sociocultural approach

• Social identity theory


  assumes that a person has several social identities that help them belong to a group of people (group membership) and allow them to feel valued. gives them a sense of who they are and belonging. develops social identity based on group membership
• Stages of social identity theory


  social categorization, social identification, social comparison and positive distinctiveness
• Social categorization


  division of people into in-group and out-group
• Social identity


  identifying yourself with a particular group → developing sense of belonging + conformity
• Social comparison


  comparing in-group to out group to find things that make in-group seem better - boost self esteem
• Positive distinctiveness


  discriminating against out-group and thinking in-group is superior + verbal and non verbal cues to create seem increasing positive image for ingroup
• study for social identity theory


  Stanford prison experiment
• Stanford prison experiment - psychologist, aim, participants, date

  Psychologist: Philip Zimbardo

  Aim: to explore social identity theory

  Participants: 22 males

  When: 1971
• Stanford prison experiment - procedure

  22 males, after being psychologically assessed, were selected based on mental stability, maturity and social ability and randomly assigned warden or prisoner

  
  

  Prisoners - had to sign a document which claimed that they knew their human rights would be violated, were paid 15$ a day to participate, taken from their homes to a police station to be doused, stripped and put in prison clothes, had to work 24 hours a day w rest and meals → acted like a prisoner

  
  

  Warden - were given uniforms, told to reinforce order but not to cause any physical or mental harm, worked for 8 hours
• Stanford prison experiment - results, conclusion

  results - the trial ended early (at day 6 instead of day 14) because the wardens and prisoners were having abnormal reactions

  
  

  Prisoners - were crying, had anxiety attacks, wanted to leave and were allowed to go, all but 2 agreed to leave without the money if they were allowed to go, very submissive and scared, experimenters proposed that these behaviours were results of the loss of personal identity, dependency and learned helplessness.

  
  

  Warden - became hungry and high on the power, treated prisoners horribly with no actual reason, gave punishments even when no crimes were committed, disappointed that the trial had to end, dehumanising the prisoners, even though not all guards were being inhumane they were not stopped.

  
  

  conclusion - showed social identity theory as they fit in their roles seamlessly → displaying categorisation and development of identity in both groups
• Social cognitive theory


  assumes that people learn from the world around them through observational learning / modelling + imitating behaviours.

  → models and modelling can be direct or indirect
• socialisation


  things that people need to learn to live/function in a society/culture → called social / culture learning (learning and internalising the social and cultural norms and values)
• SCT Cognitive factors

  cannot occur if cognitive processes are at work + individuals don't automatically imitate behaviour
• Stages of modelling


  Attention - pay attention to the model

  Retention - remembering the behaviour displayed by the model

  Reproduction - replicating the behaviour displayed by the model - Learner must be mentally and physically able to replicate the behaviours

  Motivation - leaner wants to replicate the behaviour and is aware of the potential consequences

  
  

  *Self efficacy - the belief that one is capable of carrying out an action based on previous experiences
• Self efficacy


  the belief that one is capable of carrying out an action based on previous experiences
• factors affecting motivation


  High self-efficacy - self-confidence

  Vicarious reinforcement - a person is more likely to replicate behaviour that they are rewarded for rather than a behaviour that they are punished for

  Reliability of the model - observer can relate to the model e.g. age, gender, nationality

  Likeability of the model - behaviour is more likely to be replicated if the model is nice

  Consistency - the model is consistent with the behaviour making it easier for observer to copy
• Reciprocal determinism


  the environment affects one's behaviour and one's behaviour affects the environment
• study for social cognitive theory


  bandura et al
• bandura et al - psychologist, aim, participants, date

  Psychologist: Bandura et al.

  Aim: To investigate whether behaviour is learnt through observational learning and if children are more likely to imitate same sex models

  Participants: children - 72 - 36 boys and 36 girls - ages 3 to 6

  When: 1961
• bandura et al - procedure

  Children were divided into 3 groups based on aggression

  Group 1 - showed aggressive model who kicked, beat and screamed at bobo doll

  Group 2 - showed model that didn't play with the doll

  Group 3 - didn't see a model - control group

  
  

  After 10 minutes, they were put into a room full of toys but soon taken away by saying that the toys in the room were not for them to play with to evoke feelings of frustration and anger. They were observed behind a one way mirror.
• bandura et al - results, conclusion

  results - children shown the aggressive model modelled their behaviour and were more aggressive, showing signs of observational learning. Boys were more prone to physical violence and girls were more prone to verbal violence - when girls were physical with the bobo doll the were discouraged by the boys showing that kids are more likely to imitate same sex models.

  conclusion - the children showed signs of observational learning.
• Stereotypes


  generalised image made on a set of assumptions based off of one experience with a member of a group - usually negative but can be positive
• Formation of stereotypes


  Grain of truth hypothesis

  Social identity theory

  Illusory correlation - confirmation bias

  Gatekeepers
• Stereotype threat


  occurs when someone is in the situation where there is a threat of being judged stereotypically or being in a situation that may prove a negative stereotype right
• Spotlight anxiety


  turned on by stereotype threat → undermines your performance by causing emotional stress and pressure
• study for setreotypes


  Steele and Aronson
• Steele and Aronson - psychologist, aim, participants, when


  Psychologist: Steele and Aronson

  Aim: to investigate the effect of stereotype threat on African Americans

  Participants: 115 black and white americans

  When: 1995
• Steele and Aronson - procedure

  they did a 30 minute standardised test in which they were first told that (experimental) the test calculated their intellectual ability whereas in the second group, the test was just a simple test.
• Steele and Aronson - results, conclusion


  results - black students did worse on the first test but just as well as the white kids on the second. researchers claim that being told that the diagnostic test was a reflection on their intellectual ability turned on the stereotype of black people being dumber and therefore caused them to do badly on the first test.

  conclusion - The study demonstrates that Stereotype threat can influence performance related behaviour.
• Enculturation


  process of learning behaviours, traits, values and skills of your original culture, learnt from parents, teacher and peers in order to participate in original culture
• types of enculturation


  Informal enculturation - learning how to function in your family, the skills, behaviours, values and morals of your family + language

  Formal enculturation - learning how to fit in, the values, morals and social etiquette of society + education (taught in school)
• acculturation


  process of learning behaviours, traits, morals and values of another culture and interacting with cultural group + process by which people change by interaction with people of new culture in order to integrate into new culture
• Strategies for acculturation


  Integration - adopting values and norms of the new culture while also maintaining values of your original culture

  Separation - retaining values of your original culture while not adapting to the new culture

  Assimilation - adopting values of the new culture and not maintaining those of your old culture

  Marginalisation - not adopting values of your new culture nor your original culture
• attitudes toward acculturation


  degree of individuals desire to keep old culture

  degree to which individual wants to adapt to new culture