Social Influences on Behavior

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Social Influences on Behavior By: Sara Tinker PSY-300 November 28, 2011 Dan Erickson Social psychology, a combination of psychology and sociology, is the study of the influence on individual behavior brought by the actual, imaginary, or implied presence of others (Gergen & Gergen, 2011). Such influence can alter or enhance one’s own beliefs and actions. Humans are inheritably social creatures often seeking others to fill the need to be loved or praised and in some cases to be different or seek motivation. The need and existence of these emotions and feelings can create positive or negative behavioral changes. Such behaviors can be seen every day in athletic events or in political topics such as homo-sexuality. In each motivation, there can be factors that cause these actions as well as the need to fit into a certain group. Fear of losing friends, family and fans is also a shared factor of the two. In athletics it could also be an individual’s effort to seek praise or idolization. These factors are created or exist with the mental or physical presence of others, and with these factors creates stories of extraordinary performances, failed success stories, stories of heart break and stories of acceptance. Through the studies of Dr. Kurt Lewin ( group dynamics and Lewin’s Field Law) and Dr. Yerkes Dodson (Dodson’s Law Theory of social facilitation) we can learn, understand and interpret these behavioral changes (Snyder, 2009) (Calabrese, 2008). Social influence can be brought on by the actual, imaginary, or implied presence of others. The actual presence of people is simply the people around you, family, friends, co-workers, fans, and people of similar interest groups. Imaginary or implied presence can be experienced through television, an imaginary audience created in one’s mind to create a staged atmosphere or by following a cultural norm.
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