Social Psychology is "the scientific study of the behavior of
individuals in their social and cultural setting" ("Social
Psychology," 2013). Social
psychology focuses on how individuals think about each other and how they
relate to one another. It primarily
studies human social behaviors and mental processes. In social psychology there is a process known
as socialization “where people learn
skills, knowledge and values, motives and roles appropriate to their position
in a social group or society, resulting in particular identity or identities
relevant to that social group or society.
Socialization takes place through communicative interaction with others
whenever new roles are engaged as part of a group or society. One basic assumption of socialization theory
is the internalization of group or social requirements. During socialization, one learns to take on
an identity associated with a particular group and perform it in a competent
manner (Fritz, 2010).”
The socialization theory is evidence of how social influences
affect an individual’s behavior. Social
influence is defined as the process wherein one person’s attitudes, beliefs, or
behaviors are changed as a result of interaction with another individual or
with a group. According to an article in
the encyclopedia of social networks Carmen Stavrositu states that “social influence takes many forms and can be
more narrowly conceptualized as compliance (change in attitude, beliefs, or
behavior as a result of a direct request); persuasion (change in attitudes,
beliefs, or behavior as a result of exposure to a message); or conformity (the
tendency to align one’s attitude, beliefs, and behaviors with those around oneself)
(Stavrositu, 2011).”
We all act and behave in certain ways at different time and in
different places. Social influences can
have a very powerful effect on the change of an individual’s behaviors
according to what is going on around us at the time. In other words, a social
situation can have control over an individual’s personality no matter what type
of values and beliefs they may have and can influence their behavior in a
positive or negative way.
Social influences can affect an individual’s behavior by changing
their attitude which is their internal/mental about a specific situation,
object or concept. This could be a
positive change because it could open up a closed-minded individual’s beliefs
to include new choices in their life about things they probably would have
never considered before. For example, If someone has a negative attitude towards
homeless people and is put in an social setting designed to help the homeless,
it will eventually change their attitude towards the homeless because they will
get a better understanding of why people are put in that type of
situation. An individual placed in this
type of social setting makes observation of others and how they have genuine
care, compassion and concern for helping people placed there for various
reasons will eventually begin to want to do better at helping because they
realized that others are watching. This
theory is known as social facilitation which implies that whenever people are
being watched by others, they will do well on things they are already good at
doing. And in the case of caring for
individuals the theory suggests that the presence of people in social
situations creates an atmosphere of evaluation (Strauss, 2001). On the flip side of things social loafing can
also take place in this type of social setting because although an individual’s
attitude may have changed towards the homeless, they may not have the desire to
share the responsibility with others to help them. On the other hand, social influences on a
person’s attitude can be negative and include destructive or overwhelming concepts
leading to poor choices in life.
According to the encyclopedia Britannica “research on attitude changes has studied the effects of the mass media,
the optimum of persuasive messages, the effects of motivational arousal, and
the role of opinion leaders (e.g., teachers and ministers).” This article also states that” research has been carried out into the
origin, functioning, and change of particular attitudes (e.g., racial,
international, political, and religious), each of which is affected by special
factors. Attitudes towards racial
minority groups, for example, are affected by social conditions, such as local
housing, employment, and the political situation; political attitudes are affected
by social class and age; and religious attitudes and belief strongly reflect
such factors as inner personality conflict ("Social Psychology,"
2013).”
According to an article I read on social influences on human
behavior it is said that “from the beginning
of our lives, the first social influences that we encounter belong to the
family unit. Whether it is your mother,
father, brother or sister, families often provide the closet social influence
of any other group. As we grow into
independent thinkers and move toward adulthood, these influences may loosen or
change, but it is our families that shape our behaviors and actions from the
start. Values, attitudes and morals are
all functions of the family social structure and may greatly impact what we do
and how we do it (Social Influences on Human Behavior, 2013).” I believe
that information to be very true because our families are the first people we
engage with socially before venturing out into the real world. That is why it is very important to teach
children at a young age good values, morals and beliefs even though they will
eventually develop their own.
Peer pressure is “a social influence most commonly found in teen
or school society when young teens are developing into a more independent
person and attempting to break away from the family structure” (Social
Influences on Human Behavior, 2013).
Peer pressure is the influence used by other people close in age to encourage
an individual to change their attitudes, values or behaviors in order to
conform to the group norm. Peer pressure
can have a positive effect on an individual if the behaviors they are
surrounded by push the teen into new experiences such as academic clubs or
sports (Social Influences on Human Behavior, 2013). However, peer pressure can have a negative
effect on teen behaviors when they are engaging in dangerous activities which
could eventually lead to them hurting themselves by abusing drugs, someone
hurting them or getting into trouble by engaging in criminal activities.
To sum it all up it is safe for me to say that I am in complete
agreement with Gerald Schueler when he states “that society influences the behavior of its members in many ways. It can pass laws through governmental
institutions, creating severe punishments for particular antisocial
behaviors. It can develop a strong
desire for ethics and morals, usually through religious institutions. It can hold its professionals to strong
ethical codes of conduct. It can educate
and inform through its school systems and media outlets. But the primary reason why society can
control the behavior of most its citizens is our inherent psychological need
for psychic growth and maturity. Whether
we call it self-actualization or individuation, there seems to be a natural
inclination within the human psyche to behave in a moral or ethical manner
(Schueler Ph.D., 1997).”
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