Social Psychology

Social Comparison Theory and Bystander-Calculus Model

• Social Comparison Theory involves comparing behavior and opinions with others to establish socially approved ways of thinking and behaving, such as in purchasing decisions.
• Two variations of the social comparison perspective are the bandwagon effect, where individuals adopt a popular attitude to gain status, and pluralistic ignorance, where people publicly behave differently from their actual beliefs due to ignorance of others' thoughts.
• "Where there’s smoke there’s fire" study by Darley and Latane in 1968 demonstrated the bystander effect, showing that individuals were less likely to report an emergency when in the presence of others, with the response slowing as the number of people present increased.
• The Bystander-Calculus Model explains that individuals calculate the perceived costs and benefits of providing help in an emergency before responding, involving three stages: physiological arousal, labeling this arousal as an emotion, and evaluating the consequences of helping.
• Physiological arousal plays a role in helping behavior, as greater arousal increases the likelihood of helping, and situational cues trigger empathic concern, especially when bystanders believe they are similar to the victim.
• The evaluation of consequences of helping involves choosing an action that reduces personal distress at the lowest cost, with time and effort being the main costs of helping.
• The model also considers empathy costs and personal costs of not helping, where empathy concern and the characteristics of the person in distress affect the costs of not helping, influencing the bystander's decision to help.
• Norms such as social responsibility and reciprocity can influence helping behavior, as individuals may feel a responsibility to help those dependent on them, but conflicting norms may discourage interfering in others' lives.
• Empathy and altruism play a role in helping behavior, with individuals intervening in emergencies to seek relief from unpleasant arousal and being motivated by feelings of warmth and compassion for those in need.
• Feedback manipulation, egoism, and mixed-motive interactions can influence helping behavior, where people may help others only if they receive feedback indicating improvement and may engage in mixed-motive interactions in various situations.
• The Ultimatum game, a real-life application of social norms and social exchange theory, involves decision-making and allocation of resources, reflecting how people weigh costs and rewards before deciding what to do.
• The "Battle of the Sexes" and "Game of Chicken" are examples of game theory scenarios that illustrate decision-making and strategic interactions in different contexts, emphasizing the complexities of human decision-making and behavior.

Test your knowledge of Social Comparison Theory and the Bystander-Calculus Model with this quiz. Explore concepts such as social norms, bystander effect, empathy, and game theory to understand how individuals assess costs and benefits before making decisions in social situations.