Topics
Variations in Psychological Attributes
- Individual Differences in Human Functioning
- Assessment of Psychological Attributes
- Concept of Intelligence
- Theories of Intelligence
- Binet's One-Factor Theory
- Charles Spearman's Two Factor Theory
- Louis Thurstone’s Multifactor Theory
- Jensen's Hierarchical Theory of Intelligence
- Guilford's Structural Model Theory
- Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligence Theory
- Sternberg’s Triarchic Theory
- PASS Model of Intelligence
- Individual Differences in Intelligence
- Assessment of Intelligence
- Mental Age
- Intelligence Quotient
- Variations of Intelligence
- Types of Intelligence Tests
- Individual Test
- Group Test
- Verbal Test
- Non-Verbal Test
- Performance Test
- Culture Bias and Culture Fair Tests
- Misuses of Intelligence Tests
- Intelligence Testing in India
- Culture and Intelligence
- New Trends in Intelligence> Emotional Intelligence
- Special Abilities
- Creativity
- Creativity and Intelligence
Self and Personality
- Self and Personality
- Concept of Self
- Cognitive and Behavioural Aspects of Self
- Concept of Personality
- Culture and Self
- Characteristics of Personality
- Personality Related Terms
- Descriptive Personality Theories
- Type Theories
- Trait Theories
- Trait Theory> Trait Theory of G. Allport
- Trait Theory> Cattell’s Concept of Personality
- Type Theory> Eysenck Concept of Personality
- Psychodynamic Approach
- Freud's Psychoanalytic Theory of Personality> Stages of Personality Development
- Neo-Freudian Theory of Personality
- Carl Jung’s Theory of Personality
- Karen Horney (1950)
- Psychodynamic Therapies> Alfred Adler's Psychodynamic Therapy
- Erich Fromm's Theory
- Erik Erikson's Theory of Psycho-Social Development
- Behavioural Approach
- Cultural Approach
- Humanistic Approach
- Measurement of Personality
- Self Report Inventories
- Projective Techniques
- Behavioural Analysis
Meeting Life Challenges
Psychological Disorders
- Concept of Psychological Disorders
- Concept of Abnormal Behaviour
- Classification of Psychological Disorders
- Factors Underlying Abnormal Behaviour
- Major Psychological Disorder> Anxiety Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Major Psychological Disorder> Trauma and Stress Related Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Dissociative Disorders
- Depressive Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Bipolar Disorder
- Major Psychological Disorder> Schizophrenia
- Major Psychological Disorder> Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Disruptive, Impulse-Control and Conduct Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Eating Disorders
- Major Psychological Disorder> Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders
Therapeutic Approaches
- Therapeutic Approaches in Psychology
- Concept of Psychotherapy
- Forms of Psychotherapy
- Behaviour Therapies
- Cognitive Therapy
- Humanistic-existential Therapy
- Humanistic-existential Therapy> Client Centred Therapy
- Healing Factors in Psychotherapy
- Ethics in Psychotherapy
- Alternative Therapies
- Rehabilitation of the Mentally Ill
Attitude and Social Cognition
Social Influence and Group Processes
Psychology and Life
- Introduction to Psychology and Life
- Human-environment Relationship
- Environmental Effects on Human Behaviour
- Promoting Pro-environmental Behaviour
- Psychology and Social Concerns
Developing Psychological Skills
- Introduction to Developing Psychological Skills
- Developing as an Effective Psychologist
- General Skills
- Observational Skills
- Specific Skills
- Interviewing Skills
- Counselling Skills
Estimated time: 19 minutes
- Introduction
- Social Facilitation
- Social Inhibition
- Social Loafing
- Risk-Taking in Groups
- Group Polarisation
- Key Points: Influence of Group on Individual Behaviour
CBSE: Class 12
CISCE: Class 12
CISCE: Class 12
Introduction
Our affiliation to groups such as family, peer groups, and neighbours determines most of our behaviours. The way we talk, the kind of clothes we wear, and the manner in which we respond to others are all shaped by the groups we belong to. Groups influence individuals through social facilitation, social inhibition, social loafing, risk-taking, and group polarisation.
CISCE: Class 12
Social Facilitation
- Meaning: Positive effect on performance due to the presence of others.
- People perform better when others are present.
- The presence of others increases arousal, which boosts performance.
- Fear of being judged (evaluation apprehension) motivates better effort.
- Concern over self-presentation drives improved performance.
CISCE: Class 12
Social Inhibition
- Meaning: Adverse effect on performance due to the presence of others.
- People sometimes make more errors when others are watching.
- Example: A stutterer commits more errors reading aloud in public than alone.
- Causes are the same as social facilitation — the difference is how the person responds to arousal.
- Happens mainly with difficult or unfamiliar tasks.
CBSE: Class 12
CISCE: Class 12
CISCE: Class 12
Social Loafing
- Meaning: Reduction in motivation and effort when working in a group compared to working alone.
- Latané's experiment: Students clapping in groups — individual noise dropped as group size increased.
- Members feel less personally responsible for the task.
- Individual contributions cannot be separately evaluated, reducing motivation.
- The task feels monotonous, and there is poor coordination among members.
- Group identity is weak — members feel little connection to the group.
How to Reduce Social Loafing:
- Make each person's effort individually identifiable.
- Increase members' commitment and sense of responsibility.
- Raise the importance and value of the task.
- Make members feel their contribution is unique.
- Strengthen group cohesiveness.
CISCE: Class 12
Risk-Taking in Groups
- Meaning: Groups tend to take greater risks than individuals.
- In experiments, group decisions were more risky and polarising than individual decisions.
- Group mind creates shared confidence and boldness among members.
- Responsibility for failure is shared, so risks feel less personally threatening.
- Individuals tend to conform to the group's bold stance.
- Members believe the group is more right than any single individual.
CBSE: Class 12
Group Polarisation
- Definition: Strengthening a group's initial position through group discussion.
- The group's initial view becomes more extreme after discussion.
- Example: Colleagues deciding on a punishment may go to extremes—full acquittal or immediate termination— instead of a balanced verdict.
- Like-minded people share newer, stronger arguments that reinforce existing views.
- Seeing others agree creates a bandwagon effect — the view feels publicly validated.
- Members identify with the group (ingroup), show conformity, and views become extreme.
CBSE: Class 12
CISCE: Class 12
CISCE: Class 12
Key Points: Influence of Group on Individual Behaviour
- Group Influence: Groups like family and friends shape our behaviour, communication, and responses.
- Social Facilitation: The presence of others can improve performance due to increased motivation and arousal.
- Social Inhibition: Sometimes performance decreases in front of others, especially in difficult tasks.
- Social Loafing: People may put less effort in groups because responsibility is shared.
- Reducing Social Loafing: It can be reduced by making individual efforts identifiable and increasing task importance.
- Risk-Taking: Groups often make riskier decisions because responsibility is shared.
- Group Polarisation: Group discussions can make opinions stronger and more extreme.
