Social Psychology
Understanding how groups influence individuals
Subcategories
Topics
How does conformity affect individuality?
Conformity affects individuality by reducing unique expression, suppressing dissenting opinions, creating groupthink, and sometimes leading to loss of personal identity in favor of group identity.
Read more →How to resist peer pressure?
To resist peer pressure, develop self-confidence, practice assertiveness, surround yourself with positive influences, think critically, and remember your values and goals.
Read more →Why do people conform?
People conform due to social pressure, the desire to fit in, informational influence, and the need for social acceptance and belonging.
Read more →Why do people obey authority?
People obey authority due to social conditioning, fear of consequences, trust in expertise, diffusion of responsibility, and the human tendency to follow hierarchical structures.
Read more →How does group size affect behavior?
Group size affects behavior by influencing individual participation, decision quality, conformity pressure, social loafing, and the balance between diverse perspectives and efficiency.
Read more →How does groupthink work?
Groupthink occurs when group cohesion and desire for consensus override critical thinking, leading to poor decisions. It involves pressure for conformity, self-censorship, illusion of unanimity, and suppression of dissenting views.
Read more →Why do groups make risky decisions?
Groups make risky decisions due to diffusion of responsibility, social comparison, group polarization, and the tendency to take more risks when individual accountability is reduced.
Read more →Why do people conform in groups?
People conform in groups due to informational influence, normative pressure, desire for acceptance, fear of rejection, and the need to maintain group harmony.
Read more →Why do people follow crowds?
People follow crowds due to informational influence (assuming the crowd knows something), normative influence (wanting to fit in), safety in numbers, reduced responsibility, and evolutionary advantages of group behavior.
Read more →Why do people join cults?
People join cults due to vulnerability, need for belonging, search for meaning, charismatic leadership, love bombing, isolation from outside influences, and gradual indoctrination that exploits psychological needs.
Read more →How does identity affect behavior?
Identity affects behavior by influencing choices, values, social interactions, group affiliations, and how individuals perceive themselves and others in various situations.
Read more →How does identity form?
Identity forms through social interactions, cultural influences, personal experiences, group memberships, self-reflection, and the integration of various roles and characteristics over time.
Read more →Why do people discriminate?
People discriminate due to in-group favoritism, out-group bias, stereotypes, fear of difference, competition for resources, learned behavior, and because discrimination can provide social and material advantages.
Read more →Why do people join groups?
People join groups to fulfill belonging needs, gain social identity, access resources, find security, share common interests, and achieve goals that require collective effort.
Read more →Why do people stereotype?
People stereotype to simplify complex social information, make quick judgments, maintain social identity, reduce cognitive effort, and because stereotypes are learned from culture, media, and social groups.
Read more →How do influencers shape opinions?
Influencers shape opinions through perceived expertise, relatability, social proof, trust-building, and the ability to create emotional connections with their audience.
Read more →How does advertising affect decisions?
Advertising affects decisions through emotional appeals, social proof, scarcity tactics, repetition, and targeting cognitive biases to influence purchasing behavior.
Read more →How does peer pressure work?
Peer pressure works through social influence mechanisms including the desire for acceptance, fear of rejection, informational influence, and the need to belong, which motivate people to conform to peer group norms and behaviors.
Read more →How does social media affect behavior?
Social media affects behavior through social comparison, FOMO, validation seeking, echo chambers, curated self-presentation, and algorithms that shape what we see and how we interact, influencing our thoughts, emotions, and actions.
Read more →How does social media influence behavior?
Social media influences behavior through social comparison, echo chambers, instant gratification, FOMO, and algorithmic content that reinforces existing beliefs and behaviors.
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