Download Social facilitation

CHS AP Psychology
Unit 12: Social Pyschology
Essential Task 12-4: Describe the structure and
function of different kinds of group behavior
with specific attention to group polarization and
group think
Power of Individuals
Non-violent fasts and
appeals by Gandhi
led to the
independence of
India from the British.
Margaret Bourke-White/ Life Magazine. © 1946 Time Warner, Inc.
The power of social
influence is
enormous, but so is
the power of the
individual.
Gandhi
Individual Behavior in the Presence
of Others
Michelle Agnis/ NYT Pictures
Social facilitation:
Refers to improved
performance on tasks
in the presence of
others.
Triplett (1898) noticed
cyclists’ race times
were faster when they
competed against
others than when they
just raced against the
clock.
Social Facilitation
• Knowing that performance on tasks
diminishes when we are not good at
that task…
– Should students schedule when they take tests
so that can take them when they are ready?
Why or why not?
– Should students be allowed to give oral
presentations in front of just the teacher if they
believe their project isn’t good, or if they are
uncomfortable with their public speaking
ability? Why or why not?
Social Loafing
The tendency of an individual in a
group to exert less effort toward
attaining a common goal than when
tested individually (Latané, 1981).
• If social loafing is such a problem,
why do teachers still use it?
• How can group members motivate
each other to work their hardest
during group work?
Deindividuation
The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in
group situations that foster arousal and
anonymity.
Mob behavior
Groupthink
• A mode of thinking that occurs when
the desire for harmony in a decisionmaking group overrides the realistic
appraisal of alternatives.
– Groupthink occurs when people suppress
their opinions to maintain perceived group
harmony
– The presence of a charismatic leader also
makes it difficult to speak out
Groupthink
• Groupthink- syndrome of bad decision-making
12.17
Group Polarization
Group Polarization- tendency to shift toward more
extreme positions after group discussion
Risky
Neutral
Cautious
Effects of Group Interaction
Group Polarization
enhances a group’s
prevailing attitudes
through a discussion.
If a group is likeminded, discussion
strengthens its
prevailing opinions
and attitudes.
How does the Internet provide a place for group
polarization to occur?