Sociology 545

Social Psychology
Fall 2005
 Topics

 Social Groups

 Social Institutions

 Collective Behavior / Social Movements

 Social Groups

 Definition

 Types

 Characteristics
Social Groups Definition

“The emergence of three or more

individuals into a pattern of goal
orientation, characterized by an
interrelationship of statuses and
awareness of membership.”
Social Groups - Types

 Primary vs. Secondary

 Interpersonal vs. Instrumental

 Small vs. Large

 Interaction vs. Reference

Social Groups - Types

small

Family, gang work groups

or fraternity such as a jury

primary secondary

Reference groups Bureaucracies such

(NOW, NAACP, AARP) as Ford or Apple

large
Social Groups - Characteristics

 Structure

 Status

 Conformity / Consensus
Social Groups - Structure

Structure as Networks in Primary Groups

Transitive Intransitive
Social Groups - Structure

Structure as Spans of Control in Secondary Groups

Span of Control
 Social Groups - Structure

Authority Structure Friendship Structure F x S Structure

1 1 1

2 3 + 2 3 = 2 3

4 5 4 5 4 5
Social Groups - Structure

Authority Structure

0 0 0 0 0
1
1 0 0 0 0
2 3 = 1 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 0
4 5
1 0 1 0 0
Social Groups - Structure

Friendship Structure

1 0 1 1 0 0
=
0 0 1 0 0
2 3
0 1 0 0 0
4 5
0 1 0 0 1
0 0 1 1 0
 Social Groups - Structure

 Structure as Complex Networks

Authority Structure Friendship Structure Reciprocity Structure

0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 0 0 0 0 x 0 1 0 0 0 = 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0
Social Groups - Status

Gamson - Coalition formation

Authority vs. Influence

C1(5/4) C2(5/3) C3(4/3) C4(4/3)

Person 5 .55 .625 .00 .00
Person 4 .45 .000 .57 .45
Person 3 .00 .375 .43 .55
Social Groups - Status

Berger – Expectation States

LD UD

56% 10%
Social Groups - Conformity

 Asch – Social Conformity

 Milgram – Obedience to Authority

 Zimbardo – Role Person Merger

 Janis – Group Think

Social Groups - Conformity

 Asch – Social Conformity

A B C

33%
Social Groups - Conformity

 Milgram – Obedience to Authority

15V 450V
XXXXX

51%
Social Groups - Conformity

 Zimbardo – Stanford Prison Experiment

14 students randomly
assigned to Prisoner
and Guard Status
One nervous breakdown,
a minister, parents, parole
hearings and guard abuse

Had to stop after only six

days due to extreme role
person merger
Social Groups - Conformity
Janis - Groupthink
 Illusion of Invulnerability: Members ignore obvious
danger, take extreme risk, and are overly optimistic.

 Collective Rationalization: Members discredit and

explain away warning contrary to group thinking.

 Illusion of Morality: Members believe their decisions are

morally correct, ignoring the ethical consequences of their decisions.

 Excessive Stereotyping: The group constructs negative

stereotypes of rivals outside the group.
Social Groups - Conformity

 Illusion of Unanimity: Members perceive falsely that

everyone agrees with group's decision; silence is seen as consent.

 Pressure for Conformity: Members pressure any in group

who argue against the group's stereotypes as disloyalty.

 Self-Censorship: Members withhold their dissenting views and

counter-arguments.

 Mindguards: Some members appoint themselves to protect

the group from adverse information that might threaten group
complacency.