The Influence of Social Psychology on Human Behavior in Social Situations

1. Social PsychologyCh. 18 and 19 McElhaney

2. “Humans are social Animals” The Study of Human interaction • Branch of Psych that analyzes how behavior is influenced by presence of others • “Presence + Behavior of other people affect our own behavior.” • Studies how we behave, think, feel in Social Situations. • Based on the concept of an Attribute: the cause of behavior

3. Social Psychology Defined • Scientific study of how individuals behave, think, feel in social situations • Bernstein Social Cognition: “The scientific study of how people’s thoughts and feelings influence their behavior toward others and How behavior of others influence people's own thoughts, feelings and behavior.” • *(The pressure of others) • Includes: • Values • Behavior Patterns • Expectations

4. Groups Influence our Behavior • Culture = ongoing pattern of life that is passed from one generation to another. • Components of Culture include: • Language, marriage customs, concepts of ownership, sex roles

5. The Group • Structure of a given groupmay affect behavior of the group as a unit i.e., group polarization. • Structure of a given group may affect behavior of the individual group member i.e., de-individualization.

6. Classic Studies • Conformity, Compliance, Obedience to Authority, Bystander Apathy • Asch- • Zimbardo- • Milgram- • Kitty Genovese • Bandura

7. Roles • We all hold social roles • Positions in the structure of a group • Patterns of behavior expected of persons in various social positions • Roles are Ascribed- assigned to a person • not under a person’s control Roles: Mother Boss Student Each has different expectations or sets of behavior.

8. Achieved Roles= the opposite of assigned roles • Voluntary roles • Attained by special effort • Spouse • Teacher • Scientist

9. Stanford University Impact on social roles Inmates + guards Males in a simulated prison Found destructive roles- cause role behaviors They had assigned social roles- “In only a few days, our guards became sadistic and our prisoners became depressed and showed signs of extreme stress.” Zimbardo Study-

10. Zimbardo Results • Why do ordinary people do horrible things? • Many destructive relationships have a source in Learned Roles. • Obedience • Conformity • The Situation • Compliance

11. Role Conflicts • Two or more roles make conflicting demands • Coach and parent • Clashing demands for work, family, school

12. Factors to Cohesion=closeness Degree of attraction among group members Commitment to remaining in group Cohesive groups: Sit/sand together Pay attention to one another Mutual Affection Behavior is coordinated Work better together Group Structure and Cohesion

13. Status • A person’s social position in a group determines his or her status- or level of social power & importance. • Higher status = privileges • Higher status people are treated better- Well dressed

14. Norms • Unspoken rules or guidelines • Are an accepted standard for appropriate behavior for a specific group • Lax norms cause lax behavior

15. Social Influence • A person’s behavior influences another. • A convergence of beliefs, attitudes = change in behavior

16. Personal Space and Proxemics • Too close = discomfort • Hall found 4 zones of personal space • Intimate- within 18” • Personal- 18” to 4’ • Social- 4’-12’ • Public- 12’ or more • See notes Touch and Status

17. Touch and Status • Touch is a privilege of power. • High status more likely to touch lower status people • Men are more likely to touch women of lower status

18. What motivates us to join a group? • “Desires for • Self-evaluation • Self-protection • Self-enhancement • Influence which group we join. Are motives for associating with others

19. Affiliation-basic principle • Basic human trait • A desire to associate with other people • Connected to needs of: • Approval, support, friendship, information • Helps alleviate – fear and anxiety • We prefer to be with people in similar circumstances

20. Festinger said groupmembership fills need for: Social Comparison- standard to judge yourself Comparing your own actions, feelings, opinions, abilities… Must be compared to people of similar background, abilities, circumstances Downward Comparison: Comparison- for self-enhancement- self protection Comparing to someone who ranks lower Upward Comparison: Comparison with people of higher status- for self improvement Behavior of Groups: Group Membership

21. Social Relationships • Interpersonal Attraction= affinity to another person • Is the basis for most voluntary social relationships

22. Factors that Influence Attraction • Physical proximity • Physical attractiveness • Halo Effect- tendency to generalize favorable impression to personal characteristics • Attractive people have perceived likeable characteristics • Beauty vs. Personality = Which works best? • (page 675) • Competence- we are attracted to talented people • Similarity-age, sex, race, background, interests, attitudes, beliefs

23. Relationships • Self-Disclosure- • Over Disclosure- • Reciprocity- • Gendered Friendships

24. Social Perception and Attribution • Attribution= is a cause for behavior • Attribute- (verb) place cause • through observation of others Inferences/judgments about causes of behavior

25. Attributional Theory • We tend to ascribe or attribute causes of behavior to: • External causes: outside a person • Internal causes: inside a person

26. What should one consider when making attributions? Factors of Attribution

27. Factor of Attribution:Situational Demands • SD = pressures to behave in certain ways in particular settings and social situations • The “situation demands certain behavior” • Discount: Downgrade or disregard internal causation when specific External causes are clear… • Consensus- agreement, when an attribution is associated to many • people- external causes

28. Errors in Attribution • Fundamental Attribution Error: • to wrongly attribute actions of others to internal causes • We have a tendency to think actions of others are caused by internal forces • Actor-Observer Bias: • (I vs. They) • As actors- we find external explanations for our own behavior. • As observers- we attribute behavior of others’ wants, motives and personality traits

29. Social Exchange Theory“How profitable is the relationship?” • Exchanges of attention, info, affection, favors • Says: we all consciously weigh social rewards and costs • Relationships must be profitable to participants: • Rewards vs costs • Fun vs Self Esteem

30. Love and Liking Factors • Romantic Attraction: • Interpersonal attraction + emotional arousal • Love = combinations • Intimacy, passion, commitment and sexual desire • Lovers see partners in idealized ways • Helps create the relationship they wish for.

31. Love and Attachment • Child care-giving attachments have impact on adult attachments • We use early attachments as mental models (We become what we learn) • Secure- • Avoidant- • Ambivalent-

32. Attachments • Secure Attachment (59%) = friendly, good natured, likeable • See others as well intentioned, reliable, trustworthy • Generally not worried about being abandoned • Avoidant Attachment (25%): • Fear of intimacy, tend to resist commitment • Pull back when things don’t go well • Suspicious, aloof, skeptical • Have difficulty trusting • Get nervous when people get too close emotionally

33. Ambivalent Attachment • Mixed emotions and Conflicting feelings • Affection, anger, emotional turmoil, physical attraction, doubt • Self regard- misunderstood, unappreciated • See others- unreliable, unable or unwilling to commit to lasting relationships • Worry- partners don’t really love them or may leave, they want to be close but have doubts

34. Evolution and Mate Selection:Men • Evolutionary psych= study of evolutionary origins of behavior or patterns • Patterns: • Men are interested in casual sex • Men prefer younger, more physically attractive partners • Men are jealous over real or imagined infidelity • Men look for reproductive capabilities, youth, health, beauty

35. Evolution and Mate Selection: Women • Prefer slightly older partners • Industrious, high status, economic success • Become upset by emotional infidelity more than sexual unfaithfulness • Evolved- • Nurturing of young • Interest in longevity of relationships

36. Social Influences • “Changes in behavior are induced by action of others.” • Types of Social Influence: • Suggestion • Intensive Indoctrination • Group Pressure= Conformity • Obedience

37. Group Pressure= Conformity • People become aware of differences between themselves and actions, norms or values of others in group. • Conformity= pressure for uniformity of members • “Brings one’s own behavior into agreement with norms or the behavior of others” • Norms= unspoken rules of conduct, normal or acceptable behavior

38. Conformity • Conformist- to not be considered strange or frightening • Conformity refers to an individual’s behavior that adheres to the behavior patternof a particular group- that a person belongs to. • Non-conformist- independent thinking

39. Who Conforms? • People with high needs for structure • Anxious • Low self esteem and low self confidence • Concerned with approval • Culture that emphasizes group cooperation

40. Solomon Asch • Studied conformity- found that people conform to the will of the group-

41. “The Power of Conformity”Asch (1955) Social Pressure • Summarize the Theoretical propositions • Describe the method • Summarize the results • Significance of Study • Factors that impact Conforming Behavior • Social Support • Attraction • Size of Group • SEX

42. Group Factors in Conformity • To enforce conformity= group sanctions • Negative= ridicule, laughing, staring, social disapproval, rejection/exclusion • Sanctions work only if the subject wants to be part of the group.

43. Social Support- for Non-conformists • Support for non-conformists-When someone agrees with non-conformist • It encourages- resistance to conformity • Attraction: More attraction to the group (Reference Group) -> the more likely you are to conform to behavior and attitudes of group. • Size of the Group: • The tendency to conform increases as the size of the group increases (6-7) • Sex/Gender • There is some evidence to suggest women are more likely to conform • People conform when appropriate behavior is unclear. • Culture impacts conformity • Collectivist Countries: Goals of the group in relation to goals of the individual.

44. What is Group Think? • Phenomenon of group behavior: • People want to maintain approval- even if decisions are bad. • Authority- group members hesitate to question authority • They think as a group instead of thinking about outcomes independently

45. To Prevent Group Think:Define group roles • Critical evaluator • Stick to the facts-avoid bias • Include “devils advocate” • Group accountability • Search for alternative solutions • Re-evaluate important decisions

46. When is it appropriate to resist authority?: Obedience • Milgram Study: Obedience Study(1963) • Yale University, • “Obey at Any Cost” Subjects “gave” electric shocks to “learners” giving shocks.

47. Milgram’s Ideas • The tendency to obey is deeply ingrained. • It cancels out a person’s ability to behave morally, ethically, and sympathetically. • People have a tendency to obey people of authority- even if they violate their own codes of behavior. • They would inflict pain on people if ordered to do so.

48. Milgram Findings and Implications • Distance to subject being shocked was a factor • Closer to victim= less obedience • Distance of Authority figure = direct relationship to obedience- • Farther away = less obedience • When orders come from authority figures- people rationalize that they are not responsible. • **A personal act of courage or moral fortitude by one or two members of a group may free others to disobey- unjust authority.

49. Compliance- • One person bends to the authority of another person who has little authority • Pressure to comply- affects everyday people

50. Compliance and Sales Pressure • Foot in the Door: a person who first agrees to a small request- will more likely comply with a larger demand • Door in the face: With the idea of refusing a large request is a tendency to comply with a smaller request. • Low Ball: get the person to commit to an act, then make terms of acting less desirable