Sociocultural Level of Analysis

Studying the way people relate to others.

Attitude AttractionAggression

Group Behavior

• Outline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

Principle 1:Human beings are social animals with a basic need to belong.

This means that they are motivated to have important relationships with other people. Outline the principles that define the

sociocultural level of analysis.

Conformity Studies• Adjusting one’s

behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.

Outline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

Asch’s Study of Conformity

Outline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

Solomon Asch and his Conformity Studies

Aim: • Investigate the existence of conformityProcedure• Subject was placed into a room with 6

confederates and the experimenter.• Subject was deceived that the 6 confederates

were participants just like them.• The subject was placed on the second last

seat so they will be the second last to give an answer.

• Confederates were instructed to answer correctly on some of the cards but answer incorrectly for most. Outline the principles that define the

sociocultural level of analysis.

Asch’s Results• 75% conformed at least once

to the wrong answer• 32% conformed to more than

half of the wrong answers• 24% did not conform at allTo strengthen conformity:• The group is unanimous• The group is at least three

people.• One admires the group’s status• One had made no prior

commitmentOutline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

Evaluation of Asch• Ecological validity: Low, lab

conditions.• Controlled environment removed

confounding variables.• Meaningless stimuli.• Gender bias, only male

participants were used.• Culture bias, only population of

the US were used.• Cannot be generalized to all

population.• Ethics: Deception, but subjects

were debriefed.

Outline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

Principle 2:Culture influences human behavior.

This means that humans create and shape culture and they are influenced by their culture.Cultural norms provide general prescriptions for behaviors that are expected in a given culture or society.

Outline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

What are some of our group norms?

At School: At Home:

Outline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

Breaking a Group/Social Norm

• How does it feel to break a group norm?

• Who feels more uncomfortable…the breaker or the person breaking it?

• Can you create a new group norm?

Outline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

Ok…give me an example that culture influences our behavior.

• Berry (1967) took the Asch experiment and wanted to see if it worked across cultures.

• In other words….does culture affect our willingness to conform?

Outline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

Berry (1967)

Temne in Sierra Leone (Africa)• Agricultural economy• Based of cooperation• Strict child rearing practices

focusing on obedience

Inuits of Baffin Island (Canada)

• Hunters and often hunt alone

• Need to make decisions for themselves

• Teach self-reliance to their children

Who do you think conformed to Asch’s study less?

Outline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

Principle 3:Humans have a social self which reflects their group memberships.

Group memberships give rise to social identities and comparison with other groupsThis might lead to bias in information processing like stereotyping and discrimination.

Outline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

Social Identity Theory (SIT)

• Tajfel and Turner (1979)• Suggests that group

based social identities are based on categorization into groups.

• Ingroups and outgroups

Outline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

Stereotypes, Prejudice and Discrimination

Stereotype:• Overgeneralized idea

about a group of people.Prejudice:• Undeserved (usually

negative) attitude towards a group of people. Ethnocentrism is an example of a prejudice.

Discrimination:• An action based on a

prejudice.Outline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

Combating PrejudiceContact Theory• Contact between hostile groups will reduce

animosity if they are made to work towards a superordinate goal.

• Sherif camp study

Outline the principles that define the sociocultural level of analysis.

Principle 4:People's view of the world are resistant to change

.