Psy/300 - Social Psychology and Human Interaction

 Psy/300

Social Psychology and Human Interaction

Social psychology is a term used both by psychologists and sociologists to explain a field of study in their respective disciplines. Psychologist Gordon Allport defined social psychology as the “attempt to understand and explain how the thought, feeling, and behavior of individuals are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others” (Allport, 1968).  Sociology, on the other hand, is the study of human groups and social behaviors. The approach to social psychology from a sociological perspective is the focus on the social world itself, instead of the focus on the individual. In other words, social psychologists have the individual as the main element of their analysis, while sociologists seek to explain and study the behavior patterns in larger groups of people.

Social psychology can explain human interactions by studying and understanding some basic concepts that exemplify how people relate, positively or negatively with others.

Altruism

The first of many concepts in Social Psychology is altruism. Altruism is a generous act a person performs in behalf of another, without seeking any personal gain or compensation. Actions such as donating blood, helping a stranger who is on the street with a flat tire, or helping the poor, all qualify as altruistic gestures. There is a controversy that debates if any act is really altruistic, meaning, if a person is doing some good deed for a real will to help, or if that person is in reality trying to alleviate their own guilty feelings, or maybe just trying to make themselves feel better.

Aggression

Another concept constantly present in the understanding of human interaction is aggression, which is an action intended to cause harm or pain to someone else, either through physical or verbal violence. Aggression is not exclusive to any region, culture or gender, although it is more common against men, and it is triggered by anger or frustration. Also, it has been reported that during the hottest months of the year, the aggression incidents are more frequent.

Social Influence

Social influence is probably one of the most important concepts in social psychology, because it is directly connected to the way people relate and interact amongst each other. It refers to how people influence the way others think and act, as opposed to how they would if they were alone. Studies have shown that when in a crowd, people might lose their personal identity, a phenomenon called deindividuation. It is common to see people having trouble differentiating right from wrong, when all the members in the crowd are acting in a dubious way. There are three forms of social influence that represent a strong impact, positively or negatively in the way people behave:

Obedience

Obedience is the process of respecting and following a leader, even though the individual may know or think that leader is wrong. In other words, it represents the compliance with an authority. This concept can be understood clearly when studying the Second World War. In Germany, it was very common to see people who were at first ethical and loyal, suddenly become Nazis in obedience to a new leader. Certainly at first, not everyone involved agreed with Hitler’s actions, but still complied with his authority.

Conformity

            It is well known, and even joked about, that men change their actions and attitudes when they are in a group of friends, as opposed to when they are in their wives’ company. The following is a situation that has certainly happened to most committed couples:

John is a successful man. Being a partner in a law firm, he takes his job very seriously. His new girlfriend Mary is incredibly proud of him, and tells all her girlfriends about how amazing and professional her husband is. John and Mary met while they were both living away from home, and her girlfriends back home have never met this amazing man she talks so much about. John also wants Mary to meet his friends and family, so he decides to take her home for Thanksgiving. She is so excited for the trip, but what ended up happening was enough to shock and horrify Mary. Her serious, smart, professional boyfriend is nothing but a frat boy with his friends! He is rude, loud, drunk and obnoxious. Mary has never seen him act that way, and has no idea what got into him to behave in such a wild manner.

What happened to John was nothing absurd. It was a simple case of conformity. Conformity means changing one’s attitude in order to fit in and be accepted by the group. It is known of people lowering and changing their standards and morals, just to match and accommodate their peers’ values. Studies have shown that people tend to try to fit in and be approved within a group, even if that means doing something wrong, or perhaps giving a wrong answer. Overall, when it comes to conformity, it is safe to say that a lot of people will change their values and beliefs when they go against what the rest of the group thinks.

Group Processes

After learning the influence that groups can exercise over individuals, it is undeniable how powerful they can be. Human beings are sociable individuals by nature, and they need to relate and be accepted by society. It is common to see that individuals who live in groups for a period of time, start behaving in a similar way. That could be a positive or negative aspect of this socialization. A lot of times, groups can influence people to do something wrong, but a lot of times the influence will be a positive one. A very interesting process that in innate to groups is called social facilitation. This means that when someone is doing something they are comfortable with, the presence of someone else can facilitate and improve the performance. However, if the task being performed is one the individual is not comfortable with, the presence of someone will add more pressure and discomfort, resulting in a weaker performance.  Another example of how strong the influence of a group can be over an individual is called social loafing. The following situation can be witnessed in a lot of classrooms:

Mark has always been a good student. He was always dedicated and took his educational responsibilities very seriously. When starting a class in an online university, he was surprised by the fact that he had to work in groups, which he was never comfortable with. The group he was assigned to work with was full of great students, who were also very serious and responsible. Because his group mates were doing such a good job at the assignment, Mark did not try his best to help the group. He worked less than he normally would and barely collaborated with any ideas. The professor, who was following the group’s processes and discussions, was surprised that Mark was doing such a poor job, when he used to be a great and participative student. What happened to Mark was a case of Social Loafing, which is the process where people put less effort into a task when in a group than when working individually. Mark’s case, just like John’s, does not present any need for therapy, as both situations are normal examples of how society influences individuals.

REFERENCES

      Allport, G. W. (1968). The Handbook of Social Psychology. : Addison-Wesley.

      Introducing Social Psychology and Symbolic Interactionism. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.pearsonhighered.com/assets/hip/us/hip_us_pearsonhighered/samplechapter/0205634370.pdf

      Kowalski, R., & Westen, D. (2011). Psychology (6th ed.). John Wiley & Sons Inc. Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.