...Social Influences on Behavior Debbie Noonan PSY 300 October 15, 2011 Ashley Dolecki Social Influences on Behavior Social psychology is the scientific study of how people think about, influence, and relate to one another. These are the broad questions that social psychologists and personality psychologists seek to answer. By exploring such inner motivations such as traits, attitudes, and goals and looking at the situation or context such as social norms, social psychologists seek to unravel how interactions such as romance, friendship, aggression, and group interactions affect social areas of our lives. Although personality psychology focuses on the individual, and social psychology on the situation, the two perspectives are often explored together in explanations of human behavior in psychology. This paper shall outline human behavior changes based on two social situations, teasing and prejudice, and the precursors and consequences of those behaviors. Teasing is almost as much a part of childhood as skinned knees and runny noses, but the effects of that teasing can have long-lasting and profound effects. Is there a place for this behavior? We do playful teasing every day, poking fun at the coworker who is always running late, commenting on someone’s choice of words, or even making innocent comments about our spouse’s choice of clothing for the evening. Is this teasing acceptable in all situations? How do we know when it isn’t? One of the...
Words: 1071 - Pages: 5
...SOCIAL INFLUENCES ON BEHAVIOR Abstract Reading this paper it will give you an insight as to how society influences behavior. Pavlov wasknown for his study of learned behavior with his dog and salvation experiment. This paper willidentify situations when parents raise their kids and try to discipline them and not allow their personalities to conform to fearfulness or defiance. Also, you will get a understanding of classical and operant conditioning. This paper will discuss the effects of society and drinking andthe effects it will have on a person. What would have the greatest effect on a person¶s life, todiscipline or not to discipline or to describe alcohol as something bad and never give reasoningor to introduce it without warrant? As we grow through life we learn how behavior changes based on our social situations. Itis known that social psychology is the scientific study of how people¶s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others (Kowalski,2009). We begin as a tabula rasa on which various experiences throughout development write behavior and, ultimately, the person him/her self. We will take a look at the relationships whichdetermine behavior of parents and children when it comes to discipline as well as the relationship between persons who are sober and person who are drunk and their different behaviors. Children and Parents When examining parent and children relationship and discipline. We can conclude...
Words: 1191 - Pages: 5
...Social Influences on Behavior Amy Clinton Psy. 300 09/16/2013 Karin Detweiler Abstract Social Influences on Behavior “In psychology there have been countless experiments on social behavioral patterns in different sized groups to better assess how individuals will react in a situation with social pressure. These experiments prove a variety of different reactions, from minimal change to extreme changes in social behavior. ”. (Kowalski &Westen, 2011) These results also varied on group size and the subjective information of the study. All of these studies are extremely helpful today when trying to asses tough situations with group behavior but can’t always help prepare for any given outcome. These social behavioral changes happen daily and many of them are unseen by most because they are almost expected or considered harmless. A few examples could be lying, stereotyping or even arousal. These different behaviors are all directly affected by social surroundings and situations. The first social influenced behavior is casual drug abuse or Smoking cigarettes. This has a lot to do with Conformity which is “the process of changing attitudes and behaviors to accommodate the standards of a group they are around”. (Kowalski &Westen, 2011, p 684) People are like camellias especially the younger generation; blend in to fit in”. This is really dangerous these days. Like casual drug use. Some Individuals turn down drugs in a group for many different times, but...
Words: 574 - Pages: 3
...Social Influences on Behavior Donnie Toms PSY 200 Feb 24 2013 Dr. Hawkins Social Influences on Behavior Introduction Everybody has their normal day to day life, whether that is going to work, going to school, staying at home, or doing whatever that day. Most of us have some type of social interaction on a daily basis and depending on what your day consist of dictates the type of social influences around us. We all have our own thoughts, feelings and actions, but when we are around other people those same thoughts, feelings and actions could be different. When you are at work the atmosphere is professional and work related, but if you are out with friends having some fun the atmosphere is more party like. The change in social influences dictates our behavior and what we deem to be appropriate. Social influence is defined as “the process wherein one person's attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors are changed as a result of interaction with another individual or with a group” (Stavrositu 2011). Social Behaviors There are various types of social behaviors that people exhibit depending on the influences around us. These influences can be conformity, the act of matching our attitude, beliefs and behaviors with a group of people. Conformity is when we would adapt what the culture deems normal and include that into our daily lives even when alone. Peer pressure is the influence put on us by a peer group or any individual to change our attitude, beliefs, or behaviors. Peer...
Words: 1083 - Pages: 5
...Running head: Social Influences on Behavior Social Influences on Behavior University of Phoenix PSY / 300 Date: Instructor: Social Influences on Behavior There are a number of characteristic changes that occur in the intellectual, moral and physical development of the adolescent. During this time, the individual moves from a structured, relatively undemanding environment into the more complex and blurred world of adult society. This transition is accomplished by most individuals with some difficulty, but ultimately with success. However, some individuals have great difficulty in making the required adaptations to move from childhood through their adolescence and into adulthood. Social researchers have been focusing on identifying those factors that put youth at risk for development issues. Adolescence is, by its very nature, a high risk time for all young people. This is because it is a time of such great change. This period is relatively chaotic for young people putting them at greater risk for the development of problem behaviors and habits. (TAP, 2007). Different types of social environments encourage the development of different behaviors. There are five levels of the model addressing the systems of adolescence. Each of the systems is dissimilar from the others. These systems involve all manner of social influences. Family, school, peers, neighbors, friends, religious influences, media and cultural norms all help to define the individual’s acceptable...
Words: 1212 - Pages: 5
...Running Head: SOCIAL INFLUENCES ON BEHAVIOR Social Influences on Behavior Paper Destiny Kloepfer Psych 300 March 20, 2011 Mr. Avery Social Influences on Behavior Behaviorism, explores ways in which observable behavior is learned and shaped by the environment (McAdams, D. P., 2006). “Social influence, refers to the influence of the presence of other people on thought, feeling, and behavior” (Kowalski & Westen, 2009, p. 663). The affects of social influence from environments can have both positive and negative consequences. Each individual approaches situations with their own set of personal characteristics (McAdams, D. P., 2006); however different aspects of influence determine how an individual may modify their behaviors to react in a given situation. Let us explore two examples of socially influenced behaviors to better understand the affects they may have on an individual. Obedience The blind obedience to authority study conducted by Stanley Milgram is an example of how social influence can actually change the way an individual will behave regardless of personal belief in the presence of an authority figure in a hierarchical situation (Kowalski & Westen, 2009). The Milgram experiment measured obedience to an authority figure through electric shocks which were given by study participants to another person upon directives given from whom the participants thought of as an authority figure (Kowalski & Westen...
Words: 1179 - Pages: 5
...Social Influences on Behavior Behaviorism explores the ways that are observable behavior can be learned and shaped in the environment (McAdams, D. P., 2006). “Social influence, refers to the influence of the presence of other people on thought, feeling, and behavior” (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). The effects of social influence from environments can have both positive and negative consequences. Each individual approaches situations with their own set of personal characteristics (McAdams, D. P., 2006); however different aspects of influence determine how an individual may modify their behaviors to react in a given situation. Let us explore two examples of socially influenced behaviors to understand the affects they may have on an individual. The blind obedience to authority study conducted by Stanley Milgram is an example of how social influence can actually change the way an individual will behave regardless of personal belief in the presence of an authority figure in a hierarchical situation (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). The Milgram experiment measured obedience to an authority figure through electric shocks, which are given by study participants to another person upon directives given from whom the participants thought of as an authority figure. Milgram’s study showed how far people would go to obey orders from an authority figure. Obedience is the act of carrying out commands in compliance to authority (Kowalski & Westen, 2011). Information...
Words: 1116 - Pages: 5
...Social Influences on Human Behavior Social psychology shows the way a person’s behaviors are influenced by the social environment. Social psychology includes people’s own attitudes, attributions, attractions, group behaviors, conformity, and obedience. It also includes schemas, biases, stereotypes, and attitudes toward others. (Sullivan, 2009) The 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States had a big impact on some Americans’ attitudes toward Muslims living in the United States. The terrorists involved in the attack were all Muslim Arabs. The United States has an estimated 6 million Muslims. ("America's muslims," 2006) When the attacks happened, U.S. Muslims were shocked just like all other Americans. After the attacks, many of the U.S. Muslims had to deal with the hateful attitudes toward them coming from other Americans. Many Americans’ bad attitudes toward Muslims intensified into rage and anger after the 2001 terrorist attacks. Any Muslim Arab fit the description of a terrorist in the eyes of many Americans. This led to biases and stereotypes of U.S. Muslims being associated with terrorist activity. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, American Muslims have experienced increased job discrimination since 2001. They have also found that Americans with Muslim names have a harder time finding a job. (Epstein, 2011) Anti-terrorism measures such as surveillance of Muslim organizations have left the Muslim community uneasy and victims of discrimination. Many...
Words: 383 - Pages: 2
...Understanding Social and Cultural settings and their influences on consumer behavior is the very basis of traits and concepts for marketing and advertising. We define culture as the sum total of learned beliefs, values, and customs that serve to direct the consumer behavior of members of a particular society. Culture is a powerful force in normalizing human behavior. For example, member of the same culture have the same language and share the same values. Almost all aspects of life are affected by cultural values, idiosyncratic values unique with individuals is also an element of culture. Some cultures have a general trait of caution when considering a new practice and product. Consumers from cultural backgrounds are more likely to rely on conventional values, which means, they learn through observation rather than immediately purchasing new or innovative products. There is hardly any aspect of life that does not emulate some cultural or social trait (Nayeem, T, 2012). Subcultural divisions and groupings contain various collections of individuals; examples of these grouping are families, work groups, shopping groups, friendship groups. Culture is believed by marketing researchers as an important underlying factor of consumer behavior. Cross-cultural researchers recognize that culture is one of the most influential determinants of consumer behavior. Supranational is subjective cultural differences cross national boundaries and may be present in more than one country...
Words: 469 - Pages: 2
...Consumer Psychology and Marketing Communications Article Analysis Riki J. Shye PSY/322 April 13, 2015 Donald Crabtree, Instructor 1. Consumer Psychology and Marketing Communications Article Analysis According to http://smallbusiness.chron.com/marketing-communication-strategy, “Marketing communication helps to develop brand awareness, which means that consumers translate product information into perceptions about the product’s attributes and its position within the larger market.” And brittanica.com defines consumer psychology as: “is a branch of social psychology concerned with the market behavior of consumers. Consumer psychologists examine the preferences, customs, and habits of various consumer groups; their research on consumer attitudes is often used to help design advertising campaigns and to formulate new products.” In defining both consumer psychology and marketing communication, the main common denominator is marketing. How can a company provide a product to a consumer without proper marketing? Marketing is one of the more key elements in a company to bring communication between them, their product and the consumer. The psychological concepts and their importance in developing a successful marketing communication message within the articles presented notated that communication, whether by commercial, print or radio ads are a vital asset in promoting a product and presenting...
Words: 973 - Pages: 4
...Stereotypes are defined as characteristics that are associated to members of a specific social group or category, usually based on people assuming they have similarities because of their membership. The stereotype mostly envelops around typical social groups or individuals. Moreover, the stereotype is less of the objective perception and more of the subjective assumption without proof. On the other hand, prejudice is more commonly known as a negative attitude towards people who belong to different social groups. It is usually a biased, and unfair judgment. Prejudice exaggerates the ideas of the social group segregation, and how people from different social groups behave differently. Discrimination is known as a behavior that is a prejudice based on the person’s membership in society. The word discrimination is often associated with the idea of derogatory prejudice, especially when it comes to class and race. The difference there is between stereotyping, prejudice, and discrimination is that stereotyping can both be negative or positive, while prejudice and discrimination are usually assumed to be truly negative point of views. The idea of stereotyping is the belief to categorize people, prejudice is the negative views, while discrimination is the prejudice with both mental and emotional judgment served negatively. Take the example of job interviews. Anybody can apply for jobs interviews. The person may be of normal weight and of overweight, though there never was a written...
Words: 529 - Pages: 3
...|Movies Illustrating Social Psychological Phenomenon: | | | |Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory | |[pic] | |Issues dealing with prejudice, discrimination, attitudes, attitude change, person perception, self, social influence, helping behavior, | |empirical methods, parenting styles commentary, competition | | | |Lord of the Rings | |[pic] | |Issues dealing with attitudes, violence, deception, compliance, obedience, person perception, self, altruism, interpersonal attraction, | |personal relationships, helping behavior, aggression ...
Words: 1176 - Pages: 5
...Sociology 1 Castelli Due Tuesday, Feb. 9 Overview In addition to entertaining us, movies offer detailed portrayals of human social behavior. Your task in this assignment is to analyze -- from a social-psychological perspective -- the behaviors and events depicted in one of the films listed below. You are not being asked to critique the film in terms of its value as a work of art or as entertainment. Rather, you should think carefully about the human actions and events portrayed in the film. Assignment Choose one of the films listed below. Most should be available at any video rental store. View the film you choose at least once. (Two viewings may offer an advantage). Then, after reviewing your notes and readings, identify 2 different social-psychological principles that appear to be operating in the events or individuals depicted in the film . For each principle that you identify: (a) Provide a clip to show in class. You may assume that we will have internet access, or you can bring in a DVD (or even a VHS tape), or you may create the entire presentation on DVD to show in class. (b) describe in detail the social-psychological principle you believe is relevant. Your job here is to demonstrate that you understand the principle or theory, and that you can describe it in your own words. You don’t need to do library research for this – using your text or your lecture notes as resources is fine. You need you to show us that you have a good understanding of the concept/principle...
Words: 1832 - Pages: 8
...Social-Learning theory has most influenced my beliefs and assumptions about individuals. Social-learning theory main concept is the idea that behavior learned through watching others. This term is coined observational learning. Social-Learning theory, in contrast to Behavioral theorist , do not believe that reinforcement is responsible for all learning. In fact Social learning theorist Albert Bandura extended research which not included social learning but also included behavioral and cognitive learning to be incorporated. This was the main reason to which some refer to social learning theory as social-cognitive theory. Social- Learning Theory also assume an individual's behavior, environment and personal qualities influence one another. Social-Learning theory believe that optimal observational learning can be acquired through three model. One of which is live model, in live model an actual person is demonstrating the behavior. The next model is verbal instruction. In this model the individual is instructed in detail the behavior and how to engage in that behavioral. The last model is symbolic, influences in this model includes television, radio, movies, internet, literature etc. As well in the model fictional or real demonstration of the behavior. As well Bandura believed that there are steps in which modeling process involved. The first step is Attention. In Attention one must pay attention to the behavior that is being modeled in order to learn. The second step is Retention...
Words: 908 - Pages: 4
...Social psychology studies elements of life situations. Social psychology dives deep into how people analysis and influence one another. Social psychology is a study concerning why a person thinks about, relates to, and influences others. Social psychology consists of the study of learning how people see themselves and others. Social psychology studies people’s beliefs, attitudes, thought process, and judgment making. Social psychology influences how genetic factors and society contribute to who people become, and how he or she interacts with each other. Social psychology researches how people influence people and how he or she are influenced by others. Social psychology examines the ways people cope, such as aggression, persuasion, empathy, and compassion (Crozier, 2000). Crozier, Ivan. (2000, August). Social Psychology. Social Studies of Science, 30(4). According to Fiske (2010), “People influence people.” Social psychology offers an understanding of how people can influence the behavior of other people. Social psychology tries to offer information how the feelings, thoughts, and behaviors are changed by imagined or actual attendance of other people (Fiske, 2010). Social psychology is not only about the behavior of people, such as performing when asked. Social psychology also covers how a person may or may not be influenced by a group if the group goes against his or her best judgment (Fiske, 2010). An example of a group influencing a person to go against his or her...
Words: 1126 - Pages: 5
