PSYC 260 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Irving Janis, Group Cohesiveness, Deindividuation
20 Nov 2012
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Group a collection of three or more people who interact with one another and are interdependent, in the sense that their needs and goals cause them to rely on one another. People who have assembled together for a common purpose. Groups become an important part of our identity. Also plays a role in motivating people to become involved in social change. Most social groups range in size from 3 to 6 members if groups are too large, you cannot interact with all the members. Members tend to be alike in age, sex, beliefs, and opinions. Two reasons for the homogeneity of groups: many groups attract people who are already similar before they join, group operates in ways that encourage similarity in the members. Social norms are powerful determinants of human behavior; if one deviates too far from the norm, they may be shunned or excluded from the group: specify how all group members should behave.
