Invitation To Psychology Carol Wade and Carol Tavris

Invitation To Psychology Carol Wade and Carol Tavris Power. Point Presentation by H. Lynn Bradman Metropolitan Community College-Omaha Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 1

Behavior in Social and Cultural Context Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 2

Behavior in Social and Cultural Context • • • Roles and Rules Social Influences on Beliefs Individuals in Groups Us Versus Them: Group Identity Group Conflicts and Prejudice Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 3

Roles and Rules Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 4

Roles and Rules • The Obedience Study • The Prison Study • The Power of Roles Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 5

The Obedience Study • Stanley Milgram and coworkers investigated whether people would follow orders, even when the order violated their ethical standards. • Most people were far more obedient than anyone expected. – Every single participant complied with at least some orders to shock another person • Results are controversial and have generated much research on violence and obedience. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 6

The Power of Roles • Factors that cause people to obey – Allocating responsibility to the authority – Routinizing the task – Wanting to be polite – Becoming entrapped • Entrapment: A gradual process in which individuals escalate their commitment to a course of action to justify their investment of time, money, or effort. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 7

Social Influences on Beliefs Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 8

Social Influences on Beliefs • Attributions • Attitudes Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 9

Attributions • Attribution Theory: – The theory that people are motivated to explain their own and other peoples’ behavior by attributing causes of that behavior to a situation or a disposition. • Fundamental Attribution Error: – The tendency, in explaining other people’s behavior, to overestimate personality factors and underestimate the influence of the situation. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 10

Attitudes • Attitude: – A relatively stable opinion containing beliefs and emotional feelings about a topic. • Validity Effect: – The tendency of people to believe that a statement is true or valid simply because it has been repeated many times. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 11

Influencing Attitudes Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 12

Coercive Persuasion • Person is under physical or emotional duress. • Person’s problems are reduced to one simple explanation, repeated often. • Leader offers unconditional love, acceptance, and attention. • New identity based on group is created. • Person is subjected to entrapment. • Person’s access to information is controlled. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 13

Individuals in Groups Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 14

Individuals in Groups • • Conformity Groupthink The Anonymous Crowd Courage and Nonconformity Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 15

Conformity • 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. No, it’s not hard! Sample Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall A B C 16

Groupthink • In close-knit groups, the tendency for all members to think alike and suppress disagreement for the sake of harmony. • Symptoms of Groupthink: – Illusion of invincibility – Self-censorship – Pressure on dissenters to conform – Illusion of unanimity Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 17

The Anonymous Crowd • 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. • Deindividuation: – In groups or crowds, the loss of awareness of one’s own individuality. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 18

Courage and Nonconformity • Situational factors contributing to nonconformity: – You perceive the need for intervention or help. – Situation makes it more likely that you will take responsibility. – Cost-benefit ratio supports your decision to get involved. – You have an ally. – You become entrapped. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 19

Us Versus Them: Group Identity Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 20

Us Versus Them: Group Identity • Ethnic Identity • Ethnocentrism • Stereotypes Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 21

Ethnic Identity • Social Identity: – The part of a person’s self-concept that is based on identification with a nation, culture, or group or with gender or other roles in society. • Ethnic Identity: – A person’s identification with a racial, religious, or ethnic group. • Acculturation: – The process by which members of minority groups come to identify with and feel part of the mainstream culture. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 22

Acculturation Strategies Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 23

Ethnocentrism • The belief that one’s own ethnic group, nation, or religion is superior to all others. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 24

Robbers’ Cave Experiment • Boys were randomly separated into two groups – “Rattlers” and “Eagles” • Competitions fostered hostility between the groups. • Experimenters contrived situations requiring cooperation for success. • Cross-group friendships increased. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 25

Stereotypes • Stereotype: – A cognitive schema or a summary impression of a group, in which a person believes that all members of the group share a common trait or traits (positive, negative, or neutral). Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 26

Group Conflicts and Prejudice Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 27

Group Conflicts and Prejudice • The Origins of Prejudice • Varieties of Prejudice • Reducing Prejudice and Conflict Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 28

Reducing Prejudice and Conflict • Groups must have equal legal status, economic opportunities, and power. • Authorities and community institutions must endorse egalitarian norms and provide moral support and legitimacy for both sides. • Both sides must have opportunities to work and socialize together, formally and informally. • Both sides must cooperate, working together for a common goal. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 29

Bridging the Cultural Divide • Tips for Successful Travel: – Be sure you understand the other culture’s rules, manners, and customs. – When in Rome, do as the Romans do as much as possible. – Avoid stereotyping. Wade and Tavris © 2005 Prentice Hall 30