Understanding human behaviour isn't just about individual psychology - it's... Show more
Psychology137 views·Updated May 20, 2026·2 pagesKey Social Terms for Exam Success
safurah <3@safurah_xo
1
of 2
The Social Approach: Key Assumptions and Conformity
The social approach is built on two fundamental ideas that explain why we act differently around others. First, behaviour occurs in a social context - meaning the people around you directly influence how you think and act. Second, wider culture and society shape individual behaviour in ways you might not even realise.
Conformity is basically changing your behaviour, attitudes, or beliefs to fit in with a group. It happens through two main types of social influence: normative social influence (conforming to be accepted and belong) and informational social influence (looking to others for guidance about what's correct or appropriate).
There are three levels of conformity that show how deeply social pressure affects us. Compliance is the most basic - you go along publicly but don't actually change your private beliefs. Identification means temporarily adopting a group's behaviours to be a member. Internalisation is the deepest level, where you permanently change your beliefs and attitudes to align with the group.
Quick Tip: Remember conformity levels by thinking C-I-I: Compliance (surface), Identification (temporary), Internalisation (permanent).
2
of 2
Social Groups and Personal Identity
Social psychology divides people into in-groups (people from your social group) and out-groups (people from different social groups). This social categorisation process leads to stereotypes - oversimplified beliefs about particular groups of people that can fuel prejudice and discrimination.
Group dynamics and group cohesion explain what keeps social groups connected and functioning. Groups work effectively when members have defined roles, share common goals, and maintain strong bonds. However, highly cohesive groups can fall into groupthink - prioritising agreement over critical thinking, which often leads to poor decisions.
Social facilitation shows how being around others can actually improve your performance on tasks you're already good at. This connects to how social situations affect your sense of self, including self-concept (how you see yourself overall), self-esteem (how much you value yourself), and self-efficacy (your belief in your ability to succeed at specific tasks).
Remember: Your performance can actually improve in front of others - but only for tasks you've already mastered!
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Psychology137 views·Updated May 20, 2026·2 pagesKey Social Terms for Exam Success
safurah <3@safurah_xo
Understanding human behaviour isn't just about individual psychology - it's heavily shaped by the people around us and the society we live in. The social approach in psychology explores how our thoughts, feelings, and actions are influenced by social contexts,... Show more
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The Social Approach: Key Assumptions and Conformity
The social approach is built on two fundamental ideas that explain why we act differently around others. First, behaviour occurs in a social context - meaning the people around you directly influence how you think and act. Second, wider culture and society shape individual behaviour in ways you might not even realise.
Conformity is basically changing your behaviour, attitudes, or beliefs to fit in with a group. It happens through two main types of social influence: normative social influence (conforming to be accepted and belong) and informational social influence (looking to others for guidance about what's correct or appropriate).
There are three levels of conformity that show how deeply social pressure affects us. Compliance is the most basic - you go along publicly but don't actually change your private beliefs. Identification means temporarily adopting a group's behaviours to be a member. Internalisation is the deepest level, where you permanently change your beliefs and attitudes to align with the group.
Quick Tip: Remember conformity levels by thinking C-I-I: Compliance (surface), Identification (temporary), Internalisation (permanent).
2
of 2Sign up to see the content. It's free!
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Social Groups and Personal Identity
Social psychology divides people into in-groups (people from your social group) and out-groups (people from different social groups). This social categorisation process leads to stereotypes - oversimplified beliefs about particular groups of people that can fuel prejudice and discrimination.
Group dynamics and group cohesion explain what keeps social groups connected and functioning. Groups work effectively when members have defined roles, share common goals, and maintain strong bonds. However, highly cohesive groups can fall into groupthink - prioritising agreement over critical thinking, which often leads to poor decisions.
Social facilitation shows how being around others can actually improve your performance on tasks you're already good at. This connects to how social situations affect your sense of self, including self-concept (how you see yourself overall), self-esteem (how much you value yourself), and self-efficacy (your belief in your ability to succeed at specific tasks).
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