NCERT Solutions Class 12 Psychology Chapter 7 Social Influence and Group Processes
NCERT Solutions Class 12 Psychology Chapter 7 Social Influence and Group Processes: National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) Class 12 Psychology Chapter 7 Solutions – Social Influence and Group Processes.
Board |
NCERT |
Class |
12 |
Subject |
Psychology |
Chapter |
7 |
Chapter Name |
Social Influence and Group Processes |
Topic |
Exercise Solutions |
1.) Compare and contrast formal and informal groups, and in groups and outgroups.
- Formal and Informal Groups
The degree to which the group’s functions are formally and openly specified varies amongst these groupings. Like an office organisation, a formal group’s duties are clearly spelled out. The roles that each group member is expected to play are defined explicitly. The organisation of the official and informal groupings is different. Members of formal organisations have clearly defined duties, and the establishment of these groups is based on a set of rules or regulations. A number of conventions exist that aid in establishing order. An example of a formal group is a university. On the other hand, there are no laws or norms that govern the establishment of informal groups, and members have intimate ties to one another.
- Ingroup and Outgroup
People compare their own group to groups they are not a part of in the same way as they compare themselves to others in terms of the similarities and differences between what they have and what others have. One’s own group is referred to as their “ingroup,” whereas another group is referred to as their “outgroup.” We refer to ingroup members as “we,” whereas we refer to outgroup members as “them.” By referring to other individuals as they or us, one might classify them as similar or distinct. It has been shown that members of the ingroup are often seen to be similar, are positively evaluated, and possess desirable features. When compared to the ingroup, members of the outgroup are seen differently and frequently unfavourably.
2.) Are you a member of a certain group? Discuss what motivated you to join that group.
I belong to several groups. In other words, I will assert that there is no aspect of life in which I am unconnected to a group since we are all social creatures who depend on one group or another for everything. I, like with everyone else, is motivated to join a group for a variety of reasons. Here are a few of them:
Security: Groups help people feel less vulnerable. It feels safe and comforting to be with others.
Status: When a group is seen as significant, high profile, and well known, the members also feel acknowledged and “enjoy a sense of power,” for example, by attending a prestigious university.
Self-esteem: Belonging to an elite group improves a person’s perception of themselves.
Satisfaction of psychological and social needs: Belonging to a group satisfies psychological and social needs including a sense of love, power, and the ability to give and receive attention.
Group Achievement: Groups can assist in reaching objectives that are impractical for a person to do alone.
Provide Knowledge and Information: Being a part of a group broadens our perspectives and gives us knowledge and information.
3.) How does Tuckman’s stage model help you to understand the formation of groups?
The formation, dispute, stabilisation, performance, and dismissal stages of a group’s life are typical. Groups should go through five developmental sequences, according to Tuckman which are; forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.
- There is a lot of ambiguity when a group’s members initially get together regarding the group’s purpose and methods for achieving it. People make an effort to get to know one another and decide if they will fit in. Both exhilaration and fear are present. The shaping stage is the name given to this phase.
- Following this stage, there is frequently a storming period of intragroup conflict. Members disagree on who should be in charge of the group’s resources, how to accomplish the group’s goal, and who should carry out certain tasks at this point. When this phase is over, a group leadership structure and a clear understanding of how to accomplish the collective aim emerge.
- The stage of norming comes after the storming phase. Members of the group have at this point established rules for group behaviour. The growth of a positive collective identity results from this.
- Performers are on the fourth stage. By this point, the group’s organisational structure has developed and been embraced by its members. The group makes progress toward reaching its objective. This could be the final phase of group formation for certain groups.
- There may be an additional step known as the adjourning stage for some groups, such as the planning committee for a school event. At this point, the group may be dissolved after the event.
4.) How do groups influence our behaviour?
The presence of others may either assist and promote work performance or hinder and deteriorate it. There are a variety of different societal influences that have been noted. If we are working in a group, for instance, the larger the group, the less effort each member puts out. This behaviour, which is predicated on the distribution of responsibility, is known as social loafing. In circumstances when others are expected to assist, it is common to observe the diffusion of responsibility, which frequently serves as the foundation for social loafing.
When working on a group project, in which the results are combined with those of the other group members, social loafing refers to the lowering of individual effort. The game of tug-of-war is an illustration of such a task. You are unable to determine how much force each team member has been applying. These circumstances provide chances for group members to unwind and become free riders. Latane and his colleagues conducted several studies to prove this phenomena. They invited groups of male students to applaud or clap as loudly as they could since they (the experimenters) were curious about how much noise individuals produce in social situations. Individuals might be seen alone or in groups of two, four, or six, depending on the situation. The study’s findings revealed that while overall noise levels increased as size grew, participant noise levels decreased. In other words, as the group size grew, each individual contributed less.
5.) How can you reduce social loafing in groups? Think of any two incidents of social loafing in school. How did you overcome it?
When working on a group project, in which the results are combined with those of the other group members, social loafing refers to the lowering of individual effort.Identifying each person’s efforts can help to decrease social loafing.
- Increasing the need for hard labour (making group members committed to successful task performance).
- Making a task appear more valuable or important.
- Giving individuals the impression that their unique contributions matter.
- Increasing group cohesion, which boosts drive for a productive group output.
6.) How often do you show conformity in your behaviour? What are thedeterminants of conformity?
Conformity, which refers to acting in accordance with the expectations of other group members, is a type of social influence. People who deviate from the norm (also known as “deviants” or “non-conformists”) attract more attention than those who follow the rules.
Determinants of Conformity
(i) Group size: Conformity is higher in smaller groups than to larger groups. In a small group, it is simpler to see a person who deviates from the norm. However, in a big group, if the majority of the participants are in strong agreement, the majority is stronger and the norm is likewise stronger. Because the pressure from the group would be greater in this scenario, the minority member(s) would be more inclined to comply.
(ii) Minority size: As the number of dissenters or deviants rises, the chance of conformity falls. In reality, it may lead to a rise in the proportion of dissidents or nonconformists within the organisation.
(iii) Assignment nature: Let’s say the task is expressing an opinion on a certain subject. Since there is no right or wrong response in this scenario, conformity is less likely.
(iv) Public vs private manifestation of behaviour: Private expression of behaviour is associated with lower levels of compliance.
(v) Personality: We also discover that certain people have a personality that is conformist.In most circumstances, these people show a propensity to alter their behaviour in response to what others say or do. In contrast, some people are independent and choose their behaviour in a given circumstance without consulting a standard. According to research, highly intellectual individuals who are self-assured, fiercely dedicated, and possess high self-esteem are less inclined to comply.
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7.) Why do people obey even when they know that their behaviour maybe harming others? Explain.
Psychologists have discovered a number of causes behind this. Some of these motives include:
People submit to authority because they feel they are not accountable for their own actions; they are merely following orders from the authority; the authority usually possesses symbols of status (such as a uniform or a title); the authority gradually increases commands from lower to higher levels; and the initial submission of the followers binds them to loyalty.
A lot of times, events are moving so quickly, for instance during a riot situation, that one has no time to consider; simply obey instructions from above. Once you obey modest commands, there is a gradual escalation of commitment for the person in power and one starts obeying greater orders.
8.) What are the benefits of cooperation?
We call it collaboration when individuals or organisations work together to accomplish common objectives. In cooperative settings, collective awards rather than individual rewards are given. A cooperative objective, on the other hand, is one that each individual can only achieve if other group members also achieve.
Six participants will compete in a 100-meter race, and only one will come out on top. Success is dependent on each person’s effort. Victory in a relay race depends on the performance of the entire team as a whole. Deutsch looked on group collaboration and rivalry. College students were divided into groups of five and instructed to work out riddles and other issues. One group, known as the “cooperative group,” was informed that their efforts will be recognised as a whole. The second group, known as the “competition group,” was informed that there was a prize for personal excellence. According to the findings, cooperative groups’ members were friendlier and more coordinated than those in the competitive group, and they also accepted each other’s suggestions. The cooperative group’s members were most interested in seeing the group succeed.
9.) How is one’s identity formed?
We may acquire other parts of who we are as a result of interactions with others in society, even if certain aspects of who we are are decided by our physical traits. Sometimes we think of ourselves as distinct people, and other times we think of ourselves as group members. Both are equally legitimate ways to express oneself. Both our social identities—derived from the organisations we believe we belong to—and our personal identities—derived from perceptions of oneself as a distinctive individual—are significant to us. We may identify ourselves in a variety of ways, both personally and socially.
You would know from your own experience how important it might be for your self-concept to identify with certain social groupings. What emotions come to mind when India wins a cricket game? You experience joy and pride. Your social identity as an Indian contributes to the way you feel. Thus, the component of our self-concept that is based on our participation in a group is our social identity. Social identity locates us in society by describing who we are and where we fit within the broader social environment. You identify as a student at your school in social situations. Once you adopt the identity of a student at your school, you internalise and adopt the values that are emphasised there. You make an effort to live up to your school’s slogan. Members of a social identity have a common set of values, beliefs, and objectives towards themselves and their social environment. The ideals of your school get ingrained in your being, which helps to manage and organise your attitudes and behaviour. You put a lot of effort into making your school the greatest in your community or state.
10.) What are some of the causes of intergroup conflict? Think of any international conflict. Reflect on the human price of this conflict.
Some of the main causes of group conflicts are listed below.
- Poor and ineffective communication on the part of both parties is a significant contributing factor. There is a lack of trust as a result of this type of communication. Conflict as a result follows.
- Relative impoverishment is another factor contributing to intergroup conflict. It develops when members of one group think they lack something that the members of another group possess when they compare themselves to those in the other group. In other words, they believe that they are falling short of other groups in terms of performance. Conflict may result from these sentiments of deprivation and dissatisfaction.
- One party’s conviction that it is superior to the other and that what it is advocating should be done is another source of conflict. If this does not occur, both parties begin to accuse one another. One may frequently observe a propensity to exaggerate even little disagreements, which escalates conflict since every member wants to uphold the group standards.
- A perception that the norms of my group are not respected by the other group, and that this other group intentionally breaks those standards.
- Another factor that could lead to conflict is the desire for retribution for harm that has already been done.
- Most confrontations start with distorted perceptions. As was already established, having a sense of “them” or “us” leads to skewed views.
- According to research, people behave more aggressively and competitively in groups than they do on their own. Groups battle over limited resources, including financial resources, such as territory, and social resources, such as respect and regard.
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