Social Psychology PDF

MODULE 6 RELATING HARMONIOUSLY AND PROPERLY WITH EVERYONE Social Psychology SOCIAL- this term has something to do with relating well or interacting with others. PSYCHOLOGY- the study of social relationships or interactions’ Lahey (2007) defines social psychology as the branch of psycholog...

MODULE 6 RELATING HARMONIOUSLY AND PROPERLY WITH EVERYONE Social Psychology SOCIAL- this term has something to do with relating well or interacting with others. PSYCHOLOGY- the study of social relationships or interactions’ Lahey (2007) defines social psychology as the branch of psychology that studies individuals as they interact with others. Plotnik and Kouyoumdijan (2014) social psychology is a broad field whose goal is to understand and explain how thoughts, feelings, perceptions, and behaviors are influenced by the presence of, or interactions with, others. Gerrig and Zimbardo (2002) social psychology is the study of the effect of social factors on individual behavior, attitudes, perceptions, and motives, study of behaviors as influenced by interactions and transactions between persons. Social psychology is the study of group and intergroup phenomena. Interaction refers to the mutual and reciprocal exchange of communication or action between two or more persons or groups. Interaction is always a component of a relationship. Relationship refers to a particular way in which two or more individuals, groups, or even countries talk to, behave toward, or deal with each other. includes not only the kind of interaction between the members of the group, but also the intellectual, psychological, or even emotional investments made by the parties to develop and maintain the relationship. participants in a relationship agree to do something similar to each other or even allow the same rights, privileges, or benefits arising from any action that they both undertake. Person Perception refers to forming impressions and making judgments about another person's likability after seeing or meeting him/her. (Plotnick & Kouyoumdjian, 2014). The assessment involves as well what kind of person one is, including his/her intentions, traits, and behaviors (Macrae and Quadflieg, 2010). First impressions, which are formed within a very short time with little conscious thought and biased by past experiences, are part of person perception. A person who rarely smiles may be perceived as arrogant or unfriendly and observers often attempt to justify their judgments about others based on perceptions.  Rather than simply observing, they seek reasons behind others' clothing or behavior and it shows unfair perception and way of evaluating individuals and can be a potential biases and errors. It is essential to validate initial perceptions through further observations and interactions. Individuals should adhere to appropriate behavior communication, and attire aligned with societal and institutional norms. Social Norms It can change over time refer to spoken and unspoken rules for behaving in particular situations Norms are patterns or traits characterized as typical or usual for a group, often say as “average or normal”. Norms in social behavior serve to guide or regulate the manner in which people conduct themselves. Behaviors have to be controlled or regulated because of social consequences. It is one's responsibility to make sure that his/her behavior does not hurt, offend, or disturb other people. By this people are expected to behave based on the established norms so it is always advisable to a person to practice appropriate behavior in social situations, every effort should be made to maintain good relationships. Together as a Group Group work is common in various situations, such as exam review, teaching strategies improvement, palay planting, and office employee teamwork. This collaborative approach makes tasks easier to accomplish due to the collective contributions of multiple individuals. social facilitation- the performance of each individual member of the group is improved. This is also referred to as social facilitation (Levine, Resnick, & Higgins, 1993). social loafing- working or being with a group may also reduce individual effort. If a group of students is asked to solve a problem, some members of the group may no longer try their best to contribute to the solution because they feel that there are others who can do it better. One has to bear in mind that in a group work, it is important that each member exerts his/her best effort to facilitate the attainment of the objectives of the group as a whole. This is regardless of the number of participants in the group (few or many) or the variation in their abilities (bright or slow members) Conformity yielding to group pressure to act as everyone does, even when no direct request has been made (Lahey, 2009). It is the tendency to behave like others in the group do. Conformity is brought about by two motivations: gain reward (approval) or avoid punishment (disapproval) gain information Some factors make conformity more likely to exist in a group (Lahey, 2009):  1. Size of the group. The more people there are in a group, the more likely a member tends to conform. 2. Unanimous groups. Conformity is highest when an individual faces a group in which all members feel the same way about a topic, a problem, or an issue. 3. Culture. Conformity occurs in all cultures. However, some cultures emphasize the welfare of the individual; thus, people are less conforming. 4. Gender. In the past, females were more likely to conform than males, but research has shown that it is no longer the case (Eagly, 1978; Eagly & Johnson, 1990). Social Roles and Social Norms Social roles specify the part or position of a person in society. It also specifies behavior expected to be exhibited by an individual in practicing his/her role. Whether aware or not, a person may play several roles, each of which influences the behavior of another individual. Understanding the roles of others, as well as those of one's own, facilitate people's ability to work together towards the common good. When people work together in groups, the efforts of the different members need to be coordinated with those of others to prevent chaos. This scenario is where the social roles come in. Sociogram social structure of a group and the relationship of people within that group Nature and Depth of Relationships Relationships are among the most important aspects of our lives. They can be positive or conflicted, but the lack of relationships could be the worst of all, as it creates loneliness. Familiarity- Familiarity refers to being comfortable with another person and is a necessary condition for a close relationship to develop. Attraction- it may lead to deeper relationships (Santrock, 2003). One person may be drawn or attracted to another due to reasons like similarities or differences in interests, personality characteristics, life goals, and lifestyles, to name a few. Attraction paves the way for enjoying the company and being comfortable with the other person, and for feelings of ease and confidence. Love- a special attachment one has for himself or herself or for somebody else. It is an intense feeling of deep or constant affection and emotion in which a person always sees to the good, happiness. Three of the most common love 1. Romantic Love- also called passionate love, includes intermingling of different emotions; fear, anger, sexual desire, joy, and jealousy among others. 2. Affectionate Love- also refer as companionate love, it is a type of love that occurs when someone has deep and caring affection for a person 3. Consummate Love- it is a strongest and fullest type of love (Slernberg, 1985) this ideal form of love involves passion, intimacy and commitment. The Triangular Theory of Love In 1985, Robert Sternberg postulated that love is made up of three components: passion, intimacy, and commitment. Passion has something to do with physical and sexual attraction to another. Intimacy is characterized by the emotional feelings of warmth. Commitment is the cognitive appraisal of the relationship and the intent to maintain it even in the face of problems. Some interpretations on the illustration are as follows: If passion is the only ingredient present, the feeling is infatuation, as in a fling or an affair. Intimacy and commitment without passion show affectionate love. The combination of passion and commitment without intimacy results in fatuous love. Consummate love is achieved if all three components are present. Every person is capable of loving. Without love, people become lonely and social relationships suffer. There are many ways of showing love, and they could vary in form and in depth. People who freely share and give love, and are loved in return, are happy people. Attitudes are beliefs that predispose people to act and feel in certain ways towards people, objects, or ideas. They can either be positive or negative. A positive attitude is reflected in a happy, pleasant, or optimistic disposition. A negative attitude is associated with pessimism or a general feeling of dislike. The three distinct features of an attitude include belief, feelings, and disposition. Attitudes of a person develop over time and have emotional components. However, they are normally acquired from two sources-first-hand experience and accounts by others. Attitudes are also learned from others through modeling and reinforcement. Persuasion and Attitude Change Attitudes are not permanent. They can change overtime Persuasive Communication Plays a big part in this process. The extent of change in the attitude depends on the speaker, message and listener. If the speaker is a credible sorcce of information, the more likely to be persuade a person on attitude change. Stereotypes Stereotypes are generalizations in which the same traits or characteristics are assumed to be possessed by all members of a group (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2002). Stereotypes affect people's day- to-day interactions and decisions. Some stereotypes are based on an outsider's experience with a number of people in a group, which were concluded as encompassing of all members of the group and oftentimes proven inaccurate. Prejudice is an unfair, biased, or intolerant attitude or pinion towards the members of a group. Discrimination is the specific unfair behavior or treatment towards the members of a group. Discrimination against people based on their skin color or ethnic heritage is called racism Discrimination against people because of their gender is referred to as sexism. MODULE 7 Moral Self Living with Purpose- Personal Value and Philosophy of Life Morality Dilemma is a problematic situation in which a difficult choice must be made. Most of the time, the consequences of any of the choices or options are perceived to be negative and unappealing to the person involved. Moral is related to the sense or a standard that determines what is right and what is wrong. Morality refers to the system of beliefs and values that ensures that individuals will keep their obligations to others in the society and behave in ways that do not interfere with the rights and interests of others (Gerrig & Zimbardo, 2002). Parenting Styles and Practices It is characterized by forces outside of the individual like how he/ she has been raised or reared by his/her parents. The foundations of moral reasoning and development are laid at home. Parenting Styles In raising their children, parents use different strategies, called parenting styles. An expert on parenting, Diana Baumrind (1967), came up with three parenting styles, namely authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive. Authoritarian parents attempt to shape, control, and evaluate the behavior and attitudes of their children in accordance with an absolute set of conduct standards that usually comes from religious or respected authorities. They use harsh discipline and punishment. Authoritative parents direct their children's activities in a rational and intelligent way. They are supportive, loving, and committed; support a give-and-take relationship; discuss their rules and policies with their children; and encourage children to present their viewpoints.  Permissive parents are less controlling and behave with an accepting and non-punishing attitude towards their children's desires, actions, and impulses. They use reason rather than direct power Uninvolves or neglectful parents who take on a "hands-off" stand in the affairs of their children. Maccoby and Martin in 1983) Effects of Parenting Styles Authoritarian parents are demanding, and their children have less behavioral problems which are easily prevented, children reared under autocratic parents tend to become withdrawn, fearful, and dependent Authoritative parents have children who are independent, feel good about themselves. reliable, rationale, and confident. Permissive parents rarely impose rules and are non-punishing. Thus, they tend to have children who do not put structure and order in things that they do. Uninvolved, Some also fall prey or resort to substance abuse as a form of distraction or a way to get attention. MODULE 8 Concept of Self: Understanding and Enhancing One's Self-image Carl Rogers, a psychologist, was the proponent of the self-theory. This theory is regarded as humanistic and is a move towards recognizing human potential for psychological growth. Self is made up of many self-perceptions, abilities, and personality characteristics that are organized and consistent with one another. Rogers (1953) contends that self-concept plays an important role in personality because it influences human behaviors, feelings, and thoughts. Self-concept refers to how people see or describe themselves (Plotnik & Kouyoumdjan, 2014) It is the subjective perception of who people are and what they are like, or "the person I think I am or the person I wish to be" (Rogers, 1953). A positive or negative self-concept reflects a dominant or prevailing trend of positivism or negativism in the self. There are two kinds of selves: The real self is the image or picture of the self-based on a person's actual experiences and represents how he/she really or actually sees himself/herself. It is what one thinks he/she is in terms of personal characteristics and abilities. The ideal self is the self-based on one's hopes and wishes. It reflects how one likes to see himself/herself to be. Discrepancy in Self-concept Rogers (1953) states that there is usually a contradiction or discrepancy between the real self and the ideal self. This difference may result in discomfort and personality problems which can be resolved by paying more attention to one's actual experiences, working more at positive experiences, and paying less attention to the expectations of others. However, if the ideal self is unrealistically difficult to reach, then it could lead to feelings of failure. An obscure view of the self may also result due to a wide discrepancy between the real self and ideal self. Failure to achieve the ideal self may lead to a "drop" in self-concept. Eventually, the individual might even develop a negative self-concept. Positive regard is believed to be important for the healthy development of one's self- concept and for successful interpersonal relationships (Liebert & Spiegler, 1994). includes love, sympathy, warmth, acceptance, and respect which people crave from family, friends, and other significant people Conditional positive regard refers to positive regard received as a result of acceptable behavior or living up to the expectations and standards of others. Unconditional positive regard, on the other hand,refers to the love and acceptance received by a person regardless of who he/she is or what he/she does. Self-esteem Personality and social development refer to how a person's sense of self or self-identity, relationships with others, and skills necessary for social interactions evolve. Personal or self-identity explains how people describe themselves in terms of values, goals, traits, and perceptions unique to them. Self-esteem is the level of importance attributed to oneself and one's abilities. One may put a high value or a low value on his/her worth as a person, relates to a person's attractiveness and social competence. High self-esteem is correlated with healthy social relationships, being emotionally and socially adjusted, cheerfulness, and overall happiness. A low self-esteem is associated with negative outcomes like depression, anxiety, antisocial behavior, and poor personal adjustment (Murray, 2005; Trzesniewski et al., 2006). Self-actualization Humans possess an inner drive to grow, improve, and use their potential to the fullest (Plotnik, 2014). The final stage in completed growth is known as self-actualization or self- fulfillment, a major tenet in humanistic psychology. According to Abraham Maslow 1943, a self-actualizing person has reached the highest level or peak of his/her personal development and has fully realized his/her potential as a human being. In 1943, Abraham Maslow formulated the hierarchy of needs, It explains that individuals' actions are directed towards goal attainment. The hierarchy is composed of five stages of human needs and usually illustrated in a pyramid Physiological needs for survival comprised of food, water, shelter, clothing, and sleep. People would first be concerned with satisfying these needs over the others. second level or safety and security needs. This stage involves health and well-being, property, social stability, and protection from harm, among others. It is necessary for everyone, but more especially for those who live in dangerous areas. Addressing love and belongingness needs make up the third stage. Adults and adolescents who are starting to look for serious relationships are particularly concerned with satisfying the needs at this level. It also includes the need for friendship, intimacy, and a sense of connection with others. Fourth level focus on esteem needs. It contains items such as achievement, competency, approval, recognition, and respect from others. The final level or the highest needs, as mentioned earlier, are self-actualization needs. Included in this level are morality, realization of the purpose in life, meaning, inner potential, and the like. This level aims for the full development of one's unique potentials. Maslow also classified these needs into two general categories: deficiency needs and growth needs (Plotnik, 2014). Deficiency needs refer to the physiological (sleep, food) and psychological (safety, love, esteem) needs. On the other hand, growth needs are those at the higher levels (desire for truth, beauty, and justice). Characteristics of Self-actualized Persons Studying highly productive and exceptional personalities, (Maslow 1971) described the characteristics of self-actualizing or self-actualized individuals. Some of the personalities he studied include Martin Luther King, Jr., Eleanor Roosevelt, and Albert Einstein. A few of his findings on the traits of self-actualizing persons are as follows: They have reached a high level of moral development and are more concerned with the welfare of loved ones, friends, and humanity in general than themselves. They are usually committed to some cause or task rather than working for fame or money. They focus as well on accomplishing their goals. They are open, honest, and have the courage to act on their convictions, even if it makes them unpopular. Not particularly interested in fads, fashion, or social customs, these people enjoy friends but are not dependent on their company or approval. They enjoy privacy, independence, and autonomy, and their feelings for close friends are intensely positive and caring. They prefer deep, loving relationship with only a few persons. They have an accurate, concrete, and realistic—rather than a romanticized-view of people and life, and yet, they are positive about life. Life is always challenging and fresh to self-actualizing individuals. They are natural and spontaneous in their actions and feelings. They likewise experience moments of great joy and satisfaction.