Lesson 3: Individuals in Groups

When in groups we act differently than we would on our own◦The decisions we make & the actions we take in groups may depend less on our personal desires than on the structure & dynamics of the group itself

Group Pressure & Conformity

Conformity

Taking actions or adopting attitudes as a result of real or imagined group pressure

Line test◦Subjects in a group were asked to match line lengths.

◦Confederates in the group picked the wrong line.

◦Subjects went along with the wrong answer on 37% of trials.

Declined since the 1950’s reflecting social norms

Varies with cultural norms tooRegardless of culture, everyone conforms under some circumstance & for similar reasons◦Identify with the group, want to be liked, believe the group has knowledge, & is superior to their own, self interest, to keep jobs, win promotions, or win votes

Group members are often uncomfortable with deviants & will try to persuade them to conform◦May punish, isolate, or reject them

Positive- society runs smoothlyNegative- suppress critical thinking & creativity◦People may deny their private beliefs, agree with silly notions & even repudiate their own values

GroupthinkIn close-knit groups, the tendency for all members to think alike and suppress disagreement for the sake of harmony.

Occurs when a group’s need for total agreement overwhelms its need to make the wisest decision

Symptoms of Groupthink:◦Illusion of invincibility- group believes it can do no wrong

◦Self-censorship- dissenters keep quiet, rather than make trouble, offend their friends, or risk being ridiculed

◦Pressure on dissenters to conform- leader teases or humiliates dissenters or pressures them to go along

◦Illusion of unanimity- create the illusion of consensusMay explicitly order suspected dissenters to keep quiet

Key features of groups that are vulnerable of groupthink:◦Their members feel that they are part of a tightly connected team

◦They are isolated from other viewpoints

◦They feel strong pressure from outside forces

◦They have a strong, directive leader

A main factor in determining whether a group will fall victim has to do with group norms◦The standards or rules about appropriate behavior & thought governing members of the groupSome groups demand consensus

Want all members to dress, think, & behave in the same way

Myers in Modules, Module 54

Module 54Social Influence

Others value innovative or dissenting views & set norms that call for independent thinking & action

Can be counteracted by creating conditions that explicitly encourage & reward the expression of doubt & dissent & by basing decisions on majority rule instead of unanimity

The Anonymous Crowd

The more people around you, the less likely it is that one of them will come to your aid

Diffusion of Responsibility: In organized or anonymous groups, the tendency of members to avoid taking responsibility for actions or decisions because they assume that others will do so.

Bystander apathy- in crowds, when someone is in trouble, individuals often fail to take action or call for help because they assume that someone else will do so◦People are most likely to come to a stranger’s aid if they are the only ones around to help because responsibility can’t be diffused

In work groups, the diffusion of responsibility sometimes takes the form of social loafing◦Each member of a team slows down, letting others work harderOccurs when: Individual group members are not accountable for the work they do

People feel that working harder would only duplicate their colleagues’ efforts

The challenge of the job is increased when each member of the group has a different, important job to do, the sense of individual responsibility rises & social loafing declines

Extreme instances of diffusion of responsibility occur in large anonymous mobs or crowds where people often lose all awareness of their individuality◦DeindividuationMore likely to feel this in a large city or large classes

Some groups promote deindividuation of their members in order to enhance conformity & allegiance to the group

◦Uniforms & masks- eliminating identity

Don’t feel responsible for their actions & are more likely to violate social norms or break laws than on their own◦Sometimes makes people more friendly

Disobedience & Dissent

Dissent & altruism (the willingness to take a selfless or dangerous action on behalf of others) are a matter a personal convictions & conscience◦There are external influences on a person’s decisions to state an unpopular opinion, choose conscience over conformity, or help a stranger in trouble

Situational factors contributing to nonconformity:◦You perceive the need for intervention or helpSometimes people willfully blind themselves to wrongdoing to justify their own inaction of when the situation imposes too many demands on people’s attention

The situation increases the likelihood that you will take responsibility◦When you’re in an environment that rewards independent thinking & dissent & discourages social loafing, you may behave accordingly

Decision to take responsibility also depends on the risk involved◦People are less likely to take an independent action if situational risks are high (need the job)

Some cultures place a higher value on helping strangers

Cost-benefit ratio supports your decision to get involved.◦Cost of helping or protesting might be embarrassment or wasted time, lost income, loss of friends, or physical danger

◦Cost of not helping or remaining silent might be guilt, blame from others, loss of honor, or the injury or death of others

You have an ally.◦Reassured a person of the rightness of the protest & their combined efforts may eventually persuade the majority

You become entrapped.