Anticipating aggressiveness
How understanding inter-group processes can help us anticipate and manage violence in prisons
Violence within prisons is a serious problem we are facing now in this day and age. The number of riots in a prison have drastically increased since the 19** to *** and has severe consequences as it can lead to harm coming to many prisoners and guards also. It is through understanding inter-group processes that we can then understand why this level of violence within prisons takes place and find ways to anticipate riots and control them, and even reduce this violence.
Intergroup processes is defined as the perception that individuals belong to distinct social groups+, and it is through these groups that individuals base …show more content…
They strive for status and power within the boundaries of the prison, leading to conflict between other groups who strive for the same goal. It can also create violent behaviour because this aggressiveness could be viewed as an outlet of showing power and superiority over others – and this violence may not only be aimed at other prisoners but at guards also, in attempt to show power and aggression as a form of superiority. Through understanding this, we learn more about why groups try to be aggressive, and can anticipate when riots or assaults break out by keeping an eye out* for conflicting groups and their struggle for status. If certain group members are pushing for superiority and taking the initive to help their group gain power, it may be best to remove them or isolate them from the group to help manage any physical struggles of power that may …show more content…
This is when people in groups abandon normal constraints on their behaviour and behave in a uninhibited** manner due to a loss of self-awareness or individual identity through group membership. Prisoners are likely to lose their personal identity among entering prison due to the loss of their personal belongings and freedom, and this along with matching prisoner uniforms and group membership may lead them to think they are ‘anonymous’ therefore not responsible for their actions. This could potentially create riots as it would mean prisoners lose their self-control and act freely, partaking in behaviour they would not usually do alone due to morals or shyness but easily do when they feel less accountable for their actions, as they are anonymous members of a group. A way to possibly reduce this is through the separation of groups and promoting self-awareness and individual identities in order to stop this group cohesive and shared identity in forming. Furthermore, through learning about deindividuation we can use this to manage violence within prisons by observing who the members of the groups are, and making sure the prisoners are aware that their group membership is not secret* and they will be held accountable for their actions. The efficacy of this technique was found in a study involving children during Halloween – when the identity of the children was salient, therefore they were not anonymous, they were less likely to steal candy/money as they would be
How understanding inter-group processes can help us anticipate and manage violence in prisons
Violence within prisons is a serious problem we are facing now in this day and age. The number of riots in a prison have drastically increased since the 19** to *** and has severe consequences as it can lead to harm coming to many prisoners and guards also. It is through understanding inter-group processes that we can then understand why this level of violence within prisons takes place and find ways to anticipate riots and control them, and even reduce this violence.
Intergroup processes is defined as the perception that individuals belong to distinct social groups+, and it is through these groups that individuals base …show more content…
They strive for status and power within the boundaries of the prison, leading to conflict between other groups who strive for the same goal. It can also create violent behaviour because this aggressiveness could be viewed as an outlet of showing power and superiority over others – and this violence may not only be aimed at other prisoners but at guards also, in attempt to show power and aggression as a form of superiority. Through understanding this, we learn more about why groups try to be aggressive, and can anticipate when riots or assaults break out by keeping an eye out* for conflicting groups and their struggle for status. If certain group members are pushing for superiority and taking the initive to help their group gain power, it may be best to remove them or isolate them from the group to help manage any physical struggles of power that may …show more content…
This is when people in groups abandon normal constraints on their behaviour and behave in a uninhibited** manner due to a loss of self-awareness or individual identity through group membership. Prisoners are likely to lose their personal identity among entering prison due to the loss of their personal belongings and freedom, and this along with matching prisoner uniforms and group membership may lead them to think they are ‘anonymous’ therefore not responsible for their actions. This could potentially create riots as it would mean prisoners lose their self-control and act freely, partaking in behaviour they would not usually do alone due to morals or shyness but easily do when they feel less accountable for their actions, as they are anonymous members of a group. A way to possibly reduce this is through the separation of groups and promoting self-awareness and individual identities in order to stop this group cohesive and shared identity in forming. Furthermore, through learning about deindividuation we can use this to manage violence within prisons by observing who the members of the groups are, and making sure the prisoners are aware that their group membership is not secret* and they will be held accountable for their actions. The efficacy of this technique was found in a study involving children during Halloween – when the identity of the children was salient, therefore they were not anonymous, they were less likely to steal candy/money as they would be