The Power of Groups Topics 4 & 5

Group Two or more people who, for longer than a few moments, interact with and influence one another and perceive one another as “us”

Power Ability to do Capacity to act Capable of performing or producing Webster’s New Twentieth Century Unabridged Dictionary (1979)

The Power to Name Women & last names Nigger—Colored—Negro—Black--African American Homosexual—Gay, Lesbian, Transgendered, Queer Girls—Women

Governmental Power Govt. control census allows for govt. control of categorizations of individuals and social movements Dichotimization of Race e.g., 1 drop rule Aggregation V. Disaggregation e.g., Hispanic V. Mexican, Puerto Rican, etc.

The Law & Group Power General Allotment Act 1887 ¼ bloods and land Naturalization Law 1970 only “free” white immigrants could be citizens 1922 Supreme Court held Japanese were not white People V. Hall 1854 Blacks, Mulatos, Native Americans & Whites were declared not white so could not testify against whites Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo 1848 Mexicans were defined as white and allowed the political legal status of “free white persons”

Group Social Influences Social Loafing Deindividuation Group Polarization Groupthink Minority Influence

Social Loafing The tendency for people to exert less effort when they pool their efforts toward a common goal than when they are individually accountable Applies more to individualistic rather than collectivistic societies

Deindividuation Loss of self- awareness and evaluation apprehension Occurs in group situations that foster anonymity and draw attention away from the individual Impacted by: –Group size (Zimbardo, 1970 “car”) –Physical anonymity (Ellison, Govern, et al., (1995, Halloween candy) –Arousing & distracting activities (Zimbardo & others, 1977, Moonie choo choo chant) –Diminished self- awareness (Ickes & others, 1978 drinking & behavior)

Group Polarization Group –produced enhancement of members’ preexisting tendencies; a strengthening of the members’ average tendency, not a split within the group Due to: –Informational influence I.e., gaining information that alters how you think –Normative influence i.e., evaluation of one’s ideas as compared to others

Group Think The thinking style of those in a cohesive in-group with dominant concurrence- seeking that overrides realistic appraisals of appropriate alternative ideas and/or behavior

Minority Influence Minority members can influence majority members –If they are respected –If they speak at the beginning of a social movement –If they are consistent & persistent –If they are confident –Then “we should welcome, not fear, the voices of dissent.” Senator Wm Fulbright

Psychological Mechanisms of Aggression (Bandura, 1979) Aggression = behavior resulting in personal injury & physical/psychological destruction Aggression is impacted by –Subjective judgments about others’ intent –Privilege & disadvantage

Causes of Aggression Biological i.e., dominance hierarchy Environment Social Learning Cognition Cultural

Utilizing Groups to Foster Cooperation Sheriff et. Al., 1961

Factors Germane to Group Harmony Reciprocal attitudes toward each other must be positive (not patronizing) Power between the groups must be equal Groups must not be in competition for a goal where one group’s win is another group’s loss i.e., superordinate goals must be complementary or common to all groups

Stereotypes must be eliminated Norms for intergroup interaction must be altered to be only positive Leadership style must be open Solidarity must be experienced e.g., games or experiences Frustrations & deprivations must be addressed i.e., frame of reference must be understood Groups may share a common enemy