Social Psychology: Group Definitions & Facilitation

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Questions and Answers

What is a primary characteristic of a group as defined by Hogg and Vaughn?

Two or more people who share a common definition and evaluation of themselves (correct)

A social unit that always has a leader

Two or more people who behave independently of one another

A collection of individuals who do not share any goals

According to Johnson and Johnson, which statement best describes a collection of individuals in a group?

Individuals who perceive themselves as belonging to a group (correct)

Individuals who are forced to work together

Individuals who do not interact with each other

Individuals who only join for social gatherings

What was the key finding of Norman Triplett's experiments on group performance?

Cyclists perform better alone than in groups

Children’s performance varies when doing tasks with others (correct)

Interaction in groups has no effect on performance

Group performance is always superior to individual performance

In the context of social facilitation, what does the Drive Theory suggest?

Task difficulty influences whether social presence facilitates or inhibits performance Signup and view all the answers

What role can a 'prototype' member play in a group, based on the definitions provided?

A committed member who displays group norms and expected behaviors Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a way to define roles within groups?

Level of expertise Signup and view all the answers

What outcomes were observed in Triplett's study regarding children's performances?

Performance varied, with some improving and others declining Signup and view all the answers

What happens to an individual's performance on an easy task when in a group, according to social facilitation principles?

Performance is typically better Signup and view all the answers

What did the study by Theodore Newcomb reveal about group norms and political preferences?

Exposure to liberal norms influenced later political preferences. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the role of norms in a group according to the content?

Norms determine acceptable behaviors and reduce uncertainty. Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary finding from Coch and French's study in factory production?

A standard of 50 units per hour was established as a norm. Signup and view all the answers

According to the moral foundation theory, which of the following is NOT one of the six foundations of morality?

Community-Division Signup and view all the answers

Which statement reflects Greene's view on moral judgements?

Moral judgments are primarily emotional and automatic responses. Signup and view all the answers

In the studies referenced, what was a characteristic of the group norms among adolescents in gangs, as observed by Sherif?

A strict dress code to differentiate from other groups. Signup and view all the answers

What is the potential impact of differing moral principles among groups?

They can create significant conflict and misunderstandings. Signup and view all the answers

Why are some group norms resistant to change?

They provide stability during specific circumstances. Signup and view all the answers

What does the latitude of acceptable behavior refer to in the context of norms?

The range within which behaviors are tolerated in a group. Signup and view all the answers

In which condition did participants complete easy tasks the fastest?

With another person Signup and view all the answers

How did virtual humans affect performance on hard tasks?

They slowed down performance Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concept described as social loafing?

Working less hard because others are present Signup and view all the answers

In Ringelmann's study, what was observed regarding the force exerted by participants?

Force per person decreased with increasing group size Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors is NOT associated with influencing social loafing rates?

The complexity of the task Signup and view all the answers

What observation was made about pseudo groups in Ingham et al.'s study?

They made noise but did not pull effectively Signup and view all the answers

What did Bond and Titus's meta-analysis conclude about social facilitation?

It explains 0.3-3% of variation in performances Signup and view all the answers

According to the content, which gender is reported to be more likely to engage in social loafing?

Males Signup and view all the answers

What conclusion can be drawn about the social facilitation effect based on the study findings?

It can occur with both real and virtual humans Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of Triplett’s original work on social facilitation?

It provided a foundational understanding for future research Signup and view all the answers

In the study where participants dressed in their own clothes, what was the result of having an attentive audience?

Participants took less time to get dressed. Signup and view all the answers

What impact did the presence of an audience have on the performance of participants in difficult tasks according to the social facilitation effects?

It reduced performance on difficult tasks. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following theories suggests that the presence of others creates cognitive conflict between focusing on the task and the audience?

Distraction-conflict theory Signup and view all the answers

What did Sanders' experiment regarding distraction and task types reveal?

Distraction led to more mistakes in hard tasks and better performance in easy tasks. Signup and view all the answers

According to Cialdini and Trost, how are norms defined?

Rules and standards understood by group members. Signup and view all the answers

What does Garfinkle's ethnomethodology focus on?

Unobserved practices and norm violations. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of descriptive norms?

They describe regularities in behavior within a group. Signup and view all the answers

How do social identity theorists view norms in relation to group membership?

Norms provide a framework for moral behavior as group norms. Signup and view all the answers

What was found in the experiment by Groff, Baron, and Moore concerning social presence?

Participants squeezed the bottle more firmly under scrutiny. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common effect of audience presence during cognitive tasks as per distraction-conflict theory?

Cognitive conflict leading to distraction and impaired performance. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes the distinction between descriptive and injunctive norms?

Descriptive norms relate to behaviors that are performed regularly, while injunctive norms convey social approval or disapproval. Signup and view all the answers

What methodology did Garfinkle employ to detect unobserved norms?

Ethnomethodology involving norm violations. Signup and view all the answers

What does the theory of evaluation apprehension propose about performance in front of others?

An audience can enhance performance due to increased focus. Signup and view all the answers

What fundamental human need is essential according to Baumeister and Leary?

The need to belong Signup and view all the answers

Which effect can feeling a sense of belonging have on an individual?

Enhancement of happiness Signup and view all the answers

What is the fear of missing out on rewarding experiences referred to as?

FoMO Signup and view all the answers

What is one consequence of social exclusion in primates mentioned in the content?

Starvation Signup and view all the answers

According to Williams, which need is NOT affected by social exclusion?

Need for achievement Signup and view all the answers

What is the main finding regarding the effects of ostracism in the Cyberball experiment?

Participants reported lower mood and sense of belonging Signup and view all the answers

What describes individuals with higher social anxiety following ostracism according to Zadro et al.?

They continued to feel rejected over time Signup and view all the answers

In which group did females show evidence of social compensation due to ostracism?

Ostracism group Signup and view all the answers

What does research suggest about the long-term consequences of ostracism?

It increases feelings of worthlessness Signup and view all the answers

What does Nickolas Cottrell's evaluation apprehension theory propose?

Social presence induces arousal through others’ evaluations Signup and view all the answers

Which condition showed a social facilitation effect according to research on evaluation apprehension?

Attentive audience Signup and view all the answers

What effect does the need to belong have on internet usage according to the content?

Can lead to an increase in internet usage Signup and view all the answers

What significant effect was observed in individuals with FoMO related to social connection?

Significant indirect effect on social connection Signup and view all the answers

Which cognitive bias can result from belonging to a group?

In-group bias Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Group Definitions and Types

Groups are defined as two or more people who share a common self-definition and behave accordingly (Hogg & Vaughn).
Groups are collections of individuals interacting with each other, perceiving themselves as belonging, and working towards a shared goal (Johnson & Johnson).
Groups are structured by roles and norms, influencing each other.
Smaller groups can exist within larger ones.
Roles within groups can be differentiated based on factors like time spent in the group (newcomer, full member, old timer) and commitment level (peripheral, prototype).

Norman Triplett's Research

Observed cyclists performing better in groups than alone.
Investigated children winding fishing reels, finding mixed results (some faster, some slower, and some unchanged) with varying performance patterns between individuals.
Inconsistencies in the results led to further research and insights into group performance.

Social presence can either facilitate or hinder performance.
Easy tasks benefit from the presence of others, while hard tasks are hindered. This is due to the presence of others creating arousal, which in turn leads to easier tasks being done better and harder tasks being done worse.

Examined performance in easy and difficult tasks with both human presence and virtual human-like avatars (participants completed tasks alone, with a human, or with a virtual human-like avatar).
Easy tasks were performed faster with a human or virtual presence than alone but hard tasks were performed slower.
This suggests that social presence, even virtually, can facilitate or inhibit performance.

Some studies suggest that the effect of social facilitation is small.
Social facilitation can be seen in many diverse situations (e.g., eating more, competitive sports).

People tend to exert less effort in a group than when working alone (social loafing).
Ringelmann's study showed that individual effort decreased as group size increased.
Ingham et al. demonstrated that reduced effort in groups isn't solely due to coordination challenges. Loss of motivation, also plays a key role.

Evaluation potential
Task valence
Group valence
Expectation of co-worker's efforts
Uniqueness of individual inputs
Gender
Group size
Culture

Belonging and Ostracism

Belonging is crucial to human well-being (Baumeister & Leary).
A need for relationships based on care and concern.
Belonging positively impacts thinking, school engagement, mood, and happiness.
Lack of belonging can lead to behavioural and mental health problems.

Belonging and Online Communication

Fear of missing out (FoMO) is linked to increased internet usage.
Online experiences can fulfill the need to belong.

Ostracism

Ostracism is exclusion or ignoring.
There are evolutionary pressures for humans in groups.
Williams et al.: Ostracism undermines needs to belong, self-esteem, control, and meaningful connection.
Cyberball paradigm demonstrates negative impacts of ostracism on mood, belonging, and self-esteem.
Zadro et al. highlighted lasting effects of ostracism on people with high social anxiety.
Williams and Sommer studied the effects of ostracism on task performance.

Independent Reading: Evaluation Apprehension

Evaluation apprehension: concern about how others perceive one's performance; affects arousal.
Cottrell et al. : Social presence effects are stronger when there's perceived evaluation.
Markus (1978), Schmitt et al (1986) : Studies have shown mixed support for evaluation apprehension.
Distraction-conflict theory: presence of others distracting, interfering with task, leading to performance differences based on task difficulty.
Sanders, Baron, and Moore: Distraction impacts performance, especially on demanding tasks.

Norms

Norms are shared rules and standards guiding social behaviour in a group.
Norms arise from interaction, may be explicit or implicit. Sanctions come from social networks.
Ethnomethodology: Investigating unobservable norms through norm violations (e.g., Garfinkel).
Norms relate to group membership and stereotypes.
Norm development over time (Newcomb).
Norms coordinate groups, meet goals (Coch & French).
Some norms are more restrictive than others, related to group loyalty and stability.

Morality

Moral principles guide behaviour, create unity or division.
Moral foundations theory (Haidt): Care-harm, fairness-cheating, loyalty-betrayal, authority-subversion, sanctity-degradation, liberty-oppression.
Moral judgements are automatic or controlled.
Shared moral principles help maintain order within groups.

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Description

Explore the concepts of groups and their dynamics in social psychology. This quiz delves into definitions, types, and the effects of group interactions based on foundational research, including Norman Triplett's observations. Test your understanding of social facilitation and group performance.