7. SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND GROUP PROCESSES
Groups play a crucial role in shaping individual behavior and social interactions. They can be defined by interdependence, shared goals, and structured roles. Different types of groups fulfill various needs, such as security and self-esteem, while also presenting challenges like social loafing and groupthink. Understanding group dynamics enhances our awareness of how we function within social systems.
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What we have learnt
- Groups differ from mere collections of people by having specific dynamics like roles, norms, and interdependence.
- People join groups to fulfill psychological needs, provide security, and achieve common goals.
- Group interactions can lead to social facilitation and social loafing, affecting individual performance.
Key Concepts
- -- Group
- An organized system of two or more individuals who interact and are interdependent, sharing common motives and goals.
- -- Social Loafing
- The phenomenon where individuals exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone, often due to a lack of individual accountability.
- -- Groupthink
- A situation where a group's desire for harmony and conformity results in irrational decision-making, often ignoring alternative viewpoints.
- -- Cohesiveness
- The degree of attraction among members of a group, impacting their desire to remain part of the group.
- -- Ingroup and Outgroup
- Ingroup refers to a social group with which a person identifies, while outgroup refers to those not included in that social group.
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