Class 12 Psychology - TAMILNADU
Social Influence and Group Processes
The Chapter 'Social Influence and Group Processes' in Tamil Nadu Class 12 Psychology explores how human behaviour, thoughts, and feelings are shaped by the presence and actions of others. Students learn about social norms, conformity, compliance, obedience, and the functioning of groups. Key topics include group formation, structure, cooperation, competition, and group polarization. This chapter is vital for understanding group dynamics in everyday life. For the board exams, it is a high-scoring section that frequently features in both objective and descriptive questions, testing the student's conceptual clarity and ability to apply psychological principles to social situations.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Social Influence
The process by which an individual's attitudes, beliefs, or actions are modified by the presence or action of others.
Conformity
A type of social influence involving a change in belief or behaviour in order to fit in with a group or social norm.
Obedience
A form of social influence where an individual acts in response to a direct order from an authority figure, often studied through Milgram's classic experiments.
Group Polarization
The tendency for a group to make decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclinations of its individual members.
Social Facilitation
The tendency for people to perform differently (often better on simple tasks) when in the presence of others compared to when alone.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Tamil Nadu (Samacheer Kalvi) Class 12 Psychology board exam, this chapter typically carries around 8 to 12 marks. Questions commonly include 1-mark objective questions, short answers on concepts like conformity and obedience, and detailed essay questions on group processes and experiments.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between conformity and obedience?
Conformity involves changing your behaviour to match group norms without any explicit order, usually driven by the desire to fit in. Obedience involves changing your behaviour in direct response to a command from an authority figure.
Why does social loafing happen in groups?
Social loafing occurs because individuals feel less accountable for their output when working in a group, believing that their personal contribution cannot be easily evaluated.
What is Asch's experiment about?
Solomon Asch's experiment demonstrated the power of conformity, showing that individuals would often give an obviously incorrect answer to match the unanimous wrong answers of the rest of the group.
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