PSYC 2310 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Mass Psychogenic Illness, Pluralistic Ignorance, Social Influence
7 Dec 2018
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Document Summary
Many norms regulate our behaviour in a socially acceptable ways. What people should do in a situation even if it is not a typical behaviour. Social norms affect our behaviour in subtle ways. E. g. students downloaded more popular songs when they know the number of time they have been downloaded by others. Can lead to mass psychogenic illness in typically isolated and small group. Drawing people"s attention to particular symptoms will lead to often too careful monitoring of one"s body and interpreting minor symptoms as related to a disease. Caused in part by people"s tendency to look to others to see how they should react. People are most likely to acquire new norms when they first enter environment. They look to others often older, more experienced people in the situation. Become more similar to those living close to them. People are largely unaware of the impact of social influences.
