Question

Social Psychology Principles

Consider the principles of social psychology as you discuss one of these two questions.

Select one of the two choices below to answer and describe an example you have witnessed or personally experienced in the past. Be sure to label which selection you made for your main post. Besides your main post, you need to submit two or more replies to the main posts of classmates. You should post at least one reply to a classmate who answered the alternative question.

Choice 1

Describe an example of where you initially had a different view and then found yourself conforming to the opinions or desires of a social group to whom you belonged. What led to you conforming? What there a time you refused to go along with the collective group choice? If so what was the reaction from others abut your decision?

Choice 2

Describe an example of social facilitation where the presence of others positively affected or influenced your performance (or that of others), regarding a task or team effort. What do you think led to your improvement of your own performance? Now describe a time where the presence of others negatively affected or influenced your performance (or that of others) regarding a task or team effort. What do you think happened that led to this reduced effect?

Answer 1

Choice 2:

I recently went trekking and experienced the positive effects of social facilitation. At many points during my trek, I was getting tired and wanted to take rest but witnessing others with me carrying on with relative ease, I was motivated to carry forward without taking too many breaks myself. Perhaps because I have had past experience in trekking, and it is a task which doesn’t require much skill except walking, the presence of others improved my performance.

On the other hand, I have also experienced the effects of social inhibition. I have recently started to play the guitar and my friends asked me to put up a performance for them. Although I began to play a song for which I had practiced a couple of times, I forgot the chords and messed up my performance. The reason was because I was very nervous during the performance and being a complete beginner only added to my anxiety.