Assignment Code: BPCC-132 / Asst /TMA /2021-22

Course Code: BPCC-132

Assignment Name: Introduction To Social Psychology

Year: 2021 – 2022 (July 2021 & January 2022 Sessions)

Verification Status: Verified by Professor

NOTE: All questions are compulsory.

PART I- Assignment – One

Answer the following descriptive category questions in about 500 words each. Each question carries 20 marks. 2 x 20=40

Q1. Discuss the various features related to conformity, compliance and obedience. (20)

Ans) The following are some of the characteristics of conformity, compliance, and obedience:

Conformity

Almost every social context has some set of "acceptable behaviour" rules that must be followed. Those guidelines prescribe how to act and what not to do in certain situations. Norms are the rules that govern a society. These standards are formal, explicit, and, in certain situations, documented in writing.

Like the "Please queue" sign at the post office. There are a lot of informal, implicit, and unwritten rules around. In most Indian societies, a girl should marry and live with her husband's family after she has completed her education. Rulemaking is vital in removing social uncertainty and instability, regardless of the context. People become predictable because of norms, which reduces uncertainty.

We are socially obligated to follow established social norms. People in our immediate environment present us with a standard set of behaviour and opinions against which we can compare our own. Our own acts are evaluated via the lens of these criteria. It is possible that those in the back row of a political gathering will not hear the leader's statements. Children, on the other hand, only applaud when others do.

Compliance

The act of obeying is a sort of social control. Many people value the ability to persuade others to do what they want them to do. Compliance professionals include, for example, skilled negotiators and sales representatives. This is something that we, as well as these professionals, do. Consider the scenario in which your mother goes shopping. When bargaining, both the mother and the vegetable vendor employ compliance methods. When a group of friends is arranging a party, everyone tries to persuade the other members of the group of their ideas.

Conformity is important to advertisers, politicians, and insurance brokers, among others. These principles can persuade. Power, scarcity, reciprocity, social validation, and friendship are just a few of the characteristics. Several strategies have sprung up because of these concepts. These include offering the object quickly, making the object difficult to obtain, and making the object visually appealing. Compliance is a two-way street. Be able to persuade others while also taking into consideration some of their points of view.

Obedience

People follow directions given to them directly by others. It is not essential to issue a formal order to influence someone's behaviour. As a result, this social effect is less common than the other two. Obedience can have a negative impact on one's social standing. A military soldier, for example, can be unforgiving and uncompromising. Follow the orders of someone in a higher position. Being accepted is something that everyone wants. Conformity fulfils this need.

We can have three forms of social consequences on our behaviour based on our connection with this 'other person: conformity, adherence to social norms, and obedience, which is the act of bowing to authority.

Conclusion

People follow the dominant position even if it is erroneous. This pressure is exacerbated by unanimity and size. To conform, one must first examine one's own norm or majority behaviour. Conforming to others makes people feel accepted in society. Following the majority limits our actions. People sometimes resist following the crowd. People use this to maintain their individuality and self-control. Minorities can also influence majorities' attitudes and behaviours.

Q2. Explain the concept, types and components of group. Discuss the various group processes. (10 +10)

Ans) A group is essentially a collection of people. It can be defined as a group of people (two or more) who come together and engage with one another to fulfil the organization's goals. An organization's foundation is made up of these.

Types of Groups

Even though diverse groups have the above-mentioned basic traits, they are classified into different categories depending on more subtle criteria.

Primary versus Secondary Group

Primary groups are pre-existing Formations whose membership is granted to individuals based on factors such as family, caste, and so on. These organisations play an important part in the formation of a person's values and ideals. A person cannot choose or relinquish his or her membership in a primary group. In contrast, an individual chooses to join a secondary group to achieve specific goals. Here, membership is entirely voluntary, and the individual can leave the group at any time.

Formal versus Informal Group

A formal group has clearly defined rules, roles, and customs. These elements may be written or spoken but must be generally approved. An informal group, on the other hand, has no set rules. A school, for example, contains rules for both pupils and teachers. Has a clear objective of providing quality education in a standardised manner? A group of children from a colony assembling in a park is an informal group.

Components

Any organisation has components that help it run smoothly. Although the groups differ in size, kind, and affections, they share common characteristics such as status, roles, norms, and cohesiveness, which influence members' behaviour.

Status

When a teacher enters the classroom, all students stand in the respect of the teacher. No significant decision in the family is taken until the head of the family, generally parents in the Indian families, approve the decision. These examples characterise status of teachers and parents in their respective groups.

Roles

A group's members are assigned different roles. For example, in cricket, the captain leads the team on the field, the coach organises and oversees the team's practise, the physiotherapist guarantees the players' physical fitness, and the manager oversees team travel and media relations.

Norms

Norms are the unspoken standards that govern how members of a group should behave. Norms are unwritten norms that members follow. They symbolise shared worldviews. Norms are not formal rules and are not written. Norms, however, strongly influence group behaviour.

Cohesiveness

A group's cohesiveness keeps it together. Cohesiveness refers to group members' desire to stay together. Members of highly cohesive groups like each other, embrace the group's goals, and work together to achieve them. Individuals in a highly disorganised organisation may hate or even oppose one another. Cohesiveness is a sense of belonging to a group.

Group Processes

Processes inside a work group influence group behaviour. The process includes information exchange, group decision making, dispute resolution, and interaction. The group process is vital to grasping group behaviour. Work can be done through understanding group habits and controlling undesirable behaviours. Synergy in group process:

An activity of two or more chemicals that has a different effect than the sum of the substances. Social loafing, for example, is a negative synergy.

Assignment Two

Answer the following short category questions in about 100 words each. Each question carries 5 marks. 6 x 5 = 30

Q3. Discuss the relationship of social psychology to the other Discipline of social sciences. (5)

Ans) The following section discusses the relationship between social psychology and other social science disciplines. People and societies are studied by social scientists. Human relationships pique their curiosity. The social sciences are concerned with a variety of aspects of social life. Anthropology is the branch of science that studies culture. Anthropology and social psychology are two subjects that are intertwined. Culture refers to a set of shared values, beliefs, and practises. Economics is the study of how products and services are produced, distributed, and consumed in a society. This also piques the interest of social psychologists.

The study of political institutions, particularly governments, is known as political science. Political behaviour is studied by social psychologists. The study of human societies and groupings is known as sociology. While both sociologists and social psychologists are interested in how people behave in groups, their interests are not the same. Sociologists look at the total group, while social psychologists look at the people inside it.

Q4. Describe the sources of errors in social cognition. (5)

Ans) Two main inclinations seem to occur widely and cause significant flaws in our social thought.

Negativity bias is the assumption that we overvalue negative information about other people, events, or anything else. This propensity makes natural sense because negative information indicates external threats to our safety. Situational considerations can overcome negative bias.

Optimistic bias is a strong tendency to expect things to go well. The overconfidence barrier states that we often overestimate our views or judgments. The planning fallacy is our inclination to overestimate our productivity or underestimate the time required to complete a task. Optimistic bias seems to occur not only for specific tasks or events, but also in our future projections. The optimistic bias is so prevalent that it can even affect experts' conclusions.

Sources of Social Cognition Error: Counterfactual, Thought Suppression, and Magical Thinking.

Q5. Discuss the concepts of stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination. (5)

Ans) A stereotype is a generally held belief about a certain group of people or a particular manner of behaving. These ideas may or may not be accurate. Different conceptualizations and theories of stereotyping exist within psychology and other fields, sometimes sharing commonalities and other times contradicting.

Prejudice is an emotional reaction to a person's perceived group membership. A preconceived evaluation or classification of another person based on perceived political affiliation, sex, gender, beliefs and values, social class, age disability religion sexuality race ethnicity language nationality complexion beauty height occupation wealth education criminality sport-team affiliation music tastes

Discrimination is the act of drawing unwarranted distinctions between persons based on their perceived group, class, or other category membership. People can be discriminated against based on their colour, gender, age, religion, or sexual orientation.

Q6. Discuss the factors influencing pro-social behaviour. (5)

Ans) Helping, sharing, contributing, cooperating, and volunteering are all examples of pro-social behaviour. Respecting the rules and social norms is also considered prosocial. These activities may be motivated by empathy, concern for others' welfare and rights, or loyalty to one's perceived system of fairness. Also, altruism may be a motivator, albeit the existence of pure altruism is debated, and others say that it is more of a philosophical issue. Pro sociality appears to be important for the well-being of social groups at all scales, including schools. Learning motivation and contributions to the classroom and greater community can be affected by prosocial classroom behaviour. Positive indirect impacts on employee helpful behaviours and task performance can be seen when prosocial behaviour is observed in the workplace. Empathy is a powerful motivator of prosocial behaviour with evolutionary roots.

Q7. Explain the meaning and the agents of acculturation. (5)

Ans) Enculturation differs slightly from acculturation. Acculturation is the process through which a person adapts to and, in many cases, adopts a culture that is different from the one in which they were raised. Enculturation takes place in the culture in which we are born, and the process of becoming acquainted with the culture begins soon after birth. In the case of acculturation, however, the effect of a culture different than our own does not begin until we migrate to that culture. Enculturation is also a smooth process that is generally involuntary, automatic, and unavoidable.

Acculturation Agents: Culture, as defined, is passed down from generation to generation. Diverse agents of culture, such as parents and basic family, peers, educational institutions, religious institutions, and so on, carry out and facilitate the transmission of various components of culture.

Q8. Describe the internal factors affecting attraction. (5)

Ans) Understanding psychology's findings on liking and love is critical because most of us will ultimately form profound bonds. Psychologist’s study what makes people like and even love each other.

Values and beliefs are a major factor in attraction. Convenience and shared ideals are important factors in relationships. Our self-esteem improves when we realise our spouse shares our passions. Sharing values validates our convictions. Consensual validation is important in our attraction to others.

Regular self-disclosure, without fear of retaliation, increases liking. Friendship is built on openness and response to needs. We want our partners to be honest about their issues. Unequal self-disclosure can destroy relationships. Proximity is another major predictor of like.

PART II: Tutorial (1x30= 30)

Q. Prepare an interview schedule to examine the role of digital media towards the change in attitude and behaviour of school students (e.g., it may be related to the impact of digital media on the students’ thinking/nature/efficiency/performance and so on). Collect your responses through interview survey on the following groups:

1. Parents

2. School Teachers

On basis of the responses received, you have to write the activity in the following format:

Q1.1. You will prepare a handwritten file (of A4 sheets) with a brief introduction of the topic (as given) and a discussion on the responses and the trends received through interviewing the participants. You have to conclude the survey on basis of the facts and findings.

Ans) In today's school, achieving effective learning through digital media remains a major challenge. The everyday usage of all types of digital media has become an integral part of our lives, and as a result, it has become an important component of education. Educators must examine the digital media curriculum process as a learning model and a form of experience that may be used in the classroom.

Parents Responses

Parenting has become more complicated as a result of digital media: parents must manage different media settings for themselves and their children while maintaining constant connectivity. As a result, parents are concerned about how they and their children use digital media and how this may affect their family interactions.

Parents are conflicted about their own and their children's relationships with digital media. While parents are concerned about the impact of digital media on their children's development, they also perceive it as an important part of their children's life that delivers significant benefits.

Because these parents did not grow up in the same digital media landscape as their children, there is a 'mismatch,' in which parents lack their own lived experience or parenting "blueprint" to draw from.

School Teacher’s Responses

Lectures and classes are now delivered entirely through social media. However, social media has a disadvantage in that if students and youngsters are not properly supervised, they will absorb the negative aspects of their social media. As a result, the focus of this study was on the impact of social media on student social behaviour. The poll has twenty participants, ten of whom are school teachers and ten of whom are parents of adolescent school pupils. A survey was created with questions that were asked and responded. Students' use of social media had a negative impact on their social behaviour, according to the research. Furthermore, there were no statistical differences in participants' perceptions of the impact of social media on instructors' social behaviour depending on gender, age, or educational level. As a result, primary school teachers should educate kids on how to use social media responsibly to enhance their social behaviour, among other things.

Protecting children from cyberbullying and guiding them on the dos and don'ts of social media usage and behaviour is a shared responsibility of educational institutions and parents. Teachers, after parents, are the next most influential people in a student's life. Teachers should be trained to map kids' behaviour to reduce stress and behavioural change. They should be taught how to connect with pupils and observe their behaviour daily. If the instructor notices an unreasonable change in the student's behaviour, the teacher should discuss it with the class coordinator and counsellor.

Conclusion

Parents have a responsibility to their children to be excellent media role models if digital media is drawing parents away from their children and impacting parent-child interactions. In this case, the proverb "do what I say, not what I do" holds true. Whether they obey or disobey their parents, children will emulate their actions. The findings of this study do not suggest that parents should never use their devices in front of their children. Instead, parents can model "good" media behaviour by balancing their own needs with those of their children. In this case, parent co-viewing can be beneficial. Giving your child just 10 minutes of undivided attention (uninterrupted by electronics) emphasises how valuable they are.

Q2. You need to enclose the filled in questionnaire (raw data) also in the file.

Ans) Some of the questions asked parents were:

1. How does digital social media cause a conflict between parents and their teenage children?

2. In which way can the digital media as an entertainment affect the parents in not being a good example for their own child?

3. How does social media and other media influence students?

4. How does positive social media and other media influence students in general?

5. What negative social media and other media influence have on students’ behaviour?

6. How media celebrities influence students today?

7. In which ways can you help your child handle media influence?

8. Is there a way to help students balance the influence of social media and other media?

9. What are parental perceptions of the influence of digital media and related devices on children’s reading habits at home?

Q3. On basis of the selected topic, you need to prepare at least 10-15 questions for the interview schedule.

Ans) Some questions for an Interview Schedule for Parents are as follows:

1. What materials does your child typically read at home?

2. How does your child typically select material to read at home?

3. What do you view as motivating factors for your student to read at home? What are not?

4. What activities/things compete with your child’s reading at home?

5. How do you view your child’s reading habits at home differently than when you were young?

6. What technology and digital media is available in your home?

7. How do you view the influence of technology and digital media on your child’s reading?

8. In what ways do you feel technology and digital media influences your child? Positively? Negatively?

9. What rules do you have at home regarding use of technology and digital media? In what ways has your family utilized audio books?

   
   

10. How has the use of technology and digital media at school influenced your child’s attitude/desire to use technology at home?

11. What influence has the use of technology and digital media at school had on your child’s reading habits at home?

12. What do you think about these influences overall?

Some questions for an Interview Schedule for Teachers are as follows:

1. Is social media a tool that should be utilised by teachers?

2. Do you use social media to communicate with your teachers?

3. Would you be interested in using social media as an educational tool?

4. Which of the following social media platforms do you use?

5. How would you rate the following uses of social media in education?

6. How long do you think students should spend on social networking sites during a typical day?

7. Do you think that students will achieve better results if social media is integrated into lessons?

8. Do you think that social media is the best way for teachers to reach students?

9. Are you worried about the potential abuse of social media by students?

10. What do you consider to be the main pitfalls of the use of social media in an educational setting?

Q4. A sample size of minimum 20 participants (10 parents whose children are attending schools and 10 schoolteachers) need to be included for the survey.

Ans) The following are the names of Parents and Teachers who participated in the survey:

Q5. The file/ notebook will include the following subsections:

i) Introduction (of about 200 words)

ii) Methodology (which will include the details about the sample size and the method of data collection in about 150 words)

iii) Findings (of about 200 words)

iv) Conclusion and Suggestion (of about 150 words)

Ans) The following is a full overview of the influence of digital media in influencing school kids' attitudes and behaviours.

Introduction

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between social media and student behaviour change. Messages can now reach audiences and target groups in real time, resulting in changes and trends. Crowds are getting more powerful because of technology's capacity to bring them together. The purpose of this study is to determine what these social media are. What role do they play in the lives of university students and what impact do they have on their behaviour? While any technology can be used for good or bad depending on the user, many parents have purchased cellular phones and computers for their children so that they can use them appropriately and effectively, primarily for learning purposes as well as knowing where they are always and being able to assist them if they need it.

This research will attempt to determine the impact of social media on the behaviour of young people.

Technology has numerous advantages, but it can also be harmful in the wrong hands. It's an attempt for young people to do what they think is fun or interesting for them and their pals while avoiding adult supervision. According to Livingstone, teenagers may embrace the online realm enthusiastically because it represents their space, visible to their peers rather than adult surveillance, an exciting yet relatively safe opportunity to carry out the social psychological task of adolescence – to construct, experiment with, and present a reflexive project of the self in a social context, as well as, for some, flouting communicative norms and other risk-taking behaviours.

Methodology

The study used a descriptive survey design to look at the impact of the independent variables’ social media use and psychosocial behaviour on the dependent variable academic students' attitude and behaviour performance. Conducting an interview and survey with parents and teachers with the sole purpose of identifying the influence or relationship between variables, used in obtaining data to enable the researcher to test hypothesis or answer research questions, and thus providing a guideline for conducting the research. This survey was implemented to allow researchers to obtain extensive information on the variables relating to the nature of the phenomenon to better describe and understand it from the perspective of the individuals. This will also aid parents and teachers in reaching useful conclusions.

Findings

It was discovered that most students' psychosocial behaviour is influenced by social media use, and that they become addictive psychologically as a result of spending most of their time on the internet networking, resulting in less attention being paid to other activities and aspects of their lives, which could lead to negative outcomes. Although social media can help students socialise and increase connectivity, it also encourages cyberbullying, glamorises drug misuse, and can occasionally make students sad, fear of missing out, and restlessness. Unwanted comments, photographs, and videos, according to Oberiri and Greg, are the most common concerns experienced in social networking usage.

It's becoming increasingly clear that social media use among senior secondary school pupils has become a hot topic. The pressure to be perfect, to look perfect, to act ideal, to have the perfect circle of friends, the perfect quantity of likes and followership, and so on has been observed all around the pupils. Failure to attain the ludicrous levels results in major academic and psychological backwardness for the students. The findings of this study demonstrated that students' use of social media networking sites had a substantial impact on their academic achievement, as well as their attitude and behaviour.

According to the findings, there is a digital divide among parents, which has an impact on how they and their children use digital media:

1. Parents who are more educated are more likely to utilise digital media since they have more personal and professional exposure with it.

2. The more positive parents' attitudes on digital media use are, the more their children use it. The practise of sharing photos online is one example of this; the more images parents share, the more digital media their children consume.

3. Parents from higher-income families are more likely to use electronic gadgets than parents from lower-income ones.

4. The more favourable parental attitudes on digital media use, the more devices the household has.

5. The more gadgets a household owns, the more parents utilise digital media.

Conclusion

By interviewing both parents and teachers, the study investigated the impact of social media use on psychosocial behaviour and academic achievement among secondary school pupils. Because of the rise in internet usage and technological advancements, social media networking will continue to be a part of everyday life. Within this global world, social media will continue to influence the actions of teenagers and youths. Unfortunately, this has had a negative impact on pupils' academic achievement and psychosocial behaviour; however, when used properly, it can improve both. As a result, other characteristics must be considered to examine the relationship between social media usage and students' attitudes, behaviour, and performance.

Suggestions

1. To ensure proper and good use of mobile phones and other internet services, parents and guardians should pay greater attention to their children and wards' usage.

2. Teachers must adequately advise and warn students about the harmful effects of social networking sites so that they utilise them primarily for academic purposes, minimising the negative consequences.

3. The usage of handheld devices during school hours should be strictly prohibited by school officials. Students should be taught the necessity of using educational websites rather than entertainment websites, and to investigate the positive aspects of social media rather than the negative aspects.

4. Traditional curricula must be updated to reflect life's realities and societal shifts.

5. Computer learning sessions in the classroom must be tailored to the needs of current society. The necessity of privacy settings should be highlighted to children in computer learning sessions.

6. They should be encouraged to alter their privacy settings based on their surfing patterns, and they should be taught how to do so. It's also worth emphasising the importance of reviewing the privacy policies of various social networking sites.