Topic 5: Social Influence – Issues and Debates: Social and Cultural Issues
Welcome to the "big picture" part of Psychology! So far in Topic 5: Social Influence, you have looked at how individuals are affected by those around them—why we obey, why we conform, and why we sometimes walk past someone in need. But now, we need to step back and look at the world around us. In this chapter, we explore how the "where" and the "who" of our lives (our society and culture) change the way we behave.
Don’t worry if these terms seem a bit broad at first. We will break them down into simple definitions and link them directly to the social influence concepts you already know.
1. Key Definitions: The "Big Three"
To understand this debate, you need to be able to define and use three specific terms. Think of these as the building blocks for your exam answers.
A. Society
A society is a large group of people who live together in a specific community and share common laws, traditions, and organizations. You can think of a society as the "structure" we live in. It includes our government, our legal system, and our schools.
Example: The UK society has specific laws about obedience to the police and rules about how we should behave in public crowds.
B. Social Issues
Social issues are problems or concerns that affect many people within a society. These are often topics that people have strong opinions about and that psychologists try to solve to make the world a better place.
Example: If many people in a city are showing anti-social behaviour during a riot, that is a major social issue. Another example is the bystander effect in big cities—why don't people help each other in emergencies?
C. Culture
Culture refers to the shared beliefs, values, customs, and practices of a particular group of people. While society is about the structure (laws/community), culture is more about the "vibe" or the mindset of the group—what they think is right, wrong, or normal.
Example: In some cultures, respecting elders and obeying authority figures is seen as the most important value. In other cultures, being an individual and standing out from the majority influence is more highly valued.
2. Explaining Social Influence through these Issues
How do these terms help us understand the core topics of Social Influence? Let’s look at the connections.
Culture and Conformity
Psychologists have found that conformity (changing your behavior to fit in with a group) isn't the same everywhere.
- In some cultures, people are more likely to conform because they value the group over the individual.
- In other cultures, people might resist majority influence because they were raised to be independent.
Society and Obedience
Our society teaches us from a young age who the authority figures are. We are socialized to obey people in uniforms (like the guards in the Haney, Banks, and Zimbardo (1973) study). A social issue arises when people show "blind obedience"—obeying orders that are harmful or wrong just because a society tells them that the person in charge has power.
Social Issues and Bystander Intervention
The bystander effect is a massive social issue. Psychologists like Piliavin et al. (1969) studied situational factors to see if people would help a victim on a subway. If a society has a high level of "diffusion of responsibility" (where everyone thinks someone else will help), it becomes a major problem for the safety of everyone in that community.
3. Why This Debate Matters
When we look at social and cultural issues, we are asking a very important question: Is human behavior the same everywhere, or is it shaped by our environment?
If we find that deindividuation (losing your sense of self in a crowd) happens in every single culture on Earth, then it might be a "natural" human trait. However, if some cultures handle crowd behaviour more peacefully than others, then we know that society and culture play a huge role in how we act.
Quick Review: Summary Table
Use this table to keep your definitions clear in your mind:
| Term | Simple Meaning | Link to Social Influence |
| Society | The community and its rules/laws. | Influences who we see as authority figures to obey. |
| Social Issues | Problems affecting many people. | Includes anti-social behaviour or the bystander effect. |
| Culture | Shared beliefs and values of a group. | Determines how much we conform to the majority. |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Confusing Society and Culture: Remember, society is the "where" (the group and its laws), while culture is the "how" (the beliefs and way of life). They overlap, but they aren't exactly the same!
2. Forgetting the Context: In your exam, don't just define these terms. Always link them back to Topic 5. Mention things like blind obedience, pro-social behaviour, or situational factors to show you understand how they fit into the Social Influence curriculum.
3. Ignoring the Positive: We often talk about "social issues" as problems (like riots), but remember that pro-social behaviour (helping others) is also a key part of this topic and can be encouraged by a healthy culture!
Key Takeaway: Our behaviour is not just about our own personality; it is deeply influenced by the society we live in, the social issues we face, and the culture we are raised in. Understanding this helps psychologists find ways to prevent blind obedience and encourage people to help one another.