Social

What is a Social Approach?

A social approach looks at how people think, feel and behave in the presence of others. Think of it as the “social version” of a detective story – we investigate how social clues influence the mind and actions. 🤔🕵️‍♂️

Social cognition studies how we process, store, and apply information about other people. It’s like having a mental “social GPS” that helps us navigate interactions. 🌍

• Heuristics: Quick mental shortcuts (e.g., “If someone smiles, they’re friendly”).
• Stereotypes: Overgeneralised beliefs about a group.
• Attribution Theory: Explaining why we think others act a certain way (internal vs. external causes).

Example: You see a classmate drop their books. You might think, “They’re clumsy” (internal) or “It was a windy day” (external). The choice shows attribution bias.

Social influence is how others affect our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Think of it as the “social pressure cooker” that can either make us cook up new ideas or just follow the recipe. 🍲

1. Conformity: Adjusting behaviour to fit group norms. Example: Wearing a school uniform.
2. Compliance: Agreeing to a request, even if we don’t want to. Example: “Can you pass the notes?”
3. Obedience: Following orders from an authority figure. Example: A teacher telling the class to line up.

Key Experiment: Asch Conformity Study – Participants often gave wrong answers to match the group. 📊

Groups can change how we think and behave. Imagine a sports team – each player’s role shapes the whole game. ⚽️

• Groupthink: Prioritising harmony over critical thinking.
• Social Loafing: Doing less work when in a group.
• Deindividuation: Losing personal identity in a crowd.

Example: In a debate club, the group might all agree on a stance (groupthink) even if some members have doubts.

Intergroup relations examine how different social groups (e.g., ethnic, gender) interact. Think of it as a “social dance” where partners sometimes step on each other’s toes. 💃🕺

1. Social Identity Theory: We define ourselves by group memberships.
2. Ingroup Bias: Favoring our own group.
3. Prejudice & Discrimination: Negative attitudes and actions towards outgroups.

Example: A school’s “Cultural Fair” can reduce prejudice by encouraging positive contact between groups. 🌍

Remember: Exams often ask you to explain, evaluate, and apply theories. Use the PEEL paragraph structure: Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link.

• Flashcards: Key terms like conformity, groupthink, social identity.
• Case Studies: Practice with real-life scenarios (e.g., school elections).
• Diagrams: Draw the Asch line experiment or the stages of group development.
• Past Papers: Look for questions that ask you to compare social cognition with social influence.

Quick Check: Can you name one experiment for each approach? ✔️