![]() But should they be rejected by a group, they feel unhappy, helpless, and depressed. People who are accepted members of a group tend to feel happier and more satisfied. For example, college students often feel homesick and lonely when they first start college, but not if they belong to a cohesive, socially satisfying group ( Buote et al., 2007). People respond negatively when their need to belong is unfulfilled. The majority, ranging from 50% to 80%, reported regularly doing things in groups, such as attending a sports event together, visiting one another for the evening, sharing a meal together, or going out as a group to see a movie ( Putnam, 2000). When surveyed, 87.3% of Americans reported that they lived with other people, including family members, partners, and roommates ( Davis & Smith, 2007). And most of us satisfy this need by joining groups. As Roy Baumeister and Mark Leary conclude, humans have a need to belong: “a pervasive drive to form and maintain at least a minimum quantity of lasting, positive, and impactful interpersonal relationships” ( 1995, p. Īcross individuals, societies, and even eras, humans consistently seek inclusion over exclusion, membership over isolation, and acceptance over rejection. The Need to Belong The need to belong is a strong psychological motivation. Even though people are capable of living separate and apart from others, they join with others because groups meet their psychological and social needs. Like Ralph Waldo Emerson, they avow, “I must be myself. Many people loudly proclaim their autonomy and independence. Researchers have asked many questions about people and groups: Do people work as hard as they can when they are in groups? Are groups more cautious than individuals? Do groups make wiser decisions than single individuals? In many cases the answers are not what common sense and folk wisdom might suggest. What accounts for this marked gregariousness and what does it say about our psychological makeup? The module then reviews some of the key findings from studies of groups. It begins with a basic question: What is the psychological significance of groups? People are, undeniably, more often in groups rather than alone. This module examines the psychology of groups and group membership. Many psychologists focus their attention on single individuals, but social psychologists expand their analysis to include groups, organizations, communities, and even cultures. Most of us live out our lives in groups, and these groups have a profound impact on our thoughts, feelings, and actions. The lone individual who is cut off from all groups is a rarity. Psychologists study groups because nearly all human activities-working, learning, worshiping, relaxing, playing, and even sleeping-occur in groups. The Psychology of Groups How many groups are you a part of on a daily basis? Whether it’s family, class, work, social, sports, church or other areas, we typically spend a good deal of our time and attention each day interacting with others in groups. Develop a list of recommendations that, if followed, would minimize the possibility of groupthink developing in a group.List and discuss the factors that facilitate and impede group performance and decision making.Apply the theory of groupthink to a well-known decision-making group, such as the group of advisors responsible for planning the Bay of Pigs operation.Summarize the methods used by Latané, Williams, and Harkins to identify the relative impact of social loafing and coordination problems on group performance.Use theories of social facilitation to predict when a group will perform tasks slowly or quickly (e.g., students eating a meal as a group, workers on an assembly line, or a study group).Compare the sociometer model of self-esteem to a more traditional view of self-esteem. ![]() Review the evidence that suggests humans have a fundamental need to belong to groups.People also turn to groups when important decisions must be made, and this choice is justified as long as groups avoid such problems as group polarization and groupthink. Success sometimes eludes our groups, but when group members learn to work together as a cohesive team their success becomes more certain. Groups are also practically significant, for much of the world’s work is done by groups rather than by individuals. Joining groups satisfies our need to belong, gain information and understanding through social comparison, define our sense of self and social identity, and achieve goals that might elude us if we worked alone. Just as each of us influences the group and the people in the group, so, too, do groups change each one of us. Each of us is an autonomous individual seeking our own objectives, yet we are also members of groups-groups that constrain us, guide us, and sustain us. This module assumes that a thorough understanding of people requires a thorough understanding of groups.
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