Discussion
Topics Last Day Last Week
Tree View
Documentation
Getting Started
FAQ
Formatting
Troubleshooting
Program Credits
Utilities
New Messages
Keyword Search
Contact
User Profile
Administration
intro.psych (Psyco 105) Discussion: Group 3 Discussion Group: Social Influences on Behaviour: Sites to Visit: A Street Guide to Gang Identity
By Patricia on Wednesday, October 14, 1998 - 03:10 pm:
This site was developed by Dr. Janet Hethorn, a researcher from the Department of Environmental Design at the University of California Davis. Select one of the visual factors that denote gang identity. How might the adoption of gang symbols affect an individual's
Adoption of gang symbols would make an individual's behaviour conform more to the behaviour of the group. Rather than thinking of their own individual good, gang members would think of the good of all members.
I think that the clothing would affect and individuals behavior the most. Even outside of gangs clothing protrays how you see your self and how others see you. As Jene has already stated looking like a group changes your behavior, by deindividualization.
Howdy!
I think an important gang symbols is a motto or emblem. These can be in the form of hand symbols (eg West Side Boys - ring and middle finger crossed and index and pinky held out, or Blood - use both hands to somehow spell the word blood) motto's (eg Scouts Canada are always identified with "Sharing Sharing Sharing!!!") or emblem's (graphical representations of the gang).
I've been trying to think of a "gang" that I am in that really affected me and looking at other group's discussions reminded me about hockey.
As I was reading over people's responses, it occured to me that deindividuation seems to allow people to commit violent or illegal acts: Spray painting gang emblems on walls, wrecking the hotel room at the Olympics (American Hockey Team), commiting mass suicide (that cult that was going to join the spaceship), the incident with the Canadian military in Somalia and the Apec Conference were all examples we came up with. If these individuals were not so caught up in their respective groups, I wonder what their behavior would be like individually.
Yes it is my turn to summarize!!!
I'm really glad that we changed what we are doing in this discussion group because it is much more interesting this way.
SUMMARY:
I'm really happy with the discussion this week. You looked at a variety of examples and aspects of deindividuation. Your summary answered the questions fully. APEC is a good current example of how things can get out of hand in a group. Your other examples were really good too. Interesting look at how people outside of the group might look at group symbols and the individual.
behaviour? In what other types of organizations might we see similar effects of deindividuation? Discuss a recent high-profile incident involving Canadians that illustrates this phenomenon.
Go There
Back to Social Influences on Behaviour Sites to Visit
By Jene on Friday, October 23, 1998 - 12:35 pm:
Other organizations we might see effects of deindividuation would be: biker gangs, cults, the police, the military, sports teams, special interest groups.
A recent incident involving Canadians would be the APEC incident. Deinidivuation occured among the RCMP who unneccessarily used pepper spray to subdue the demonstrators.
By Mollyc on Saturday, October 24, 1998 - 01:11 pm:
I can not think of a current Canadian example of this, a past one may be the soldiers who beat the Somalian to death. Thay were part of the group and therefore know one had to take full responsiblity. I hope this makes sense I will come back to this on Monday morning.
By Admin on Saturday, October 24, 1998 - 06:47 pm:
I think deindividualization is more than clothing. People in gangs "walk the walk and talk the talk." Soldiers for example, not only dress in the same fatigues, they have short hair cuts, march in formation a lot, stand at attention a lot, and all conform to the same motto: "If it moves, salute it. If it doesn't move, move it. If you can't move it, paint it." :) (Connie's attempt at humor on a Saturday night.)
Connie
By Montresor on Monday, October 26, 1998 - 12:45 pm:
Mottos, emblems etc. affect a person's behaviour because one may be more inclined to vandalise to leave a sign of the gang being there.
Hand symbols can become almost automatic which changes behavior as well as decreases the person's individuation. For example, someone making the "Hail Ferhur" sign would be thought of as a Nazi more than likely before an individual.
By Montresor on Monday, October 26, 1998 - 01:17 pm:
Sports is really interesting when talking about gangs and deindividuation. I played hockey for ten years and throughout those ten years my personal style of hockey changed so that it would benefit the team more. Even leaders change their style on different teams.
There is also a strong tendency to help out your fellow teammates. For example, if your teammate crushed a guy from behind (a dirty play) even though you may not agree with what he just did, you will go out and protect him because you are on the same team.
This tendency to stick with the team even comes into play when off the ice. For example, when the American Hockey Team wrecked the hotel room at the Olympics.
Different teams can change one's behaviour as well as decrease individuation and I think this is a good indications of how gangs affect a person's behaviour.
I'd better stop here. Once I get started on hockey..... I never stop!!!
By Jene on Monday, October 26, 1998 - 03:27 pm:
P.S. Montresor, I think it is your turn to summarize!
By Montresor on Monday, October 26, 1998 - 06:16 pm:
By Mollyc on Tuesday, October 27, 1998 - 11:16 am:
Gangs and their emblems and their clothing are all a part of stereotypes. We automatically think certain things about an individual. I know that we all want to think that we are not prejudice, and maybe we are not, but we are all judgemental. I took SOcial psych last semester and it is proven that everyone has a first impression; which is based on prior knowledge or belief. (stereotype)There are people who accept their streotype, a second group who correct their stereotype and a third who doesn't have them. I have think that there are very few of this last group.
I liked the comparison to a sports team, becuse I have no experienced on gangs or being around gangs, but I have played sports.
By Montresor on Wednesday, October 28, 1998 - 01:07 pm:
Gang symbols come in many forms. We mentioned in our discussion the importance of clothing, mottos and emblems. Clothing is important because it includes how you yourself and others see you. Mottos and emblems are important because it increases a group feeling and would affect behaviour by perhaps increasing vandalism. In a way for our group to identify with being in a gang we thought of playing sports and how the important a team spirit is, such as sticking up for fellow teammates. This tendency to stick up for teammates would change behaviour because you might do things you wouldn't do normally individually for the good of the group. For example, the RCMP officers at APEC were, as a group, trying to control the crowd, even though individually the officers may not have agreed with using pepper spray. We also thought of many examples of individuation that led to illegal acts. Examples of this are: vandalism, American Hockey Team wrecking Hotel, mass suicides, and group beatings. These acts all required individuals to commit immoral acts because of the beliefs of the group they are in.
Another aspect of our discussion looked at other people's beliefs or stereotypes of individuals in gangs. For example, a person's first impression of someone making a Hail Fuhrer sign might be that that person is a Nazi. It might be difficult for some people to socialize with this person because they are a Nazi even though they know nothing about the individual. I say "some" people beacuse other's may try to correct their stereotype, whereas some may not even have a stereotype.
By Patricia on Wednesday, October 28, 1998 - 08:07 pm:
Grade = 3