Need to Belong Theory
Humans have a biological need for interpersonal connections
Social isolation can lead to self destruction, lower self-esteem, less happiness, and more proneness to sickness
Evolution and Social Behaviour
Many social influence processes have been naturally selected. This theory accounts for conformity and obedience that become maladaptive when unquestioned.
Social Comparision Theory
Upwards comparison: when we want to improve
Downwards comparison: enhancement goal
Lateral comparison: for feedback
Mass hysteria
Contagious outbreak of irrational behaviour due to social comparison in an ambiguous situation - can lead to collective delusion, ex. UFO
Fundamental Attribution Error
Tendency to overestimate the impact of dispositional influences (enduring characteristics) on other behaviours, attributing too much to who they are.
We tend to underestimate the value of situational influences.
Deindividualization
Tendency to participate in atypical behaviour when stripped from unusual identity.
Asch Line Study
Conformity increased as size of majority increased.
Social influences on conformity:
1. Unamity: if all confederates gave the wrong answer, the participant was more likely to conform
2. Difference in Wrong answer: participant was less likely to conform
3. Size: size more majority made a difference only up to 5 or 6 cofederates>
Groupthink
An emphasis on unanimity at the expense of critical thinking. Groups become so focused on everyone agreeing that they lose the capacity to think critically.
Inoculation Effect
Approach to convincing people to change their minds about something by first introducing their perspectives and reasons why those perspectives are wrong
Groupthink Symptoms and Treatments
Symptoms:
1. Illusion of invulnerability
2. Illusion of unanimity
3. Unquestioned belief in moral correctness
4. Conformity pressure
5. Sterotyping nongroup members
6. Self-censorship
8. Mind guards
Treatment: encourage active dissent, appoint a devil’s advocate
Milgram’s Paradigm
Lessons:
1 Fundamental Attribution Error
2 Power of situation
Bystander Nonintervention
Occurs due to pluralistic ignorance and diffusion of responsibility
Social Loafing
Less productivity in groups
Factors that Reduce the Bystander Effect
Altruism
Helping others fro unselfish reasons
Agression
Behaviour intended to harm others
Relational Aggression
Indirect aggression prevalent in girls
Cognitive dissonance Theory
When two beliefs are inconsistent, individuals experience negatively arousing cognitive conflict (called dissonance)
Attitude
Belief includes an emotional component.
Persuasion
1 Central Route: Leads us to evaluate argument when we have time and relevant info
Impression Management Theory
We don’t change attitudes by cognitive dissonance; we only say so as not to seem inconsistent.
Self Perception Theory
We acquire attitudes by observation
Foot-in-the-door
Asking a small request before a large one
Door-in-the-face
We ask a large request then a small one