Complete Summary and Solutions for Social Influence and Group Processes – NCERT Class XII Psychology, Chapter 7 – Explanation, Key Terms, Questions, and Answers
Detailed summary and explanation of Chapter 7 ‘Social Influence and Group Processes’ from the NCERT Class XII Psychology textbook, covering nature and formation of groups, types of groups, groupthink, social loafing, group polarisation, and influence of groups on individual behaviour—along with all key terms, project ideas, and NCERT questions with answers.
Updated: 1 week ago
Categories: NCERT, Class XII, Psychology, Chapter 7, Social Influence, Group Processes, Behaviour, Groupthink, Social Loafing, Group Polarisation, Summary, Questions, Answers, Learning, Cognition, Social Psychology
Tags: Social Influence and Group Processes, Psychology, NCERT, Class 12, Groups, Behaviour, Groupthink, Social Loafing, Group Polarisation, Social Facilitation, Cohesiveness, Group Formation, Ingroup, Outgroup, Summary, Explanation, Questions, Answers, Chapter 7, Class XII Psychology
Social Influence and Group Processes - Class 12 Psychology Chapter 7 Ultimate Study Guide 2025
Social Influence and Group Processes
Chapter 7: Psychology - Ultimate Study Guide | NCERT Class 12 Notes, Questions, Examples & Quiz 2025
Full Chapter Summary & Detailed Notes - Social Influence and Group Processes Class 12 NCERT
Overview & Key Concepts
Chapter Goal: Understand nature, formation, types of groups; influence on individual behavior like social loafing, polarisation; groupthink dangers. Exam Focus: Stages (forming/storming/norming/performing/adjourn), types (primary/secondary), loafing causes/reduction; 2025 Updates: Social media groups, online polarisation. Fun Fact: Minimal group paradigm shows bias from arbitrary divisions. Core Idea: Groups provide security but can lead to irrationality; interlinks to Ch6 attitudes (polarisation). Real-World: Teamwork in sports/offices. Expanded: All subtopics point-wise with evidence (e.g., Tuckman's stages, Latane's loafing experiments), examples (e.g., cricket team drop catch), debates (e.g., cohesion benefits vs. groupthink risks).
Wider Scope: From family to mobs; sources: Activities (7.1-7.3), boxes (7.1 groupthink, 7.2 minimal paradigm).
Expanded Content: Include socio-cultural aspects, role of norms, psychometric vs. social dynamics; multi-disciplinary (e.g., sociology in ingroup bias, management in teams).
Activity 7.1: Identifying Stages of Group Formation Description
Form committee of 10 for open house; observe stages (forming uncertainty, storming conflict, norming cohesion, performing achievement, adjourning disband). Reflects Tuckman's model in real planning.
Introduction
Core Idea: Groups integral for support, growth; influence positively as citizens; individuals change society too.
Daily Interactions: Family morning, school discussions, friends play/phone; absence feels missing.
Expanded: Evidence: Interdependence in groups vs. collections; debates: Group vs. individual agency; real: School teams foster belonging.
Nature and Formation of Groups
What is a Group?: Organised system of 2+ interdependent individuals with common motives, roles, norms; salient: Belonging, goals, interdependence, interaction, structure.
Differences from Collections: Crowd: No structure/belonging, irrational; audience: Passive; mobs: Purposeful, impulsive; teams: Complementary skills, synergy, mutual accountability.
Why Do People Join Groups?: Security (reduce insecurity), status (prestige), self-esteem (positive identity), needs satisfaction (belonging, power), goal achievement (majority power), knowledge (broaden views).
Group Formation: Proximity (repeated exposure, common interests), similarity (consistency/validation), common motives/goals (facilitate attainment).
Stages of Group Formation: Tuckman: Forming (uncertainty/excitement), storming (conflict/hierarchy), norming (norms/identity), performing (goal achievement), adjourning (disband).
Group Structure: Roles (expectations), norms (standards), status (relative position), cohesiveness (attraction, 'we' feeling; extreme leads to groupthink).
Expanded: Evidence: Interaction regularities; debates: Linear vs. non-linear stages; real: Playgroup proximity/similarity.
Fig.7.1: Look at these Two Pictures Description
Picture A: Football team - interdependent with roles/goals. Picture B: Audience - mere collection, no interdependence. Illustrates group vs. non-group.
Activity 7.2: Ingroup and Outgroup Distinctions Description
Write about own/other school in competition; list behaviors; discuss differences/similarities; shows bias/favoritism.
Formal and Informal Groups: Formal: Explicit functions/roles (office); informal: No rules, close relations (friends).
Ingroup and Outgroup: Ingroup: 'We', similar/favorable; outgroup: 'They', different/negative; Tajfel experiments show arbitrary bias.
Expanded: Evidence: Minimal paradigm; debates: Real vs. created categories; real: School ingroup pride.
Influence of Group on Individual Behaviour
Social Loafing: Reduced effort in collective tasks; causes: Less responsibility, no evaluation, no comparison, poor coordination, unimportant belonging; reduce: Identifiable efforts, commitment, importance, cohesiveness.
Group Polarisation: Extreme decisions post-discussion; causes: New arguments, bandwagon, ingroup identification; risks: Irrational extremes.
Attitude scale on capital punishment; group discuss; re-administer; observe hardening; shows discussion strengthens views.
Why This Guide Stands Out
Comprehensive: All subtopics point-wise, 3+ diagram/activity descriptions; 2025 with links (e.g., polarisation in social media), theories analyzed for depth.
Groupthink in decisions; loafing in teams; polarisation debates.
Project & Group Ideas
Analyze social media groups polarisation.
Debate: Groups enhance or hinder individuals?
Observe class group formation.
Key Definitions & Terms - Complete Glossary
All terms from chapter; detailed with examples, relevance. Expanded: 40+ terms grouped by subtopic; added advanced like "groupthink", "social loafing" for depth/easy flashcards.
Group Nature
Organised interdependent system. Ex: Family roles. Relevance: Vs collections.
Crowd
No structure/irrational. Ex: Accident gather. Relevance: Non-group.
Audience
Passive collection. Ex: Match watchers. Relevance: Non-interdependent.
Relax in group. Ex: Loafing. Relevance: Reduced effort.
Tip: Group by domain (nature/types/influence); examples for recall. Depth: Debates (e.g., cohesion risks). Errors: Confuse loafing/polarisation. Historical: Tajfel origins. Interlinks: To Ch6 conformity. Advanced: Polarisation calcs. Real-Life: Online groups. Graphs: Stages cycle. Coherent: Evidence → Interpretation. For easy learning: Flashcard per term with example.
60+ Questions & Answers - NCERT Based (Class 12) - From Exercises & Variations
Based on chapter + expansions. Part A: 10 (1 mark, one line), Part B: 10 (4 marks, five lines), Part C: 10 (6 marks, eight lines). Answers point-wise in black text.
Part A: 1 Mark Questions (10 Qs - Short)
1. What is a group?
1 Mark Answer:
Organised system of interdependent individuals with common motives, roles, norms.
2. Why do people join groups?
1 Mark Answer:
For security, status, self-esteem, needs satisfaction, goal achievement, knowledge.
Timeline of concepts/evolutions; expanded with points; links to pioneers/debates. Added Tajfel, Latane focus.
Tajfel Era (1970s)
Minimal paradigm; ingroup bias arbitrary.
Social identity theory.
Depth: Categorisation prejudice.
Latane (1970s)
Loafing experiments; clapping noise drop.
Size effect.
Depth: Collective effort reduce.
Janis (1970s)
Groupthink coin; Vietnam example.
Cohesion risks.
Depth: Decision fiascos.
Tuckman (1960s)
Stages model form/storm/norm/perform.
Adjourning add 1970s.
Depth: Developmental sequence.
Modern (2000s+)
Online groups polarisation; social media think.
Diversity in teams.
Depth: Digital influences.
Debates: Cohesion vs. Risk
Benefits unity vs. think irrational.
Bias arbitrary?
Depth: What-if no minimal groups.
Tip: Link Tajfel to modern bias, Latane to teams. Depth: Activities as historical reflection. Examples: 1970s experiments. Graphs: Theory evolution timeline. Advanced: Post-2020 virtual groups. Easy: Bullets impacts.
Solved Examples - From Text with Simple Explanations
Expanded with evidence, calcs; focus on applications, analysis. Added stages application, loafing calc.
Example 1: Group Formation Stages
Simple Explanation: Committee development.
Step 1: Forming meet uncertain.
Step 2: Storm roles conflict.
Step 3: Norm rules agree.
Step 4: Perform task execute.
Simple Way: Seed to tree growth.
Example 2: Loafing Experiment
Simple Explanation: Clapping noise reduce.
Step 1: Alone loud max.
Step 2: Group 2/4/6 drop per person.
Step 3: Total rise but individual less.
Step 4: Calc effort/size inverse.
Simple Way: Shared load lighten individual.
Example 3: Polarisation Debate
Simple Explanation: Attitude harden post-talk.
Step 1: Initial scale position.
Step 2: Group discuss arguments.
Step 3: Re-scale extreme shift.
Step 4: Causes validation/ingroup.
Simple Way: Echo chamber amplify.
Example 4: Minimal Paradigm
Simple Explanation: Art groups bias.
Step 1: Prefer paintings divide.
Step 2: Anonymous codes money.
Step 3: Favor own group max.
Step 4: Matrix ingroup high.
Simple Way: Arbitrary lines divide.
Example 5: Groupthink Prevention
Simple Explanation: Avoid irrational.
Step 1: Critical reward disagree.
Step 2: Alternatives present.
Step 3: Experts evaluate.
Step 4: Feedback trusted seek.
Simple Way: Diversity break echo.
Example 6: Ingroup Bias
Simple Explanation: School competition favor.
Step 1: Own school positive list.
Step 2: Rival negative view.
Step 3: Discuss differences bias.
Step 4: Similarities reduce outgroup.
Simple Way: Us vs. them lens.
Tip: Practice self-assess; troubleshoot (e.g., why loafing?). Added for polarisation, types.
Interactive Quiz - Master Social Influence and Group Processes
10 MCQs in full sentences; 80%+ goal. Covers formation, types, loafing, polarisation.
Quick Revision Notes & Mnemonics
Concise for all subtopics; mnemonics. Covers intro, nature/formation, types, influences, loafing/polarisation. Expanded all.
Introduction/Nature
Groups support/grow; interdependent roles norms ( "IRN" - IRN). Vs collections no belonging ( "NCB" - NCB).
Join Reasons
Security status esteem needs goal knowledge ( "SSENGK" - SSENGK). Power majority ( "PM" - PM).