PSY 393 - MYERS, Social Psyc, Chp 6 outline-notes. Group Influence

PSY 393 - MYERS, Social Psyc, Chp 6 outline-notes. Group Influence Chapter 8: Group Influence What is a Group? • "two or more people who interact and influence one another" • perceive themselves as "us" (not "them") TEST YOURSELF: Which of these are "groups"? • people waiting at a bus stop • people who have waited all night in line for concert tickets • a class of students waiting for a late professor • a committee in student government • people waiting in line at the grocery store examples of collective influence: • social facilitation – facilitate/helper – help someone either do better or worse; simple/east tasks are performed well in the presence of others…Easy tasks become easier and harder tasks become more difficult • social loafing – you do not put forth an effort in a group, enhanced when there is no individual accountability • deindividuation – you don’t want to bring attention to yourself-so you go along with the group and you do something out of character Social Facilitation • The presence of others • Crowding: The presence of many others • Why are we aroused – more aware -- in the presence of others? • Evaluation apprehension • Driven by distraction • Mere presence • Triplett (1898): we do tasks (such winding a fishing reel) more quickly when others are present • The presence of others increases arousal, which helps easy tasks but harms difficult tasks. The Mere Presence of Others • One explanation of social facilitation • "mere presence" • passive audience / coactors • Triplett's studies of performance