SOCIAL INFLUENCE AND

GROUP PROCESSES
CHAPTER 7
NATURE AND FORMATION OF
GROUPS A. What is a group?
B. Why do people join groups?
C. Group Formation
A. What is a Group?
 A group may be defined as an organised system of
• two or more individuals
• who are interacting and interdependent
• who have common motives
• have a set of role relationships among its members
• have norms that regulate the behaviour of its members.

S.N Collection of Groups (Family, Class,

o People Play Group)
1. Not interdependent There is mutual
on each other interdependence
2. Do not have defined Each member has roles
roles
3. Do not have status There are status
differentials
4. Do not have There are expectations
expectations from from each other
each other
Six salient characteristics of groups:

1. A social unit consisting of two or more individuals

who perceive themselves as belonging to the group.
This characteristic of the group helps in
distinguishing one group from the other and gives
the group its unique identity.

2. A collection of individuals who have common

motives and goals. Groups function either working
towards a given goal, or away from certain threats
facing the group.

3. A collection of individuals who are interdependent,

i.e. what one is doing may have consequences for
others. Suppose one of the fielders in a cricket team
drops an important catch during a match - this will
have consequence for the entire team.
Six salient characteristics of groups:

4. Individuals who are trying to satisfy a need

through their joint association also influence each
other.

5. A gathering of individuals who interact with one

another either directly or indirectly.

6. A collection of individuals whose interactions are

structured by a set of roles and norms. This
means that the group members perform the same
functions every time the group meets and the
group members adhere to group norms. Norms
tell us how we ought to behave in the group and
specify the behaviours expected from group
members.
Groups can be differentiated from other collections of people
1. Crowd
2. Teams
3. Audience
1. Crowd
A crowd is also a collection of people who may be present at a place/situation by
chance.
Example- Suppose you are going on the road and an accident takes place. Soon a
large number of people tend to collect.

a. No structure
b. No feeling of belongingness
c. Behaviour of people in crowds is irrational
d. There is no interdependence among members.
2. Teams
Teams are special kinds of groups.

a. Members of teams often have complementary skills

b. They are committed to a common goal or purpose.
c. They are mutually accountable for their activities.
d. There is a positive synergy attained through the coordinated efforts of the
members

Difference between groups and teams

S.n Groups Teams

o
1. Performance is dependent on Both individual contributions
contributions of individual and teamwork matter
members
2. The leader or whoever is Although there is a leader,
heading the group holds members hold themselves
responsibility for the work. responsible.
3. Audience
• An audience is also a collection of people
who have assembled for a special purpose,
may be to watch a cricket match or a movie.
• Audiences are generally passive but
sometimes they go into a frenzy and
become mobs.

Mobs
In mobs, there is a definite sense of purpose.
There is polarisation in attention, and actions of persons are in a common direction.
Mob behaviour is characterised by homogeneity of thought and behaviour as well as
impulsivity.
Why Do People Join Groups?

1. Security
2. Status
3. Self-Esteem
4. Satisfaction of one’s psychological and social needs
5. Goal Achievement
6. Provide Knowledge and Information
1. Security : When we are alone, we feel insecure.
Groups reduce this insecurity. Being with people
gives a sense of comfort, and protection. As a
result, people feel stronger, and are less
vulnerable to threats.

2. Status: When we are members of a group that is

perceived to be important by others, we feel
recognised and experience a sense of power.
Suppose your school wins in an inter-institutional
debate competition, you feel proud and think that
you are better than others.
3. Self-esteem: Groups provide
feelings of self-worth and establish a
positive social identity. Being a
member of prestigious groups
enhances one's self-concept.

4. Satisfaction of one’s
psychological and social needs:
Groups satisfy one's social and
psychological needs such as sense of
belongingness, giving and receiving
attention, love, and power through a
group.
5. Goal achievement : Groups help in
achieving such goals which cannot be
attained individually. There is power in the
majority.

6. Provide knowledge and information:

Group membership provides knowledge and
information and thus broadens our view. As
individuals, we may not have all the
required information. Groups supplement
this information and knowledge.
Group Formation

Basic to group formation is some contact and some form of interaction between
people.

Factors that facilitate Stages of group Elements of group

interaction/ group formation formation structure
1. Forming 1. Roles
1. Proximity 2. Storming 2. Norms
2. Similarity 3. Norming 3. Status
3. Common motives and 4. Performing 4. Cohesiveness
goals 5. Adjourning
1. Proximity :

Just think about your group of friends. Would you

have been friends if you were not living in the
same colony, or going to the same school, or may
be playing in the same playground? Probably your
answer would be 'No.

• Repeated interactions with the same set of

individuals give us a chance to know them, and
their interests and attitudes.
• Common interests, attitudes, and background
are important determinants of your liking for
your group members.
2. Similarity :
• Being exposed to someone over a period of time makes us assess our similarities and paves the way
for formation of groups.

• Why do we like people who are similar?

1. One explanation is that people prefer consistency and like relationships that are consistent.
When two people are similar, there is consistency and they start liking each other.

For example, you like playing football and another person in your class also loves playing
football; there is a matching of your interests. There are higher chances that you may become
friends.

2. Another explanation given by psychologists is that when we meet similar people, they
reinforce and validate our opinions and values, we feel we are right and thus we start
liking them.

For example, suppose you are of the opinion that too much watching of television is not good,
because it shows too much violence. You meet someone who also h a s similar views. This
validates your opinion, and you start liking hte person who was instrumental in validating your
opinion.
3. Common motives and goals :

• When people have common motives or goals, they get together and form a
group which may facilitate their goal attainment.
• Suppose you want to teach children in a slum area who are unable to go to
school. You cannot do this alone because you have your own studies and
homework. You, therefore, form a group of like-minded friends and start
teaching these children. So you have been able to achieve what you
Stages of Group Formation
• Groups develop.
• You do not become a group member the moment you come together.
• Groups usually go through different stages of formation, conflict, stabilisation,
performance, and dismissal.

Tuckman suggested that groups pass through five developmental

sequences.
1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
5. Adjourning
1. Forming Stage
• When group members first meet, there is a great deal of uncertainty
about the group, the goal, and how it is to be achieved.
• People try to know each other and assess whether they will fit in.
• There is excitement as well as apprehensions.

2. Storming Stage
• Often, after forming stage, there is a stage of intragroup conflict
which is referred to as storming.
• In this stage, there is conflict among members about how the target
of the group is to be achieved, who is to control the group and its
resources, and who is to perform what task.
• When this stage is complete, some sort of hierarchy of leadership in
the group develops and a clear vision as to how to achieve the group
goal.
3. Norming Stage
• Group members by this time develop norms related to group behaviour.
• This leads to development of a positive group identity.

4. Performing
• By this time, the structure of the group has evolved and is accepted by group
members.
• The group moves towards achieving the group goal. For some groups, this may
be the last stage of group development

5. Adjourning Stage
• However, for some groups, for example, in the case of an organising committee
for a school function, there may be another stage known as adjourning stage.
• In this stage, once the function is over, the group may be disbanded
However, it must be stated that all
groups do not always proceed from
one stage to the next in such a
systematic manner.

• Sometimes several stages go on

simultaneously
• Groups may go back and forth
through the various stages
• They may just skip some of the
stages.
• During the process of group formation, groups also develop a structure.
• Group structure develops as members interact.
• Over time this interaction shows regularities in distribution of task to
be performed, responsibilities assigned to members, and the prestige
or relative status of members.

Four Important Elements of Group Structure

1. Roles
2. Norms
3. Status
4. Cohesiveness
1. Roles
• Roles are socially defined
expectations that individuals in a
given situation are expected to
fulfil.
• Roles refer to the typical behaviour
that depicts a person in a given
social context.
• You have the role of a son or a
daughter and with this role, there
are certain role expectations, i.e.
including the behaviour expected of
someone in a particular role. As a
daughter or a son, you are
expected to respect elders, listen to
them, and be responsible towards
your studies.
2. Norms
• They are expected standards of
behaviour and beliefs established,
agreed upon, and enforced by group
members.
• They may be considered as a group's
'unspoken rules’.
• In your family, there are norms that
guide the behaviour of family
members.
• These norms represent shared ways
of viewing the world.
3. Status
• It refers to the relative social position given to
group members by others.
• This relative position or status may be
1. ascribed (given may be because of one's
seniority)
2. achieved (the person has achieved status
because of expertise or hard work).
• By being members of the group, we enjoy the
status associated with that group.
• All of us, therefore, strive to be members of
such groups which are high in status or are
viewed favourably by others.
• Even within a group different members have
different prestige and status. For example, the
captain of a cricket team has a higher status
compared to the other members, although all
are equally important for the team's success.
4. Cohesiveness
• It refers to togetherness, binding, or mutual attraction among group members.
• As the group becomes more cohesive, group members start to think, feel and
act as a social unit, and less like isolated individuals.
• Members of a highly cohesive group have a greater desire to remain in the
group in comparison to those who belong to low cohesive groups.
• Cohesiveness refers to the team spirit or 'we feeling' or a sense of
belongingness to the group.
• It is difficult to leave a cohesive group or to gain membership a group that is
highly cohesive.
• Extreme cohesiveness however, may sometimes not be in a group's interest.
• Groupthink (see Box 7.1) is a consequence of extreme cohesiveness.
TYPE OF GROUPS
Groups differ in many respects; some have/are
• number of members (e.g., a country)
• small (e.g., a family)
• short-lived (e.g., a committee)
• remain together for many years (e.g., religious groups)
• highly organised (e.g., army, police, etc.),
• informally organised (e.g., spectators of a match).

Major types of groups are enumerated below :

1. Primary and Secondary groups
2. formal and Informal groups
3. Ingroup and Outgroup.
1. Primary and Secondary Groups
S.N Primary Groups Secondary Groups
o
1. Pre-existing formations which are usually Those which the individual joins by
given to the individual choice
2. Example - family, caste, and religion Example- membership of a political
party
3. There is a face-to-face interaction, Relationships among members are
members have close physical proximity, more impersonal, indirect, and less
and they share warm emotional bonds frequent
4. Central to individual’s functioning and -
have a very major role in developing
values and ideals of the individual during
the early stages of development
5. Boundaries are less permeable, i.e. Easy to leave and join another group.
members do not have the option to
choose its membership
2. Formal and Informal Groups Formal Groups
• The functions are explicitly stated as in the
case of an office organisation.
• The roles to be performed by group members
explicitly stated.

These groups differ • The formation of formal groups is based on

some specific rules or laws and members have
1. in the degree to which
definite roles.
the functions of the
group are stated • There are a set of norms which help in
explicitly and formally. establishing order.
2. on the basis of structure • A university is an example of a formal group.
Informal Groups
• The formation of informal groups is not based
on rules or laws
• There is close relationship among members.
Ingroup and Outgroup
• Individuals also compare the group they
belong to with groups of which they are not a
member.

S.No Ingroup Outgroup

1. refers to one's own group refers to another group
2. For ingroup members, we use the For outgroup members, the word 'they' is
word 'we’ – By this we categorise used- By this we categorise people as
people as similar different
3. Persons in the ingroup are Members of the outgroup are viewed
generally supposed to be similar, differently and are often perceived
are viewed favourably, and have negatively in comparison to the ingroup
desirable traits members.

Perceptions of ingroup and outgroup affect our social lives.

These differences can be easily understood by studying Tajfel's experiments
given in Box 7.2.
Although it is common to make these categorisations, it should be
appreciated that these categories are not real and are created by
us.

In some cultures, plurality is celebrated as has been the case in

India. We have a unique composite culture which is reflected not
only in the lives we live, but also in our art, architecture, and
music.
INFLUENCE OF GROUP ON INDIVIDUAL
BEHAVIOUR
Social Loafing
• About Social Loafing
• Experiment Demonstrating Social Loafing
• Why Does Social Loafing Occur?
• Social Loading may be reduced by?
We have seen that groups are powerful as they are able to influence the behaviour of
individuals. What is the nature of this influence? What impact does the presence of
others have on our performance?

We will discuss two situations :

(i) Social Facilitation- an individual performing an activity alone in the presence

of others
(ii) Social Loafing- an individual performing an activity along with the others as
part of a larger group

(Since social facilitation has been briefly discussed in Chapter 6, we would try to
understand the phenomenon of social loafing in this section)
Social facilitation research suggests that
• presence of others leads to arousal and
can motivate individuals to enhance
their performance if they are already
good at solving something.
• This enhancement occurs when a
person’s efforts are individually
evaluated.

What would happen if efforts of an individual in a group are pooled so that you look at the
performance of the group as a whole? Do you know what often happens?
It has been found that individuals work less hard in a group than they do when
performing alone. This points to a phenomenon referred to as ‘social loafing’.

Social loafing is a reduction in individual effort

when working on a collective task, i.e. one in
which outputs are pooled with those of other
group members.
Example- game of tug-of-war. It is not possible
for you to identify how much force each member
of the team has been exerting. Such situations
give opportunities to group members to relax
and become a free rider.
Experiment Demonstrating
Social Loafing

Latane and his associates asked a group of

male students to clap or cheer as loudly as
possible as they (experimenters) were
interested in knowing how much noise people
make in social settings.
They varied the group size; individuals were
either alone, or in groups of two, four and six.
The results of the study showed that
although the total amount of noise rose up,
as size increased, the amount of noise
produced by each participant dropped.
In other words, each participant put in
less effort as the group size increased.
Why does social loafing occur?

1. Group members feel less responsible for the overall task being performed and
therefore exert less effort.
2. Motivation of members decreases because they realise that their contributions
will not be evaluated on individual basis.
3. The performance of the group is not to be compared with other groups.
4. There is an improper coordination (or no coordination) among members.
5. Belonging to the same group is not important for members. It is only an
aggregate of individuals.
Social loafing may be reduced by:

1. Making the efforts of each person identifiable.

2. Increasing the pressure to work hard (making group members committed to
successful task performance).
3. Increasing the apparent importance or value of a task.
4. Making people feel that their individual contribution is important.
5. Strengthening group cohesiveness which increases the motivation for
successful group outcome.
Group Polarisation
• About Group Polarisation
• Why Does Group Polarisation Occur?
We all know that important decisions are taken by groups and not by individuals
alone.
Example, a decision is to be taken whether a school has to be established in a
village. Such a decision has to be a group decision.

We have also seen that when groups take decisions, the below can occur
1. Groupthink
2. Group Polarisation
Group Polarisation
It has been found that groups are more likely to take extreme decisions than
individuals alone.
Example- Suppose there is an employee who has been caught taking bribe or
engaging in some other unethical act. Her/his colleagues are asked to decide on what
punishment s/he should be given. They may let her/him go scot-free or decide to
terminate her/his services instead of imposing a punishment which may be
commensurate with the unethical act s/he had engaged in. Whatever the initial
position in the group, this position becomes much stronger as a result of discussions in
the group.

• This strengthening of the group’s initial position

as a result of group interaction and discussion is
referred to as group polarisation.
• This may sometimes have dangerous repercussions as
groups may take extreme positions, i.e. from very weak
to very strong decisions.
Why does group polarisation occur?

Let us take an example whether capital punishment should be there. Suppose you
favour capital punishment for heinous crimes, what would happen if you were
interacting with and discussing this issue with like-minded people? After this
interaction, your views may become stronger. This firm conviction is because of the
following three reasons:

1. In the company of like-minded people, you are likely to hear newer arguments
favouring your viewpoints. This will make you more favourable towards capital
punishment.
2. When you find others also favouring capital punishment, you feel that this view
is validated by the public. This is a sort of bandwagon effect.
3. When you find people having similar views, you are likely to perceive them as
ingroup. You start identifying with the group, begin showing conformity, and as
a consequence your views become strengthened.