PSYC3002 Lecture 1 PDF

The Social Psychology of Group Processes & Social Change PSYC3002 Lecture 1: Reflecting on the Nature of Groups Dr Charlie Crimston [email protected] ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY We acknowledge and celebrate the First Australians on whose traditional lands we meet and pay our respect to the...

The Social Psychology of Group Processes & Social Change PSYC3002 Lecture 1: Reflecting on the Nature of Groups Dr Charlie Crimston [email protected] ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY We acknowledge and celebrate the First Australians on whose traditional lands we meet and pay our respect to the elders past and present. 2 2 What is social psychology? Social psychology is the scientific study of how individuals think, feel, and behave in social situations, exploring topics such as social influence, interpersonal relationships, and group dynamics. It aims to understand the underlying processes that shape human behaviour in social contexts and applies this knowledge to address real-world problems and promote positive social change. 3 Triplett, 1898 4 Week Date Topic 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 General Course Introduction Theories of Groups and Intergroup Behaviour Social Identity & Categorisation Theory Social Identity Change Ingroup Biases & Misinformation Good Friday Mid Sem Break Mid Sem Break Deviance & Dissent Stereotypes and Prejudice Ingroup Norms & Extreme Behaviour Leadership War and Conflict Collective Action & Group Based Emotions Fri 23 Feb Fri 1 March Fri 8 March Fri 15 March Fri 22 March No Lecture No Lecture No Lecture Fri 19 April Fri 26 April Fri 3 May Fri 10 May Fri 17 May Fri 24 May 6 Week Week 3 5 7 9 11 4 - 8 March 18 - 22 March 15 - 19 April 29 - 3 May 13 - 17 May Lab Lab 1 Lab 2 Lab 3 Lab 4 Lab 5 Assessed? No Yes Yes Yes Yes - 5 x 3-hour labs - Each lab you will work through a handbook - Assessable component is due at the end of each lab (via Wattle) 7 8 PSYC3002 Team Charlie Crimston Course Coordinator & Lecturer Li Qian Tay Alysia Robertson Guest Lecturer Guest Lecturer Georgina Lee Guest Lecturer Tutorial Team Chris Wang Guest Lecturer & Assistant Coordinator Louisa Talipski Pixie Richard-Sephton Chelsea Davies Yuang Cheng 9 WHO DO I CONTACT?  Lecture or course content?  [email protected] (or Guest Lecturer)  Lab allocation, assessment extension or general course info?  [email protected]  Specific lab or assessment question?  Your tutor 10 Class Representatives Form can be found on the PSYC3002 Wattle Page If you wish to nominate yourself to be a Class Representative, please complete this form and email to [email protected] by Friday 1 March 2024. 11 Reflection Questions  What is a group?  What would you say are defining features of groups (i.e., without these, then they’re not groups)? 12 Reflection Questions  Can we understand all group processes once we have a full understanding of interpersonal processes? Why or why not? 13 Reflection Questions  Can there be leaders without groups? 14 Reflection Questions  What is the best way to reduce and/or eliminate prejudice? 15 Reflection Questions  Do people make better decisions in groups or alone as individuals? 16 Reflection Questions  Is conflict between groups inevitable? 17 What exactly is a group? Theories of Groups Debates about Groups Centre on Concerns about the Reality of Groups Issues Involved in Group Life Cartwright, D., & Zander, A. (1968). Groups and group membership: Introduction. In D. Cartwright & A. Zander (Eds.), Group dynamics (pp. 45-62). London: Tavistock. 18  Many debates about groups centre on concerns about the reality of groups. o Are there groups or simply collections or aggregates of individuals? o If the latter, then the concept of group is superfluous at best, and misleading and metaphysical (and hence outside the domain of science) at worst. 19  Focusing on Interdependence (Lewin) o Conceiving of a group as a dynamic whole should include a definition of group which is based on interdependence of the members. o A group does not need to consist of members which show great similarity. o A whole of a very high degree of unity may contain very dissimilar parts. o Not similarity, but a certain interdependence of members constitutes a group. 20  Focusing on Interdependence (Thibaut & Kelley) o Two or more persons who are or perceive themselves to be interdependent. 21  Focusing on Interdependence (Sherif) o When a number of individuals without previously established relationships interact in conditions that embody goals with common appeal and that require their interdependent activity for attainment, over time, a group will form. o The formation of a group will be reflected in o a definite group organization consisting of differentiated status positions and roles, and… o norms regulating the members' behaviour relative to one another and in activities commonly engaged in together. 22  Focusing on Interdependence (Deutsch) o A sociological group exists to the extent that the individuals composing it are pursuing promotively interdependent goals. o A psychological group exists to the extent that the individuals perceive themselves as pursuing promotively interdependent goals. 23  Refocusing on the Psychology of Groups (Heider) Separate entities comprise a unit when they are perceived as belonging together. o o Proximity o Similarity o Interpersonal liking o Familiarity o Context 24  o Refocusing on the Psychology of Groups (Tajfel & Turner) A group is a collective of individuals who perceive themselves to be members of the same social category, share some emotional involvement in this common definition of themselves, and achieve some degree of social consensus about the evaluation of their group and their membership of it. 25  Refocusing on the Psychology of Groups (Turner) o This analysis focuses on explaining how individuals are able to act as a group at all. o It proposes a process of cognitive depersonalisation based on Gestalt principles. o Group-based behaviour can emerge when people perceive themselves to be members of a group. 26 28  Cartwright, D., & Zander, A. (1968). Groups and group membership: Introduction. In D. Cartwright & A. Zander (Eds.), Group dynamics London: Tavistock. (pp. 45-62).  Sherif, M., & Sherif, C. W. (1969). Social psychology. New York: Harper & Row. 29