Social psychologists have done experiments on the impact that groups have on an individual’s behavior. Discuss the importance of social psychology and how the field helps to explain and individual’s behavior in certain social situations. Explain how Jim Jones and the People’s temple impacted the study and growth of Social Psychology. Include findings and theories that have been written to help explain this social experiment.
Social Concepts: Conformity, diffusion of Responsibility, Self-Serving Bias, Self-Fulfilling Prophecy, Attribution theory, discrimination . Jonestown and Social Psychology Essay Discussion Paper
Jonestown and Social Psychology
Social psychologists have done experiments on the impact that groups have on an individual’s behavior. Discuss the importance of social psychology and how the field helps to explain and individual’s behavior in certain social situations.
Social psychology is a broad subcategory of psychology that is concerned with self-perception as well as behavioral interplay within the society. In fact, it is the study of how the behavior of an individual or group influences the behavior and presence of others. As a broad psychology subcategory, social psychology focuses on understanding how and why the actions and perceptions of individuals and groups are influenced by environmental factors, particularly the social interactions. It explains how social influences affect how people act, feel and think. The way an individual perceives himself/herself in relation to the rest of the work has an influence on beliefs, behaviors and choices. Conversely, the opinions of others have an impact on an individual’s behavior and self-perception (Hewstone & Stroebe, 2020).
Social psychology addresses social problems concerned with: how an individual alters decisions and thoughts based on social interactions; how human behavior accurately indicates personality; how much social behavior is goal oriented; how social perception influences behavior; and how potentially destructive social attitudes are formed, such as prejudice. In addressing these concerns, individuals are able to understand why they think and act differently among strangers when compared to among friends. Overall, social psychology is broadly concerned with the way the society shapes and is shaped by human behavior with a focus on individuals within a group (Hewstone & Stroebe, 2020).
Given the presented understanding of social psychology, it is clear that experiments by social psychologists focus on studying individual psychology origins in the functioning, structure and development of social groups. The starting point of social psychology is sociality, specifically the interplay among different groups of people and how they affect the course of civilization. In using sociology results, a psychologist can extend to understand how an individual is affected by the group dynamic over the course of a lifetime (Hewstone & Stroebe, 2020).
BUY A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE
Today, social psychology has group to touch on every facet of human personality to understand the psychological influence of human interaction and perception. In fact, it covers seven main areas. Firstly, prejudice in terms of what causes an individual to harbor prejudice against members of a different social group, how stereotypes help to build perception, and how prejudice presents differently from discrimination. Secondly, conformity in terms of what is the difference between internal conformity and outward conformity, how an individual decides to accept influence from a group or another individual, and what prompts an individual to change perceptions to match another person or a group. Thirdly, non-verbal behavior in terms of what emotions do hand gestures, facial expressions and other non-verbal behaviors communicate, how non-verbal cues are developed and interpreted, and what non-linguistic actions communicate meaning or thought. Fourthly, group behavior in terms of why do individuals gravitate towards a particular group, what dictates a group structure, how many people constitute a group, and what characteristics do groups share. Fifthly, social perception in terms of what is the difference between the categorical self and existential self-, how environmental factors shape self-perception, and how an individual develops self-perception. Sixthly, aggression in terms of the role of aggression in self-preservation, what triggers habitual aggressive behavior, and what defines aggressive behavior. Finally, leadership in terms of how leaders exercise influence on individuals and groups, the role of a leader within a group, and the personality traits that define a leader (Deaux & Snyder, 2019).
Overall, social psychology has an important function in understanding the interactive aspects of the social life of an individual and the environments in which that individual exists, which can affect his/her personality and interactions. As such, it helps in understanding and guiding individuals and studying the various responses within the community. For instance, a nurse needs to analyze the patient and family members’ personalities and their interdependence and understand the relationships between them, and the strategies that fit the mechanisms and patterns to convince them for a particular nursing care plan, in addition to the partnership among themselves and competition and cooperation and behaviors based on their presence within the family as a group (Deaux & Snyder, 2019).
Explain how Jim Jones and the People’s temple impacted the study and growth of Social Psychology. Include findings and theories that have been written to help explain this social experiment.
The Jonestown event involved a mass suicide of People’s Temple. In that event, Jim Jones as the Guyanese community group leader ordered that nearly 1,000 people drink lethal cyanide punch while others were shot to death. This event that occurred on 18th November, 1978, resulted in the death of 912 people. The group was formed to seek paradise and an escape from perceived persecution and racism in the USA. Accounts from those who escaped from the community reveals that the conditions in Jonestown were akin to a concentration camp with the community members expected to work long hours with little food and much abuse (Guinn, 2018).
The Jonestown event is of interest to social psychologists because they seek to understand how Jim Jones was able to command that level of influence over the actions and thoughts of the community members. Some of the lessons that social psychologists have derived from the event are that leaders can apply social influence and situational power, and that this power can be used to destructively manipulate the behaviors of others. Also, the event has presented lessons ho how cult leaders apply mind control techniques, particularly sophisticated types of obedience, conformity and compliance training. In addition, the event has presented significant ethical questions for social psychologists, particularly ethical ramifications of their practices and principles being used for bad by leaders. This is seen when Jones distorted the perception of his followers, practiced suicide drills, applied self-incrimination, and applied big-brother is watching approach. In using these mind control technologies, Jones applied social psychology concepts and principles to gain the loyalty and obedience of his followers. Through these lessons, greater social awareness can be built to avoid similar events from occurring in the future (Myers, Abell & Sani, 2021).
References
Deaux, K., & Snyder, M. (Eds.) (2019). The Oxford Handbook of Personality and Social Psychology (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.
Guinn, J. (2018). The Road to Jonestown: Jim Jones and Peoples Temple. Simon & Schuster.
Hewstone, M., & Stroebe, W. (Eds.) (2020). An Introduction to Social Psychology (7th ed.). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Myers, D., Abell, J., & Sani, F. (2021). Social Psychology (3rd ed.). McGraw Hill.