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Lichacz, Frederick Michael John Carleton University Dissertation Psychology. ""The effects of perceived collective efficacy on social loafing."." Ottawa, 1992.
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Hopkins, N. "Adolescent social groups and social influence." Thesis, University of Exeter, 1988. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.384707.
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Barmack, Matthew. "The economics of social groups." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/10332.
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Ashraf, Eram. "Societal security, social identity, and the Uyghur Millet/Minzu." Thesis, Swansea University, 2013. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.678304.
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Nadler, Joel T. "Positive stereotype threat in social groups /." Available to subscribers only, 2006. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1240700731&sid=3&Fmt=2&clientId=1509&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Contreras, Juan Manuel. "A Cognitive Neuroscience of Social Groups." Thesis, Harvard University, 2013. http://dissertations.umi.com/gsas.harvard:10882.
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We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate how the human brain processes information about social groups in three domains. Study 1: Semantic knowledge. Participants were scanned while they answered questions about their knowledge of both social categories and non-social categories like object groups and species of nonhuman animals. Brain regions previously identified in processing semantic information are more robustly engaged by nonsocial semantics than stereotypes. In contrast, stereotypes elicit greater activity in brain regions implicated in social cognition. These results suggest that stereotypes should be considered distinct from other forms of semantic knowledge. Study 2: Theory of mind. Participants were scanned while they answered questions about the mental states and physical attributes of individual people and groups. Regions previously associated with mentalizing about individuals were also robustly responsive to judgments of groups. However, multivariate searchlight analysis revealed that several of these regions showed distinct multivoxel patterns of response to groups and individual people. These findings suggest that perceivers mentalize about groups in a manner qualitatively similar to mentalizing about individual people, but that the brain nevertheless maintains important distinctions between the representations of such entities. Study 3: Social categorization. Participants were scanned while they categorized the sex and race of unfamiliar Black men, Black women, White men, and White women. Multivariate pattern analysis revealed that multivoxel patterns in FFA--but not other face-selective brain regions, other category-selective brain regions, or early visual cortex--differentiated faces by sex and race. Specifically, patterns of voxel-based responses were more similar between individuals of the same sex than between men and women, and between individuals of the same race than between Black and White individuals. These results suggest that FFA represents the sex and race of faces. Together, these three studies contribute to a growing cognitive neuroscience of social groups.Psychology
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Carini, Barbara Jean. "Common fate and ingroup bias in the minimal intergroup paradigm /." view abstract or download file of text, 1999. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/uoregon/fullcit?p9955915.
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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Oregon, 1999.Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 89-92). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users. Address: http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/uoregon/fullcit?p9955915.
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Barlow, Kelly M. "Predicting social identity and the impact of typicality of group membership." Thesis, McGill University, 1998. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=29799.
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Des etudes anterieures ont ete incapbles de determiner quels facteurs sous-tendent l'identite sociale. A l'aide de plusieurs innovations methodologiques (une mesure permettant d'exprimer librement les facteurs relies a l'identite sociale, le fait de choisir l'endogroupe et l'exogroupe et une conceptualisation de l'identite sociale comme etant composee de l'attirance envers l'endogroupe et du rejet par l'exogroupe), cette etude avait pour but d'etudier l'influence des trois facteurs postules par Tajfel (cognition, emotions et evaluation) et les croyances symboliques (coutumes, valeurs et normes) sur l'identite sociale. Les resultats de cette etude indiquent qu'une evaluation positive de l'endogroupe, les emotions positives envers l'endogroupe et une evaluation negative de l'exogroupe menacant sont associees a une identification sociale plus forte. De plus, les resultats de cette etude demontrent qu'une difference individuelle (A quel point vous percevez-vous comme un membre typique de votre groupe?) est associee a des facteurs relies a l'endogroupe (une identification plus forte et une integration du concept de soi plus eleve) et a l'exogroupe (menace intergroupe, discrimination personnelle et collective).
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Tindall, Catherine F. "Are All Immigrants Criminals? Societal Perceptions Across Select Social Groups." BYU ScholarsArchive, 2011. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/3019.
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This study explores the perceptions toward immigrant criminality in Utah of four distinct social groups: state legislators, immigrants, law enforcement personnel, and incarcerated immigrants. Each group was examined separately and found to have a variety of perceptions among their members. Themes emerged that provided insight into the overlap and complexity of these differences across social groups. Legislators appeared the most dichotomous: some believed immigration and crime to be positively correlated, especially for undocumented immigrants, while others perceived no such connection. Among immigrants, perceptions were extremely diverse, but generally represented by reference to an unsubstantiated stereotype that immigrants committed crime at a higher rate than non-immigrants, though there were wide gaps in other areas within this group. For law enforcement, perceptions varied according to social distance and the degree of interaction with immigrants: those officers who dealt more intimately with immigrants had more sympathetic and nuanced perceptions. Incarcerated immigrants represented a diversity of perceptions with complexities similar to those manifested in the immigrant group; but overall, most did not consider themselves to be criminal. Future research is suggested and recommended.
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Koppuzha, Ann. "Terrorist groups, social services, and strategic success." Connect to Electronic Thesis (CONTENTdm), 2010. http://worldcat.org/oclc/642701069/viewonline.
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Weinel, Miriam. "Computer-Supported Groups: Coordination and Social Presence." Doctoral thesis, Universitätsbibliothek Chemnitz, 2009. http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bsz:ch1-200901800.
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Computer-gestütztes kollaboratives Lernen ist zunehmend Teil der Lehr- und Lernmethoden der akademischen Ausbildung. Die optimale Unterstützung von Koordination in virtuellen Gruppen ist ein Anliegen von Pädagogen und Lerndesignern. Effektive Kommunikation und bedeutsame Interaktion treten in online Lernumgebungen nicht natürlicherweise auf, sind aber erforderlich für die Koordination in Gruppen. Diese Arbeit exploriert die Komplexität von Lernerfahrungen und Prozessen in computer-basierter Kollaboration und beleuchtet in diesem Zusammenhang zwei Aspekte näher: Koordinationsprozesse in Gruppen und die Erfahrung Sozialer Präsenz. Diese zwei Dimensionen sind besonders wichtig, da sie zwei der größten Problem in computer-gestützten kollaborativem Lernen repräsentieren: Belastungen bedingt durch unnötigen Koordinationsaufwand und fehlendes Gruppengefühl. Im Vergleich zu Präsenzsettings stellt die Koordination in online Gruppen eine Herausforderung dar. Dies birgt das Risiko, dass Gruppenmitglieder nicht mehr nur das Lernziel im Auge haben sondern ihre Aufmerksamkeit auch im gesteigerten Maße auf Gruppenprozesse wie Koordination richten; solche Koordinationsanforderungen können sich schnell zu Kosten entwickeln. Darüber hinaus wird die soziale Dimension in online Umgebungen oft vernachlässigt. Zur Entwicklung eines Zusammengehörigkeits- und Gruppengefühls ist die Erfahrung von Sozialer Präsenz erforderlich. Anhand einer Fallstudie werden Lernprozesse und Erfahrungen von Studenten eines Blended Learning Kurses an einer Pädagogischen Hochschule analysiert. Eine darauf aufbauende quantitative Studie untersucht gezielt die kausalen Beziehungen. Die Koordination und Soziale Präsenz werden anhand von qualitativen und quantitativen Methoden untersucht. Die Analyse findet auf drei Granularitätsebenen statt: auf der Ebene einer einzelnen Perspektive, auf einer Konzeptebene und auf einem Integrierten Level. Diese Vorgehensweise hat einen mehrschichtigen Analysezugang zur Folge. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die eingesetzte Medien, gestellte Aufgaben und auch einzelne Individuen die Gruppenkoordination bestimmen. Jede der drei Faktoren beeinflusst die Koordinationsaktivitäten auf ihre charakteristische Art. Soziale Präsenz bestimmt als Kontextparameter die Erfahrung in online Gruppen; auch sie wird von eingesetzten Medien und den Gruppenmitgliedern beeinflusst. Diese Ergebnisse werden im Detail vorgestellt und ihre Implikationen für kollaboratives Lernen in akademischer Bildung sowie für dessen weitere Forschung, d.h. für Praxis und Forschung, werden herausgearbeitetNet-based collaborative learning is increasingly included in the repertoire of teaching and learning methods in higher education. Supporting coordination within distributed learning teams has become a concern for educators and learning designers. While effective communication and meaningful interaction do not occur naturally in online learning, they are essential for group coordination. The aim of the thesis is to explore the complexity of learning experiences and processes in computer-supported collaboration from the perspectives of group coordination processes and social presence. These two dimensions are particularly important because they represent two problems in net-based collaborative learning: coordination costs and a lacking sense of group feeling. Compared to face-to-face settings, coordination demands on groups are greater in online settings. Increased demands present the risk of distracting group members from learning goals; coordination demands rapidly turn into coordination costs. Additionally, social presence is required to establish a sense of group feeling and team culture amongst students. Unfortunately, this sense, supporting the social dimension in online settings, is often missing. This case study-based research analyses the learning processes and experiences of students participating in a blended course in Educational faculties. A subsequent quantitative study further inquired into causal relationships. Students collaborated via various synchronous and asynchronous media: wikis, online chat, etc. Qualitative and quantitative methods were applied, investigating coordination of activities and how social presence was established. Data was analysed at three levels of granularity: single perspective, concept and integrative levels, creating a multi-layered approach. The findings show, tools, tasks and members influence group coordination, each uniquely contributing to coordination activities. Social presence operates as an enabling context parameter, influenced by media and member characteristics. The thesis describes these findings and delineates their implications for collaborative learning practices in higher education and for further research
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King, Dennis J. 1945. "A Structural Approach to Four Theories of Group Development." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1997. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc279224/.
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The goal of this study was to attempt to develop a classification scheme that systematically related individual behavior, interpersonal behavior, and group interactions for the purpose of using the resulting classification scheme to evaluate theories of group development proposed by Bion, Bennis and Shepard, Bales, and Tuckman and Jensen. It was assumed that theorists' presuppositions about the structure of groups might influence their theories. Using a qualitative process of analysis, a structural classification scheme (SCS) was developed based upon transformative and generative rules, utilizing the General System Theory subsystem process of self-regulated boundary operations. The SCS protocol was employed to categorize and compare the theories of group development proposed by Bion, Bennis and Shepard, Bales, and Tuckman and Jensen. The resulting categorization of theories indicated that relationships existed among and between a group's structural properties, the complexity and type of communication connections among and between group members, and the size of the group. In addition, a common structural relationship was demonstrated to exist among and between individual, dyadic, and triadic group forms. A similar structural relationship was also speculated to exist between groups of any size. It was concluded that a structural approach to groups may offer insight to group leaders and members in recognizing and creating alternative frameworks that best fit a group's structure to its task. This approach may have broad implications in that it suggests that group goals might best be considered before the structure of the group is determined. In addition, a structural approach was also speculated to be an emotionally neutral alternative method of discussing individual and group behavior.
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Fritz, Anna Sabine. "Depersonalization in structured groups." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 1987. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/26815.
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This thesis examined a topic from the field of intergroup relations, namely the consequences of the process of depersonalization. According to Turner, depersonalization is that process whereby people come to perceive themselves and others more as interchangeable exemplars of a social category than as unique personalities defined by their differences from others. Based on research involving simple or unstructured groups, he formulated the consequences of depersonalization in his Assimilation-Contrast Model as the enhancement of intragroup similarities (assimilation) and intergroup differences (contrast) with a pro-ingroup bias. The generality of the Assimilation-Contrast Model has recently been challenged by Smith's Person-Situation Model of depersonalization, on the grounds that the assimilation-contrast effect may not be observed in complex or structured groups.
The present work derived and tested the validity of three sets of predictions on the behavior of structured and unstructured groups under depersonalized conditions based on the Assimilation-Contrast and Person-Situation Models. To this end, structured and unstructured groups were studied under two levels of depersonalization, one level of non-explicit outgroup comparison and a second level of explicit outgroup comparison. This resulted in four experimental conditions. A fifth condition of non-categorized individuals functioned as a control group. Fifty-eight college aged males participated in the experiment which consisted of a game-like procedure (brainstorming task). Subjects participated in a group (experimental conditions) or alone (control condition). The assimilation-contrast effect was assessed in three ways. Subjects were asked about their overall impressions regarding the group and the individual ingroup members ('global questionnaire items'), they were asked to rate other ingroup members on a number of personal attributes ('personal attribute ratings'), and thirdly, they were asked to rate the products of the ingroup as well as those of the outgroup ('product ratings'). There were four major Findings: (a) in unstructured groups, ingroup assimilation was more pronounced under higher levels of depersonalization than under lower levels. This was in line with previous research findings involving the Assimilation-Contrast Model (b) In structured groups, ingroup assimilation was less under higher levels of depersonalization than it was under lower levels. This was predicted by the Person-Situation Model (c) Structured groups expressed more assimilation-contrast behavior than unstructured groups. This finding was not predicted by either model, (d) In structured as well as unstructured groups, more outgroup contrast was observed under high levels of depersonalization than under low levels. This was in line with the predictions of the Assimilation-Contrast Model.
The findings showed that all three sets of predictions were found to be useful in describing a certain component of the behavior of the groups under study. It was concluded that the assimilation-contrast effect may constitute less monolithic a phenomenon than originally suggested by Turner.Arts, Faculty of
Psychology, Department of
Graduate
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Fortin, Sylvie. "Attitude change in correctional groups." Thesis, University of Ottawa (Canada), 1995. http://hdl.handle.net/10393/10143.
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Group polarization is a phenomenon in which moderate attitudes or opinions espoused by a social group tend to become more extreme in the course of interactions and discussions within the group. Using a modified form of the group polarization paradigm, the present study examined the conditions under which group polarization or related phenomena may operate within correctional treatment or discussion groups to inadvertently foster the amplification of procriminal attitudes or beliefs. Inmates at a correctional treatment facility were assigned to small discussion groups on the basis of their pre-experimental scores on psychometric tests measuring either identification with the inmate code (High vs. Low Inmate Solidarity) or antisocial/prosocial personality traits (High vs. Low Criminality). Each group then engaged in brief discussions of (a) topics preselected to elicit or trigger categorizations along a prosocial-procriminal dimension ("prototypical" topics), and (b) neutral topics. Group-mediated attitudinal shifts were affected by both the type of group composition and by the discussion topic. Only homogeneous groups of High Inmate Solidarity subjects showed significant strengthening of procriminal attitudes and this was the case only for discussions of prototypical topics, not for neutral topics. All other group compositions tended to exhibit shifts toward the mid-point of the rating (i.e., more neutral or ambivalent post-discussion attitudes), regardless of the type of topic discussed. The results are interpreted as providing evidence for Self-Categorization Theory, which posits that group-mediated attitude change is a phenomenon of conformity to local ingroup norms--representing what group members perceive to be the group consensus--and factors influencing the salience of ingroup-outgroup categorizations or group identity. The clinical implications of these findings for correctional treatment groups and implications for future research are discussed.
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Sweeney, Carol A. "Children's social behaviours : mixed-age and peer interactions." Thesis, Cardiff University, 1986. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.326871.
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Müller-Trede, Johannes. "Advisors and groups: essays in social decision making." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/81075.
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The three chapters of this thesis investigate social aspects of judgment and decision making. Chapter One analyses the consequences of making decisions based on predictions of future well-being, and the conditions under which advice can improve these decisions. It shows that an interaction between errors in affective forecasts and the choice process leads to suboptimal decisions and disappointment, and establishes conditions under which advice reduces these effects. The second chapter investigates the boundaries of the result that eliciting more than one estimate from the same person and averaging these can lead to accuracy gains in judgment tasks. It reveals that the technique works only for specific kinds of questions, and people are reluctant to average their initial answers when asked for a final estimate. Finally, Chapter Three reviews experimental results regarding individual and small group behaviour in strategic decision tasks and provides a theoretical framework to analyse the observed differences.Aquesta tesi investiga diferents aspectes socials de la presa de decisions. El primer capítol analitza les decisions preses en base a les prediccions del benestar futur, i en quines situacions els consells d’altres persones poden millorar aquestes decisions. Es mostra que una interacció entre el procés de l’elecció i les imperfeccions de les prediccions condueix a decisions subòptimes i a la decepció, i s’estableixen les condicions sota les quals els consells redueixen aquests efectes. El segon capítol investigaels casos en què les persones poden millorar les seves prediccions numèriques donant més d’una estimació i prenent-ne la mitjana. A base d’un experiment, es mostra que la tècnica funciona només amb determinats tipus de preguntes, i que les persones són averses a prendre mitjanes de les seves estimacions inicials quan es pregunta per una estimació final. L’últim capítol revisa els resultats experimentals referents a la presa de decisions estratègiques de la persona individual comparats amb els de la persona que forma part d’un grup reduït i proporciona un marc teòric en el que analitza les diferències que s’observen en el seu comportament
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Fishman, Shira. "Social exclusion and the choice of important groups." College Park, Md.: University of Maryland, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1903/9277.
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Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Maryland, College Park, 2009.Thesis research directed by: Dept. of Psychology. Title from t.p. of PDF. Includes bibliographical references. Published by UMI Dissertation Services, Ann Arbor, Mich. Also available in paper.
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Widdicombe, Susan Mary. "Adolescent groups and subcultures : a social psychological analysis." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1988. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.253299.
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Rajé, Fiona. "The impacts of transport on different social groups." Thesis, University of Oxford, 2006. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.432204.
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Sheehy, Paul Andrew Patrick. "The ontological and moral status of social groups." Thesis, King's College London (University of London), 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.271170.
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Corke, Adina. "Language: A Bridge or Barrier to Social Groups." Chapman University Digital Commons, 2019. https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/english_theses/11.
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Language acts as either a bridge or a barrier to social groups dependent upon the individual’s effective use of a social group’s language. The individual uses the language of the group in order to join the group and to be understood by the group. This suggests that language is behavioral in part and can be treated as a form of social norms which delegate who is a part of the group and who is not. By utilizing the language of the group effectively, an individual is able to join the group. This group language may be temporary, and the dynamics of the group’s language can be held only within specific situations, such as with inside jokes, or can be more lasting, such as the language of a discourse. Examples of group language include the use of academic jargon in the academy, key terms specific to an academic field, and the standardization of the English language. To formulate an interdisciplinary study of social epistemic rhetoric, this thesis looks at the crossovers between two fields of study through a comparative analysis of social epistemic rhetorical theory and psychological research concerning language production and perception, the effect language has on understanding, and social mirroring processes that may be generalized to language production. This rhetorical theory now grounded in psychological science calls for experimental testing to find the limitations of group dynamics involving language.
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Sayaka, Osanami. "Different Attitude towards Different Groups? Opinions and attitudes towards four immigrant groups in Sweden." Thesis, Malmö högskola, Fakulteten för kultur och samhälle (KS), 2006. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:mau:diva-21594.
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Bott, Kristie Lynn, and Michele Dawn Reed. "The effects of new members on perceived group cohesion." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2001. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/1929.
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Lundqvist, Ella. "Socialt kapital genom Föreningsengagemang? : Föreningsengagemanget betydelse för det sociala kapitalet." Thesis, Karlstads universitet, Avdelningen för politiska och historiska studier, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kau:diva-16415.
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This study examines the connection between social capital and involvement within voluntary associations; involvement is defined either as being a member in an association or a member who has some kind of assignment in an association. The study also examines if there is a difference between two social economic groups regarding the attainment and transformation of social capital through being involved in a voluntary association. Social capital is defined as social trust and the willingness of collective action. The result of the research shows there is a slight connection between the involvement in voluntary associations and social capital. It shows that people who are members of a voluntary association often have higher social capital than those who are not members of any voluntary association at all. The study also shows that there is a difference in attainment of social capital between those who have some kind of assignment in a voluntary association and general members. When studying social capital and involvement in voluntary associations it is also of interest to take social class into the analysis, because the study shows that people with a lower education had increased social capital when they were members in an association compared to the members with a higher education.
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Baray, Gamze. "Self-defining social groups and the relation between social and personal identity." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.440342.
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Hicks, Martin Cyr. "The politics of resistance, an approach to post-colonial cultural and critical theory." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1998. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape11/PQDD_0015/MQ46754.pdf.
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Geidner, Nicholas William. "The Role of Perceived Voluntary Group Cohesion on Participation in Voluntary Groups." The Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306774369.
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O'Sullivan, Clodagh M. "Tolerance in intergroup relations: cognitive representations reducing ingroup projection." Thesis, University of Fort Hare, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10353/140.
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This study assessed the personal, career and learning skills needs of 196 psychology students (M= 56, F= 103). The preferred means of counselling assistance, preferred experience of counselling and preferred counselling provider were also assessed. The most highly endorsed needs were time management skills (83.5 pecent, n=162), learning test-taking strategies (82 percent, n=159), job search strategies (73.6 percent, n=142), increasing self-confidence (70.3 percent, n=135), increasing motivation (72.4 percent, n=134), controlling anxiety and nervousness (68.7 percent, n=134), public speaking anxiety (68 percent, n=134), understanding career interests and abilities (67.5 percent, n=131), fear of failure (68.1 percent, n=130), and improving study skills (66.5 percent, n=129). Significant sex differences were found for the following, finding a greater purpose in life, controlling weight, job search strategies, concerns about career choice, understanding career interests and abilities in the selection of major subjects and improving study skills. Males highly endorsed the need for finding a greater purpose in life, job search strategies, and concern about career choice, understanding career interest and abilities, selection of major subjects and to improve study skills, whereas females endorsed the need for controlling weight. Respondents indicated individual counselling as being their preferred means of counselling assistance, but lectures were the most prevalent means of assistance previously received by respondents. Most respondents (78.1 percent) found the assistance they had received to be helpful.
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Moloi, Thandeka Princess. "An exploration of group dynamics in “stokvels” and its implications on the members’ mental health and psychological well-being." Thesis, University of Zululand, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10530/1092.
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A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree, Doctor of
Philosophy in Community Psychology in the Department of Psychology University of
Zululand, South Africa, 2011.Stokvels are social groups usually formed randomly by people who share a common bond such as relatives, neighbours, colleagues in the workplace or friends with a purpose of financially saving together on a monthly basis. This study aimed to explore the group dynamics in stokvels and its implications on the members’ mental health and psychological well-being. In this qualitative study, a non probability sampling technique was used and the participants were selected by means of a snowball sampling. The sample consisted of eight middle aged women between the ages of 35 and 45 from the townships in KwaZulu Natal. The inclusion criteria being that they were stokvel participants for over five years. Data was gathered through the use of semi-structured interviews to elicit the spoken experiences and narratives by individual members. The data collected was then analyzed according to the aim and objectives of the study using grounded theory, particularly the Straussian approach. The results of the study suggested that the group dynamics of fight or flight response, trust versus mistrust and dependence versus independence appear to be experienced at polar opposites. The latter further infers the ambivalent behavior that members engage with a view to succeed within the stokvels’ environments. The results also identified three themes, which revealed the members’ mental health and their psychological well-being as experienced within the stokvel environment; the empowering dimension, pathological dimension and the resilience demonstration dimension. The findings of the research also highlight and further contribute towards the advancement of the communal concepts of “ubuntu” and “we”ness inherent in the stokvek names.
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Smith, Joanne Roberta. "The strategic expression of social identity through group-mediated attitude-behaviour consistency /." St. Lucia, Qld, 2003. http://www.library.uq.edu.au/pdfserve.php?image=thesisabs/absthe17503.pdf.
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Cuhadaroglu, Tugce. "Essays on Social Groups: Inequality, Influence and the Structure of Interactions." Doctoral thesis, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 2013. http://hdl.handle.net/10803/125865.
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Uno de los principales problemas en economía siempre ha sido entender y formalizar la relación dinámica entre lo individual y lo social. Esta tesis incluye dos perspectivas complementarias para explorar esta importante cuestión.
En el primer enfoque, que se refiere al primer capítulo, se investiga la forma de evaluar el grado en que las diferencias en las características individuales dan lugar a diferencias en los resultados sociales, por así decirlo, perseguimos lo 'individual' en lo `social'. Nos centramos en las desigualdades no relacionadas con los ingresos entre grupos sociales, tales como las desigualdades de nivel de educación, situación laboral, la salud o el bienestar subjetivo. Proponemos una nueva metodología, el Índice de Dominación, para evaluar las desigualdades. Al proporcionar un enfoque axiomático, logramos mostrar cómo un conjunto de propiedades deseables para una medida de la desigualdad entre grupos, cuando la variable de interés no es cardinal sino ordinal, caracterizan nuestro Índice de Dominación. Por otra parte, en función de nuestro análisis, se explora la estrecha relación entre segregación y desigualdades entre grupos.
Los dos capítulos restantes de la tesis se pueden considerar como una persecución de lo `social 'en lo `individual'. Consideramos a una persona como un agente social e investigamos el papel de las interacciones sociales en la toma de decisiones individuales. En el segundo capítulo, nos centramos en el problema de identificar la influencia social y la homofilia. Proponemos una metodología que hace uso de los resultados de las decisiones individuales con el fin de evaluar el nivel de homofilia y la influencia recibida mediante la interacción social.
El objeto estudiado en el tercer capítulo, por otra parte, es la estructura de las interacciones sociales. Sugerimos, para descubrir la estructura subyacente de una red social, utilizar el análisis de patrones de conducta individual. En general, caracterizamos cuatro posibles estructuras de interacción diferentes mediante las cuales los individuos pueden estar interconectados en una red social.One of the main questions of economics has always been to understand and formalize the dynamic relation between what is individual and what is social. This dissertation includes two complementary perspectives to explore this major question. In the first approach, which refers to the first chapter, we investigate how to evaluate the degree to which differences in individual characteristics result in differences in social outcomes; so to speak, we chase the `individual' in `social'. We focus on non-income inequalities between social group, such as the inequalities of educational attainment, occupational status, health or subjective-wellbeing. We propose a new methodology, the Domination Index, to evaluate those inequalities. Providing an axiomatic approach, we show that a set of desirable properties for a group inequality measure when the variable of interest is not cardinal but ordinal, characterize the Domination Index. Moreover, depending on our analysis, we explore the close relation between segregation and group inequalities. The remaining two chapters of the thesis can be seen as a chase for the `social’ in `individual’. We consider an individual as a social agent and investigate the role of social interactions in individual decision making. In the second chapter, we focus on the identification problem of social influence and homophily. We suggest a methodology that exploits individual decision outcomes in order to assess the level of homophily and influence related to social interaction. The subject matter of the third chapter, on the other hand, is the structure of social interactions. We suggest to uncover the underlying structure of a social network by analyzing individual behavior patterns. Overall we characterize four different possible interaction structures by which individuals may be connected in a social network.
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Edwards, Quinton T. "Member perceptions and the relationship between leader behavior, gender and group climate /." free to MU campus, to others for purchase, 1999. http://wwwlib.umi.com/cr/mo/fullcit?p9953856.
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Corte, Ugo. "Subcultures and Small Groups : A Social Movement Theory Approach." Doctoral thesis, Uppsala universitet, Sociologiska institutionen, 2012. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-172988.
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This dissertation uses social movement theory to analyze the emergence, activities and development of subcultures and small groups. The manuscript is comprised of an Introduction followed by three journal articles and one book chapter. The introduction discusses: 1) the concept of theoretical extension whereby a theory developed for one purpose is adapted to another; 2) it identifies the social movement theories used to analyze subcultures and small groups; 3) it describes the data used in the analyses included here. The data for this work derives from two distinct research projects conducted by the author between 2002 and 2012 and relies on multiple sources of qualitative data. Data collection techniques used include fieldwork, archival research, and secondary data. Paper I uses resource mobilization (RM) theory to analyze the origin, development, and function of White Power music in relation to the broader White Power Movement (WPM). The research identifies three roles played by White Power music: (1) recruit new adherents, (2) frame issues and ideology for the construction of collective identity, (3) obtain financial resources. Paper II gives an overview of the subculture of Freestyle BMX, discussing its origins and developments—both internationally as a wider subcultural phenomenon, and locally, through a three-year ethnographic case study of a subcultural BMX scene known as “Pro Town USA.” Paper III conceptualizes BMX as a social movement using RM theory to identify and explain three different forms of commercialization within this lifestyle sport in “Pro Town.” The work sheds light on the complex process of commercialization within lifestyle sports by identifying three distinct forms of commercialization: paraphernalia, movement, and mass market, and analyses different impacts that each had on the on the development of the local scene. Findings reveal that lifestyle-sport insiders actively collaborate in each form of commercialization, especially movement commercialization which has the potential to build alternative lifestyle-sport institutions and resist adverse commercial influences. Paper IV refines the small group theory of collaborative circles by: (1) further clarifying its concepts and relationships, (2) integrating the concepts of flow and idioculture, and (3) introducing a more nuanced concept of resources from RM. The paper concludes by demonstrating that circle development was aided by specific locational, human, moral, and material resources as well as by complementary social-psychological characteristics of its members.
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Daniel, João Rodrigo. "Affiliative structures and social development in preschool children groups." Doctoral thesis, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/1111.
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Tese de Doutoramento em Psicologia Aplicada (Etologia) apresentada ao Instituto Superior Psicologia AplicadaO grupo de pares é um dos principais contextos de desenvolvimento da criança durante a idade pré-escolar. Contudo, a maioria dos estudos sobre o desenvolvimento social da criança focam-se na procura de características individuais negligenciando os constrangimentos relacionais inerentes à ecologia do grupo de pares. A abordagem da etologia social, por contraponto, enfatiza a existência de diferentes nichos sociais que influenciam/constrangem o comportamento dos indivíduos, sugerindo que as diferenças individuais devem ser compreendidas à luz das relações diádicas e dos papéis sociais ocupados no interior do grupo de pares. Os trabalhos empíricos aqui apresentados são uma tentativa para estabelecer uma ligação entre estas duas tradições de estudo das relações afiliativas em crianças de idade préescolar. Partindo de uma amostra de 247 crianças Portuguesas, provenientes de 19 salas de aula diferentes, algumas das quais observadas em dois ou três anos consecutivos, foram analisados num primeiro estudo os padrões colectivos de proximidade social. Através da análise hierárquica de clusters da semelhança dos perfis de associação diádicos, em cada uma das salas, foram identificados três tipos de subgrupos afiliativos: (a) subgrupos em que as crianças para além de apresentarem perfis de associação semelhantes partilham, ainda, uma elevada proximidade mútua; (b) subgrupos de crianças com perfis de associação semelhantes, mas que tendem a não passar muito tempo juntas (baixa proximidade mútua); e (c) crianças não agrupadas. Diferenças significativas no viés intra-grupo para medidas comportamentais e sociométricas indicam que os subgrupos identificados não são meros artefactos estatísticos e que os diferentes tipos de subgrupos (elevada proximidade mútua vs. baixa proximidade mútua) são funcionalmente distintos. No segundo estudo, e recorrendo a desenvolvimentos recentes no campo da análise de redes sociais, analisaram-se os processos estruturais que estarão, potencialmente, na origem e desenvolvimento das estruturas afiliativas dos grupos de pares em crianças de idade préescolar. Os resultados deste estudo mostram que as relações afiliativas, nas 19 salas de aula, são altamente recíprocas, estabelecidas preferencialmente entre crianças do mesmo sexo e com a tendência para a criação de tríades transitivas. Estes resultados ajudam a compreender a existência dos subgrupos afiliativos identificados no primeiro estudo. No último estudo investigou-se a relação entre os níveis individuais de competência social e o tipo de subgrupo a que as crianças pertencem. A competência social foi avaliada tendo por base sete indicadores diferentes agrupados em três famílias distintas – motivação social e envolvimento, perfis de atributos comportamentais e psicológicos e aceitação de pares. As crianças pertencentes aos subgrupos mais coesos (elevada proximidade mútua) foram as que apresentaram níveis mais altos de competência social, enquanto as crianças não agrupadas eram geralmente menos competentes que os seus pares. Estes resultados sugerem que a pertença a um subgrupo mais coeso, entre outros factores, pode contribuir para um desenvolvimento social mais ajustado. Em suma, os trabalhos empíricos apresentados adoptam uma abordagem multi-método na tentativa de melhor compreender as estruturas afiliativas dos grupos de pares de crianças em idade pré-escolar, e o modo como estas estruturas se relacionam com o desenvolvimento da competência social. ---------- ABSTRACT ---------- The peer group is one of the main contexts for the development of preschool children. Nevertheless, most studies on child social development focus on individual characteristics neglecting the relational constraints inherent to peer group ecology. On the other hand, the social ethology approach emphasizes the existence of different social niches that influence/constrain individual behavior, stating that individual differences should be understood in the light of dyadic relationships and the social roles occupied within the peer group. The empirical works here presented are an attempt to establish a bridge between both traditions in the study of preschool children affiliative relationships. With a sample of 247 Portuguese children from 19 different classrooms, some of which were observed in two or three consecutive years, the collective patterns of social proximity were analyzed in the first study. Through the hierarchical cluster analysis of dyadic association similarity profiles, in each classroom, three types of affiliative subgroups were identified: (a) subgroups in which children besides having similar association profiles also share high mutual proximity; (b) children’ subgroups with similar association profiles but that do not tend to spend a lot of time together (low mutual proximity); and (c) ungrouped children. Significant differences found for in-group bias of behavioral and sociometric measures indicate that the identified subgroups are not mere statistical artifacts and that the different types of subgroups (high mutual proximity vs. low mutual proximity) are functional distinct. In the second study, recent developments in the field of social network analysis were used to investigate potential structural processes in the origin and development of affiliative structures in preschool peer groups. The results of this study show that the affiliative relations in the 19 classrooms were highly reciprocal, sex segregated and with a tendency to create transitive triads. These results help to explain the existence of the affiliative subgroups identified in the first study. In the last study the relation between individual levels of social competence and the type of affiliative subgroup to which children belong was assessed. Social competence was evaluated using seven different indicators, grouped into three distinct families – social motivation and engagement, profiles of behavioral and psychological attributes and peer acceptance. Children belonging to more cohesive subgroups (high mutual proximity) were the ones who presented higher levels of social competence, while ungrouped children were generally least competent than their peers. These results suggest that belonging to a more cohesive subgroup, among other factors, can contribute to a better social development. In sum, the empirical works here presented adopt a multi-method approach in an attempt to better understand the affiliative structures of preschool peer groups, and the way these structures relate to social competence development.
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Stevenson, Rachel. "Secrecy and structure : the social organisation of clandestine groups." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2016. https://www.research.manchester.ac.uk/portal/en/theses/secrecy-and-structure-the-social-organisation-of-clandestine-groups(8e0e72dc-4d3a-48f0-a52b-d10eab219194).html.
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In this thesis I contribute to the growing literature on the structure of covert networks by exploring the organisation and functioning of two new groups. (1) The Right Club, a Right-wing, Pro-German group active in the UK at the outbreak of World War Two, and (2) The leadership group of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (PIRA) between 1969 and 1986. Specifically, I focus upon the formation of these groups, and how, and indeed if, they maintained covertness in practice. Whilst there has been a wealth of research in this area, many studies simply assume covertness and its impact upon structure due to the illegal nature of their case studies. In this thesis I develop a more nuanced concept of covertness, and a more detailed analysis of the myriad factors which affect the structure of a clandestine group. I employ a mixed methods approach combining Social Network Analysis with qualitative inquiry of the environment and processes which influence the functioning of each group. The qualitative analysis, which was guided by factors identified in the existing covert networks literature, in the Social Movements literature, and by dynamics noted in work on the Sociology of Secrecy, is used to explore and explain the sociometric findings. This provides a more in-depth, more sociological understanding of clandestine organisation than that which currently exists in this field of research. However, more and varied case studies analysed in this way are also necessary if we are to improve our understanding of the structure and functioning of covert groups. With this knowledge more sensitive and successful deradicalisation and/or destabilisation techniques can be crafted.
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Belák, Václav. "Ontology-Driven Self-Organization of Politically Engaged Social Groups." Master's thesis, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, 2009. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-15538.
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This thesis deals with the use of knowledge technologies in support of self-organization of people with joint political goals. It first provides a theoretical background for a development of a social-semantic system intended to support self-organization and then it applies this background in the development of a core ontology and algorithms for support of self-organization of people. It also presents a design and implementation of a proof-of-concept social-semantic web application that has been built to test our research. The application stores all data in an RDF store and represents them using the core ontology. Descriptions of content are disambiguated using the WordNet thesaurus. Emerging politically engaged groups can establish themselves into local political initiatives, NGOs, or even new political parties. Therefore, the system may help people easily participate on solutions of issues which are influencing them.
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Spencer, Andrew. "Short-term task allocation in small social insect groups." Thesis, University of Bath, 2000. https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.341102.
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Flynn, JoAnne Irene. "Religious social support groups: Strengthening leadership with communication competence." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 2008. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/3345.
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This project involved the development of a training manual for religious small group leaders to become competent communicators of support, and to understand the nature and role of crisis groups for the purpose of supporting members in crisis.
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Simon, Peter A. "Social Network Theory In Engineering Education." Research Showcase @ CMU, 2014. http://repository.cmu.edu/dissertations/377.
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Collaborative groups are important both in the learning environment of engineering education and, in the real world, the business of engineering design. Selecting appropriate individuals to form an effective group and monitoring a group’s progress are important aspects of successful task performance. This exploratory study looked at using the concepts of cognitive social structures, structural balance, and centrality from social network analysis as well as the measures of emotional intelligence. The concepts were used to analyze potential team members to examine if an individual's ability to perceive emotion in others and the self and to use, understand, and manage those emotions are a factor in a group’s performance. The students from a capstone design course in computer engineering were used as volunteer subjects. They were formed into groups and assigned a design exercise to determine whether and which of the above mentioned tools would be effective in both selecting teams and predicting the quality of the resultant design. The results were inconclusive with the exception of an individual's ability to accurately perceive emotions. The instruments that were successful were the Self-Monitoring scale and the accuracy scores derived from cognitive social structures and Level IV of network levels of analysis.
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Mathews, Jordan. "How Women's Participation in White Nationalist Groups Affects the Group's Propensity for Violence." Thesis, Uppsala universitet, Institutionen för freds- och konfliktforskning, 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-445290.
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Although white nationalism is an ever-growing threat, there has been little research done to extrapolate what makes one white nationalist group more violent than the next, even more lacking is the gender dimensions of these violent propensities. To contribute to this research gap, in this study I ask the question, How does women’s participation in white nationalist groups affect the group’s propensity for violence? To answer this question, I propose a novel theoretical framework that argues white nationalist groups with women members will have a higher propensity for violence than groups without women members. Specifically, I argue that when women participate in these groups they weaponize white motherhood which then leads to the reinforcement of a militarized masculinity. This reinforcement subsequently leads to an overall higher propensity of violence. To test this hypothesis, I use a structured focused comparison most-similar case research design to compare three American white nationalist groups- the Proud Boys, Atomwaffen Division and the Ku Klux Klan. Due to data limitations, I was unable to test the causal mechanisms. The results of this study did not support the proposed hypothesis; however, I argue that due to research design limitations, more data collection and research is needed in order to fully test the relationship of the two variables and the explanatory power of the theory.
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Rucks, Lana Juliette. "Me, women, and math the role of personal and collective threats in the experience of stereotype threat /." Columbus, Ohio : Ohio State University, 2008. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=osu1204661976.
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Andriot, Angie L. "Adolescent crowd affiliations and the perceived ingroup homogeneity effect." Virtual Press, 2006. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1337186.
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The social structure of high schools is characterized by a hierarchy of various groups to which adolescents can identify. These crowds provide reputation-based identities which are particularly salient among adolescents. Although research has provided information regarding crowd structure, less is known about effects of membership. An adolescent's crowd membership can be an important source of social identity and positive self-esteem. Social identity theory is useful in explaining this process by describing how people's psychological motivations interact with their understanding of a social situation to influence cognition. For members of low-status groups, affiliation does not readily provide a source of positive social identity. Therefore, individuals use identity-maintenance strategies to maintain self-image. In this study, I explore perceptions of ingroup homogeneity as an identity-maintenance strategy within adolescent crowds. I also examine whether membership in the more stable racial and gender categories influence the use of homogeneity perceptions in identity management. My findings indicate that membership in one group influences cognition regarding membership in a group with an entirely different social structure.Department of Sociology
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Lesnik, Susan Martin 1942. "Depressed adolescents and social support." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 1985. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/558035.
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Jarad, Lina. "PALESTINIAN FACEBOOK GROUPS: THEIR USES AND GRATIFICATIONS." Oxford, Ohio : Miami University, 2009. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc%5Fnum=miami1250109519.
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Brown, Jacqueline. "Oral Health Disparities Across Racial/Ethnic Groups." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2012. https://dc.etsu.edu/honors/37.
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Oral health disparities persist across various sociodemographic groups in the United States. Data were obtained from the 2007-2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES)to investigate differences in tooth count, self-rated condition of teeth, decay in at least one tooth, and ownership of dentures across racial/ethnic groups.
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Ronson, Sarah. "Creativity in small groups: the cognitive, affective, and social consequences of shared representations for group creativity." Thesis, London Business School (University of London), 2007. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.582568.
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Research on group creativity has focused on the ability of group members to improve their divergent thinking by interacting with others who have different perspectives. I argue that this research has ignored the issue of how groups converge around highly creative ideas. I suggest that the processes that facilitate divergent thinking can also reduce the ability of the group to build on and integrate information in creative ways. Moreover, differing perspectives disrupt the cognitive, affective, and social processes necessary for the group to select creative ideas. Thus, in organizational groups charged with developing creative outputs, diversity of perspective can actually reduce the group's overall level of creativity. In contrast, when group members share a common framework for thinking about the task (i.e., have a shared representation), they can generate creative ideas by building on and integrating the ideas of multiple members and recognize and select the most creative of these ideas. I develop a theory of group creativity based on the challenges for groups in making intuitive, creative judgments. I argue that shared representations of the group task - rather than diversity of perspectives - are the basis for group creativity, because they help groups to converge around highly creative ideas. I test these ideas with a multi-method approach. The first exploratory study in the asset management industry reveals the importance of shared representations to group creativity. The second field study tests the role of shared representations in individual cognitive, affective, and social processes. The third study is an experiment that demonstrates these affects and their impact on creativity at the group level. The final study presents quantitative evidence of these effects in the asset management industry
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Ebbeler, Christine [Verfasser]. "Lateral attitude change in social groups : The role of group similarity and individual differences / Christine Ebbeler." Bonn : Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Bonn, 2020. http://d-nb.info/122799043X/34.
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Ebbeler, Christine [Verfasser]. "Lateral attitude change in social groups : The role of group similarity and individual differences / Christine Ebbeler." Bonn : Universitäts- und Landesbibliothek Bonn, 2021. http://d-nb.info/1239449283/34.
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Staab, Manuel. "Essays on peer effects in social groups and information misperception." Thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science (University of London), 2018. http://etheses.lse.ac.uk/3769/.
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This thesis consists of three chapters. Chapter 1 develops a model that studies the interaction of two forces in the formation of social groups: the preference for high quality peers and the desire for status among one’s peers. I present a characterization of fundamental properties of equilibrium group structures in a perfect information, simultaneous move game when group membership is priced uniformly and cannot directly depend on type. While equilibrium groups generally exhibit some form of assortative matching between individual type and peer quality, the presence of status concern reduces the potential degree of sorting and acts as a force for greater homogeneity across groups. Chapter 2 expands on this framework and analyses the effect of status concern for the provision of groups under different market structures. I particularly focus on the implications for segregation and social exclusion. I find that status concern reduces the potential for and benefit from segregation - both for a social planner and a monopolist - but the interaction of preference for rank and status can make the exclusion of some agents a second-best outcome. Social exclusion might occur even if the market is served by competitive firms. Chapter 3 studies how two fundamental mistakes in information processing affect the welfare ranking of information experiments. In the spirit of Blackwell (1951), the binary ranking of informative action profiles is analysed under different classes of perception distortions. By themselves, an agent’s tendency to misinterpret signals and the degree to which the prior deviates from the truth reduce expected utility in a model where payoff relevant actions also generate informative signals. However, experiments can be affected to different degrees. Necessary and sufficient conditions for when any binary ranking of action profiles can be reversed are provided. As a consequence, different types of mistakes can interact in non-obvious ways such that an agent might be better off suffering from both rather than just one. The chapter concludes with a characterization when such positive interaction is possible and illustrates the implications in an investment setting with costly information acquisition.
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Craig, Weylan. "GENERAL SOCIAL TRUST AND POLITICAL TRUST WITHIN SOCIAL AND POLITICAL GROUPS: A CASE STUDY." Master's thesis, University of Central Florida, 2006. http://digital.library.ucf.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ETD/id/3158.
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People in society with high levels of generalized social trust and political trust are more likely to engage in civic activism and participation. Therefore, people involved in social and political groups will likely have higher levels of generalized social and political trust than the general public. What lacks in this realm of scholarship is a solid comparison of trust among people involved in social and political groups. This case-study analysis of generalized social trust and political trust among social and political groups shows the trust that is not only generated within each group, but also which types of groups are more effective at developing citizens that participate in society. Using a researcher-designed survey instrument, two social groups and two political groups have been evaluated and compared to demonstrate members' propensity to trust others in society and those in political office at all levels of government. Sample size is 115 respondents. Among other demographic data analyzed and compared to a larger population data set in the World Values Survey, six hypotheses have been tested. Typical analysis shows demographic data or group membership as the independent variable with trust values acting as the dependent variable. Graphic and cross-tabular data show that social groups recorded higher levels of political trust than political groups. This is probably due to the ideological leanings of the political groups. Political groups showed higher levels of generalized social trust than social groups. Political group members probably feel that their actions are benefiting the greater good. Additionally, participation variables showed that not only are political group members more interested in politics than social group members, but they also have higher levels of registering to vote and to participate in the voting process. They are probably seeking to make significant change in the political system through their actions. The research conducted does not seek to provide a comprehensive analysis of trust among members of social and political groups. However, it is intended to promote the analysis of trust among people in society that have a predisposition to trust as they have shown through the act of participating in a social or political group. As foci for the development of trust, analysis of social and political groups provides a shortcut for scholars interested in the development and proliferation of trust in society. This research provides analysis of four case-study groups at one point in time. Further research using larger sample sizes and time-series analysis could advance trust analysis among social and political groups.M.A.
Department of Political Science
Sciences
Political Science