SOCPSY 1Z03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Role Theory, Symbolic Integration, Human Nature
14 Jan 2017
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Theoretical Perspectives
-general explanations for a wide array of social behaviours in a variety of situations
-provide a frame of reference for interpreting and comparing a wide range of social situations
and behaviours
-social psychology investigates the five following theoretical perspectives: wed
1. role theory
2. reinforcement theory
3. cognitive theory
4. symbolic integration theory
evolutionary theory
Role Theory
•much of observable social behaviour is people carrying out their roles, similar to actors
performing on stage
•according to role theory, to change a persons behaviour
propositions in role theory:
-people spend much of their lives participating in groups and organizations
-within these groups, people occupy distinct positions
-each of these positions entails a role, which is a set of functions performed by the person for
the group
-groups formalize these expectations as norms, which are rules specifying how a person
should behave
-individuals usually carry out their roles and perform according to the norms
-group members check each individuals performance to determine whether it conforms to the
groups norms
Limitations of role theory:
-role theory has difficulty explaining deviant behaviour, or any behaviour that violates the
norms defining a given role
-role theory does not and cannot explain how role expectations originate or how they change
Reinforcement Theory
Central Proposition:
•people are more likely to perform a behaviour if it is following by something pleasurable or
by the removal of something aversive
•people will refrain from a particular behaviour if it is followed by something aversive or the
removal of something present
Conditioning:
-in conditioning, a relationship is established between emitting a response and receiving a
reinforcement
-if a person emits a particular response and this response is then reinforced, the connection
between response and reinforcement is strengthened
Stimulus- Response
-any event that leads to an alternation or change in behaviour
-the change in behaviour induced by a stimulus is called a response
-a reinforcement is any favourable outcome that results from a response
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Document Summary
General explanations for a wide array of social behaviours in a variety of situations. Provide a frame of reference for interpreting and comparing a wide range of social situations and behaviours. Social psychology investigates the ve following theoretical perspectives: wed role theory reinforcement theory. 2: cognitive theory, symbolic integration theory evolutionary theory. Role theory: much of observable social behaviour is people carrying out their roles, similar to actors performing on stage, according to role theory, to change a persons behaviour propositions in role theory: People spend much of their lives participating in groups and organizations. Within these groups, people occupy distinct positions. Each of these positions entails a role, which is a set of functions performed by the person for the group. Groups formalize these expectations as norms, which are rules specifying how a person should behave. Individuals usually carry out their roles and perform according to the norms.
