MCAT® ExamPsychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of BehaviorEasy
A group of friends goes to a concert. During the performance, one friend starts dancing wildly, even though they are usually reserved in public. When asked why, they explain that 'everyone else was doing it.' This change in behavior is best explained by which of the following social psychological phenomena?
- AGroup polarization
- BDeindividuation
- CSocial loafing
- DBystander effect
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Deindividuation
Deindividuation is a psychological state in which an individual loses self-awareness and self-restraint when in a group, often leading to uncharacteristic behavior. The concert setting, with a large crowd and reduced personal accountability, facilitates this.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Group polarization describes the tendency for groups to make decisions that are more extreme than the initial inclination of its members.
- C. Social loafing is the tendency for individuals to exert less effort when working in a group than when working alone.
- D. The bystander effect is the phenomenon where individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present.
Deindividuation
The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint occurring in group situations that foster arousal and anonymity. It can lead to uninhibited, impulsive, and sometimes antisocial behavior.
- Occurs in large groups or crowds.
- Involves reduced self-awareness and personal accountability.
- Can lead to behavior uncharacteristic of the individual.
- Often associated with anonymity and arousal.
Memory trick: Crowd's Control: Conforming, Deviating, Daring.