Social Approach
| For this section you need to be able to:
(a) Define social psychology showing understanding that the approach is about aspects of human behaviour that involve the individual’s relationships to other persons, groups and society, including cultural influences on behaviour. (b) Define and use psychological terminology accurately and appropriately including the terms: |
Social psychology (or the social approach) is interested in studying individuals in a social context, such as family, friends, institutions, and wider society. Social behaviour may involve activity within a group or between groups.
According to social psychologists our behaviour is influenced by the actual, imagined or implied presence of others. Social psychologists also accept that culture and society influence behaviour.
One of the debates in psychology is whether an individual’s behaviour is a result of their personality or their social context. As you will see from studying social psychology, this approach emphasises the importance of the social context in shaping behaviour.
Below are some concepts that you are required to learn for this part of the course.
Agentic state
According to Milgram an agentic state occurs when people act as if they were simply an agent for authority; they do what the job requires them to and what they do is not their choice but their duty. When in an agentic state people take no responsibility for the consequences of their actions.
Autonomous state
According to Milgram an autonomous state occurs when people act as if free to make their own choices. When in an autonomous state people are said to have free will and control their own actions. They take responsibility for what they do.
Moral strain
According to Milgram moral strain is the negative feeling caused by doing something we believe to be wrong but feel compelled to do because of the social situation.
In-group/Out-group
An in-group is a group to which a person belongs, or thinks he or she belongs. An out-group is a group to which a person does not belong, or thinks he or she does not belong.
Social categorisation
According to Tajfel social categorisation occurs when we categorise ourselves and others as members of various social groups. By doing so we tend to exaggerate the similarities of those in the same group and exaggerate the differences between those in different groups.
Social identification
Social identification occurs when individuals take on aspects of the group identity as their own such as adopting the group’s norms of behaviour and adopting the opinions and attitudes of the group.
Social comparison
Social comparison occurs when members of an in-group in order to make their in-group seem superior good make unfair negative comparisons to the out-group.