Social psychology

transgressions). People experience social interactions in their daily lives which influence their opinions and behavior in terms of purchasing decision and consumption (Lazarus, 1991). The intensity of individuals’ emotional affiliation with other people can amplify the social influence (Dunn, 2004). Therefore, Linke (2012) proposes that the same transgression can be analyzed in two dimensions. The first…

Labels are for soup cans Stereotyping is very common in our society and has become a culprit of many social issues. People stereotype unconsciously as it is a way to help us understand a group. This may impact people who like different things or activities, but are too ashamed to do so due to strong stereotypes. Stereotyping is a personal opinion about a group and not an individual. Since every individual is special and carries their own unique personalities, it is very unfair to be so quickly…

If humans desire order, then why do they disregard regulations? Sometimes people disobey rules because of their desire to feel superior/powerful. Other times, it may be because the rules themselves are unjust. In spite of this, rules are a necessity for survival. “Without order, the human race would not have survived. We have few natural defenses, and our ability to organize has allowed us the opportunity to create safety and stability for ourselves” (thewitness.org). Examples of this can be…

Is it important to care about how other people feel? If you thought to yourself yes, you’re empathetic. But the real question is this, what is empathy? Empathy is “showing the ability to understand and share the feelings of another”, which means that you care for someone other than yourself. Empathetic people are often also very understanding to those that are going through strenuous times. You may be thinking, “How can I become more empathetic?”. Well, you can first start by putting someone…

Conformity (SimplyPsychology 2007) is a form of social influence and can be defined as the tendency for a person, the minority, to change their beliefs or actions/behaviour as a response to pressure from a majority influence, in order to fit in and become a part of that majority group. This social influence can either be imagined or real. An example of when a person may conform, is dictating what they wear and what is fashionable, however this example is more likely to affect younger persons.…

Obedience is when an individual follows orders or ideas that have been placed by someone other than himself. Erich Fromm poses the question, “Why is man so prone to obey and why is it so difficult for him to disobey?” (624). Throughout all of human history we have been taught to follow certain rules and societal norms. We rely on others, whether it be a group of people or one individual; we are not accustomed to being alone and cannot stand to be so for a long period of time. We may think that…

Conformity vs. Non-Conformity Society today has been developed in a way that in order to be accepted or loved, you are obligated to fit in with the crowd. Knowing that social media plays an oversize part, some of us choose to listen and others ignore. Conformity can be appropriate at times but not where it changes who you are. Being your true identity can contributes to not only yourself but the world. People who change their personality and interest may never know what true…

Walter Lippmann defined stereotypes as “for the most part we do not first see, and then define, we define first and then see” (Lippmann p. 54-55). Lippmann expressed stereotypes as a characteristic element of human perception which makes it hard for humans to experience the world first hand. Lippmann stated stereotypes as someone else’s experience that becomes another person’s imagination. Our opinions come from other people’s perceptions. Lippmann writes that unfamiliarity and foreignness…

According to this week’s forum post instructions, I was assigned the yes view in regards to our chosen topic. Therefore, I must state that Stanley Milgram’s study of disobedience was unethical for numerous reasons, however, the two reasons that will be discussed include deception, and psychological harm to the human subjects involved. In regards to deception, the participants were misled as to the exact nature of the study for which they had volunteered, Milgram made them believe they were…

In regards to stereotype threat, I wonder if there is any concise way to combat the phenomena, or reduce the effects. Specifically, I think that the stereotype threat will not be as effective if individual being targeted is aware or conscious about the phenomenon. This is in comparison to an individual who experiences the threat, without actively knowing about the concept of a stereotype threat. The effect of this particular phenomena essentially stems from the Yerkes-Dodson law, where the…