne (collectivistic) - higher conformity, Inuits (individualistic) - lowest conformity

Question 6

ENCULTURATION

Answer 6

Theory:
- learning and maintenance of behaviours and norms of a culture
- observational, direct tuition, participatory learning, interactions with peers
- It is a constant process that reinforces your identity as a member of your culture.

Study:
Odden and Rochat
- longitudinal study of children in a traditional Samoan village
- observation in terms of fishing and understanding of social hierarchies and norms
- parents had a non-interventionist approach
- through observation and experimenting on their own most boys were able to fish by the age of 12
- they also understand the chief system and the hierarchy and norms without direct tuition
- conclusion: enculturation through observation, social cognitive theory

Question 7

ACCULTURATION

Answer 7

Theory:
- adopting the norms of the majority culture
for example immigrants
- Berry’s acculturation model
– integration: foreign and own
– separation: own not foreign
– assimilation: foreign not own
– marginalisation: not own not foreign
- acculturative stress - distress associated with the conflict between maintaining one’s culture and adapting to a new one

Study:
Lueck and Wilson
- semi-structured interviews with Asian-Americans
- findings:
– bilingual=lower acculturative stress, English only preference=high stress
– negative treatment (racism, xenophobia, stereotyping etc) = high stress
– shared beliefs and values with family=lower stress
– good economic opportunities=lower stress