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Social Influence and Group Processes

NCERT Class 12 · Psychology Based on NCERT Class 12 Psychology textbook · Free CBSE study kit

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Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter explores the nature of groups, how they form, and the powerful influence they exert on individual behaviour. It distinguishes groups from mere collections of people like crowds and audiences, and explains why people join groups—for security, status, self-esteem, goal achievement, and knowledge. The central takeaway is that groups shape our thoughts, decisions, and actions through mechanisms like social loafing, group polarisation, and groupthink, and understanding these processes helps us become more effective group members and leaders.
Key Concepts (20)
Group
An organised system of two or more individuals who are interacting and interdependent, have common motives, have a set of role relationships among its members, and have norms that regulate the behaviour of its members.
e.g. Your family, your class, and your playgroup are groups because members interact, have roles (e.g., parent, student, captain), and follow norms (e.g., respecting elders, completing homework).
Crowd
A collection of people who may be present at a place or situation by chance, with no structure, feeling of belongingness, or interdependence among members.
e.g. People gathering at the site of a road accident form a crowd—they are there by chance, not as a structured unit.
Team
A special kind of group whose members have complementary skills and are committed to a common goal or purpose, with mutual accountability and positive synergy through coordinated efforts.
e.g. A football team where players have specific positions (goalkeeper, striker) and work together to win the match.
Audience
A collection of people who have assembled for a special purpose (e.g., watching a cricket match or movie); generally passive but can become mobs.
e.g. Spectators watching a school function—they are there to watch, not to interact as a group.
Mob
A collection of people with a definite sense of purpose, polarisation in attention, homogeneity of thought and behaviour, and impulsivity.
e.g. A crowd at a political rally that turns violent and starts damaging property.
Groupthink
A process in which a group allows its concerns for unanimity to override the motivation to realistically appraise courses of action, leading to irrational and uncritical decisions.
e.g. The Vietnam War escalation (1964-1967) where President Johnson and his advisors ignored warnings and made disastrous decisions due to groupthink.
Social Loafing
A reduction in individual effort when working on a collective task, i.e., one in which outputs are pooled with those of other group members.
e.g. In a tug-of-war game, individual team members may pull with less force because their personal contribution cannot be identified.
Group Polarisation
The strengthening of the group’s initial position as a result of group interaction and discussion, leading to more extreme decisions than individuals would make alone.
e.g. A group of colleagues discussing punishment for an unethical employee may start with a moderate view but end up recommending either no punishment or termination after discussion.
Roles
Socially defined expectations that individuals in a given situation are expected to fulfil; the typical behaviour that depicts a person in a given social context.
e.g. As a daughter or son, you are expected to respect elders, listen to them, and be responsible towards your studies.
Norms
Expected standards of behaviour and beliefs established, agreed upon, and enforced by group members; the group’s ‘unspoken rules’.
e.g. In your family, there are norms about meal times, respecting privacy, and helping with chores.
Status
The relative social position given to group members by others; may be ascribed (e.g., seniority) or achieved (e.g., expertise or hard work).
e.g. The captain of a cricket team has higher status than other members, though all are equally important for success.
Cohesiveness
Togetherness, binding, or mutual attraction among group members; the team spirit or ‘we feeling’ that makes members want to remain in the group.
e.g. A highly cohesive class where students feel a strong sense of belonging and support each other.
Primary Group
Pre-existing formations usually given to the individual, characterised by face-to-face interaction, close physical proximity, and warm emotional bonds (e.g., family, caste, religion).
e.g. Your family is a primary group—you did not choose it, but it shapes your values and identity.
Secondary Group
Groups that the individual joins by choice, where relationships are more impersonal, indirect, and less frequent (e.g., membership of a political party).
e.g. Joining a student council or a political party is a secondary group—you choose to be a member.
Formal Group
Groups whose functions are explicitly stated, based on specific rules or laws, with definite roles and a set of norms to establish order (e.g., a university, an office organisation).
e.g. A university has a formal structure with defined roles (professor, dean, student) and rules for conduct.
Informal Group
Groups whose formation is not based on rules or laws, with close relationships among members and no explicit structure.
e.g. A group of friends who meet regularly to play cricket—no formal rules or roles.
Ingroup
One’s own group, referred to using the word ‘we’; members are viewed favourably and perceived as having desirable traits.
e.g. Your school’s debate team is your ingroup—you feel pride and loyalty towards them.
Outgroup
Another group, referred to using the word ‘they’; members are often perceived negatively in comparison to the ingroup.
e.g. The rival school’s debate team is an outgroup—you may view them as less capable or unfriendly.
Minimal Group Paradigm
An experimental method used by Tajfel to study the minimal conditions for intergroup behaviour, where groups are created on flimsy criteria (e.g., preference for paintings) with no past history or future.
e.g. British schoolboys were divided into ‘Kandinsky group’ and ‘Klee group’ based on painting preference, and they still favoured their own group when distributing money.
Social Facilitation
The enhancement of performance when an individual performs an activity alone in the presence of others, especially if they are already good at the task.
e.g. A skilled musician plays better in front of an audience than when practising alone.
How It Works
Stages of Group Formation (Tuckman’s Model)
  1. Forming: Members meet, experience uncertainty, try to know each other, and assess whether they will fit in. Excitement and apprehension are present.
  2. Storming: Intragroup conflict occurs about how to achieve the goal, who controls resources, and who does what. A leadership hierarchy develops.
  3. Norming: Members develop norms related to group behaviour, leading to a positive group identity.
  4. Performing: The group structure is accepted, and the group moves towards achieving its goal.
  5. Adjourning: For temporary groups (e.g., a committee), the group disbands after the task is completed.
💡 Not all groups go through these stages in a systematic order—some stages occur simultaneously, groups may go back and forth, or skip stages entirely.
Groupthink Process
  1. A highly cohesive, socially homogenous group isolates itself from outsiders.
  2. Members prioritise unanimity and internal harmony over realistic appraisal of alternatives.
  3. No one expresses dissenting opinions for fear of being unpopular or undermining cohesion.
  4. The group develops an exaggerated sense of its own power and ignores or minimises cues suggesting danger.
  5. Irrational and uncritical decisions are made, often leading to disastrous outcomes.
💡 Groupthink is most likely when the group faces high-cost decisions, has no tradition of considering alternatives, and is isolated.
Social Loafing Mechanism
  1. Individuals work on a collective task where outputs are pooled with those of other group members.
  2. Individual efforts cannot be identified or evaluated separately.
  3. Group members feel less responsible for the overall task.
  4. Motivation decreases as members realise their contributions will not be individually evaluated.
  5. Each participant puts in less effort, especially as group size increases.
💡 Social loafing can be reduced by making individual efforts identifiable, increasing task importance, strengthening group cohesiveness, and making members feel their contribution is valuable.
Group Polarisation Process
  1. Group members hold an initial position on an issue (e.g., favouring or opposing capital punishment).
  2. Members interact and discuss the issue with like-minded people.
  3. During discussion, members hear newer arguments favouring their viewpoint.
  4. Members perceive that their view is validated by the public (bandwagon effect).
  5. Members identify with the ingroup and conform, strengthening their initial position to a more extreme stance.
💡 Group polarisation can lead to dangerous repercussions as groups may take extreme positions, from very weak to very strong decisions.
Conditions Facilitating Group Formation
  1. Proximity: Repeated interactions with the same individuals give a chance to know them and their interests.
  2. Similarity: People prefer consistency; similar attitudes and interests validate one’s opinions and lead to liking.
  3. Common motives and goals: People with shared goals come together to achieve what cannot be done alone.
💡 Proximity alone is not enough—similarity and common goals are also essential for lasting group formation.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing Crowd with Group
✗ A crowd is a type of group because many people are together.
→ A crowd lacks the defining characteristics of a group: mutual interdependence, roles, norms, and a sense of belonging. Crowds are temporary and unstructured.
✓ A crowd is a collection of people who happen to be at the same place by chance, with no interdependence, roles, or norms, unlike a group which is an organised system with these features.
⚠ Mixing Up Social Loafing and Social Facilitation
✗ Social loafing means performing better in the presence of others.
→ Social facilitation is the enhancement of performance in the presence of others (when individual efforts are evaluated). Social loafing is a reduction in effort when working collectively and outputs are pooled.
✓ Social loafing is the reduction in individual effort when working on a collective task where outputs are pooled, whereas social facilitation is the improvement in performance when an individual performs alone in the presence of others and is evaluated.
⚠ Thinking Groupthink Always Leads to Good Decisions
✗ Groupthink is beneficial because it promotes unity and quick decisions.
→ Groupthink leads to irrational and uncritical decisions because the group overrides realistic appraisal to maintain unanimity, often ignoring warning signs.
✓ Groupthink is a negative phenomenon where the desire for consensus overrides realistic thinking, leading to disastrous decisions, as seen in the Vietnam War escalation.
⚠ Confusing Primary and Secondary Groups
✗ A primary group is one you join by choice, like a political party.
→ Primary groups are pre-existing and given (e.g., family, caste), not chosen. Secondary groups are joined by choice (e.g., political party).
✓ Primary groups are pre-existing formations like family, with face-to-face interaction and emotional bonds; secondary groups are chosen by the individual, with impersonal and indirect relationships.
⚠ Assuming All Groups Follow Tuckman’s Stages in Order
✗ All groups go through forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning in that exact sequence.
→ The chapter explicitly states that groups may go through stages simultaneously, go back and forth, or skip some stages entirely.
✓ Tuckman’s model describes typical developmental sequences, but groups do not always proceed systematically—stages may overlap, repeat, or be skipped.
⚠ Misunderstanding the Minimal Group Paradigm
✗ Tajfel’s experiment showed that groups need a long history to show ingroup favouritism.
→ The minimal group paradigm demonstrated that even groups created on flimsy criteria (like painting preference) with no past or future still show ingroup favouritism.
✓ Tajfel’s minimal group paradigm showed that even minimal, arbitrary group categorisation (e.g., preference for paintings) is sufficient to produce ingroup favouritism.
Compare & Contrast
Structure and interdependence
Group
Crowd
A group has mutual interdependence, defined roles, norms, and a sense of belonging; a crowd is a chance collection with no structure, interdependence, or belongingness.
Choice of membership and nature of relationships
Primary Group
Secondary Group
Primary groups are pre-existing and given (e.g., family), with face-to-face, emotional bonds; secondary groups are chosen (e.g., political party), with impersonal, indirect, and less frequent relationships.
Explicitness of rules and structure
Formal Group
Informal Group
Formal groups have explicitly stated functions, rules, and definite roles (e.g., a university); informal groups form without rules or laws and have close, unstructured relationships.
Membership and perception
Ingroup
Outgroup
Ingroup is one’s own group (referred to as ‘we’), viewed favourably with desirable traits; outgroup is another group (referred to as ‘they’), often perceived negatively in comparison.
Effect of others on individual performance
Social Loafing
Social Facilitation
Social loafing is a reduction in effort when working collectively with pooled outputs; social facilitation is an enhancement in performance when an individual performs alone in the presence of others and is evaluated.
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: 2 MCQs (1 mark each), 1 Short Answer (3 marks), 1 Long Answer (5 marks) — total 10 marks typically
Most asked: Definition and characteristics of a group · Groupthink: causes, consequences, and prevention · Social loafing: causes and ways to reduce it · Group polarisation: meaning and reasons · Tuckman’s stages of group formation · Types of groups: primary vs secondary, formal vs informal, ingroup vs outgroup · Tajfel’s minimal group paradigm experiments
Don't skip: Explain groupthink with examples and suggest ways to prevent it (5 marks); Differentiate between social loafing and social facilitation, and explain how to reduce social loafing (5 marks); Describe Tuckman’s stages of group formation with examples (3 or 5 marks); Compare and contrast primary and secondary groups, or formal and informal groups (3 marks)
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. A group is an organised system of two or more individuals who interact, are interdependent, share common motives, have roles, and follow norms.
  2. Crowds, audiences, and mobs are not groups because they lack structure, interdependence, and belongingness.
  3. Teams are special groups with complementary skills, common goals, and mutual accountability.
  4. People join groups for security, status, self-esteem, satisfaction of psychological needs, goal achievement, and knowledge.
  5. Proximity, similarity, and common motives and goals facilitate group formation.
  6. Tuckman’s stages of group formation are forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning.
  7. Groupthink is the tendency of cohesive groups to make irrational decisions by prioritising unanimity over realistic appraisal.
  8. Groupthink can be prevented by encouraging critical thinking, inviting outside experts, and seeking feedback.
  9. Social loafing is the reduction in individual effort when working on a collective task with pooled outputs.
  10. Social loafing can be reduced by making individual efforts identifiable, increasing task importance, and strengthening group cohesiveness.
  11. Group polarisation is the strengthening of a group’s initial position after discussion, leading to more extreme decisions.
  12. Primary groups are pre-existing and given (e.g., family); secondary groups are chosen (e.g., political party).
  13. Formal groups have explicit rules and roles; informal groups form without rules and have close relationships.
  14. Ingroup is ‘we’ and is viewed favourably; outgroup is ‘they’ and is often perceived negatively.
  15. Tajfel’s minimal group paradigm showed that even arbitrary categorisation leads to ingroup favouritism.
  16. Roles are socially defined expectations; norms are unspoken rules of behaviour in a group.
  17. Status is the relative social position of a member; cohesiveness is the ‘we feeling’ that binds members together.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. Which of the following best defines a group in social psychology?

  • A. Any collection of people assembled in one place at the same time
  • B. An organised system of 2+ interdependent individuals with common motives, defined roles, and norms ✓
  • C. A crowd of people waiting for a bus or movie
  • D. A team of people working on a single task without interaction

Answer: B — A true group requires interdependence, shared motives, roles, and norms; mere physical proximity (crowds) or task assignment (without interaction) does not constitute a group.

Q2. In Asch's conformity experiment, what percentage of participants conformed to the group's incorrect answer at least once?

  • A. 25%
  • B. 50%
  • C. 75% ✓
  • D. 95%

Answer: C — Asch found that 75% of participants conformed to obviously incorrect group judgments at least once during the line-matching trials.

Q3. Which factor would LEAST likely increase conformity in Asch's line judgment task?

  • A. Increasing group size from 1 to 3 people
  • B. Ensuring complete unanimity of group members
  • C. Adding one dissenting voice that disagrees with the majority ✓
  • D. Increasing task difficulty and ambiguity

Answer: C — A single dissenting voice breaks conformity pressure; even one person disagreeing significantly reduces conformity rates in the participant.

Q4. In Milgram's obedience experiment, how did proximity of the victim to the participant affect obedience rates?

  • A. Proximity had no effect; 65% obeyed regardless of distance
  • B. Proximity of the victim decreased obedience; direct contact reduced willingness to shock ✓
  • C. Proximity of the victim increased obedience; seeing the victim made participants feel justified
  • D. Proximity increased disobedience only when the experimenter was physically distant

Answer: B — When the victim was physically closer or in the same room, participants showed lower obedience rates compared to voice-only conditions.

Q5. Which compliance technique involves making a small request first to increase likelihood of agreement to a larger request later?

  • A. Door-in-the-face technique
  • B. Low-balling technique
  • C. Foot-in-the-door technique ✓
  • D. Rejection-then-retreat technique

Answer: C — The foot-in-the-door technique starts with a small, easily agreeable request to establish commitment before making the larger actual request.

Q6. According to Ringelmann's research on social loafing, what happens to individual effort as group size increases?

  • A. Effort increases due to competition within the group
  • B. Effort remains constant regardless of group size
  • C. Effort decreases due to diffusion of responsibility ✓
  • D. Effort increases then plateaus after the group reaches optimal size

Answer: C — The Ringelmann effect demonstrates that as group size increases, individual effort decreases because responsibility is diffused among more members.

Q7. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of groupthink as described by Janis?

  • A. Illusion of invulnerability and group unanimity
  • B. Self-censorship and pressure on dissenters
  • C. Increased critical evaluation and consideration of alternatives ✓
  • D. Illusion of morality and rationalisation of warnings

Answer: C — Groupthink is characterised by suppressed critical thinking, not increased evaluation; groupthink leads to poor decisions precisely because alternatives are not thoroughly examined.

Q8. In the bystander effect experiment by Latané and Darley, which factor explains why fewer people help as the number of bystanders increases?

  • A. Increased fear of personal danger
  • B. Diffusion of responsibility among multiple observers ✓
  • C. Lack of knowledge about how to help
  • D. Reduced visibility of the person in need

Answer: B — The bystander effect occurs because each person feels less responsible when others are present; responsibility is diffused across the group.

Q9. Deindividuation differs from conformity in that deindividuation involves: (A) Loss of personal identity leading to uninhibited behaviour in crowds (B) Voluntary change in behaviour to match group standards (C) Following direct orders from an authority figure (D) Making concessions after refusing an initial request

  • A. Loss of personal identity leading to uninhibited behaviour in crowds ✓
  • B. Voluntary change in behaviour to match group standards
  • C. Following direct orders from an authority figure
  • D. Making concessions after refusing an initial request

Answer: A — Deindividuation is loss of self-awareness in crowds causing impulsive behaviour; conformity is deliberate adoption of group norms while maintaining identity.

Q10. Which statement correctly describes the difference between normative influence and informational influence in conformity? (A) Normative influence affects only public behaviour; informational influence affects private beliefs (B) Both produce identical behavioural outcomes but differ only in motivation (C) Informational influence makes people fit in; normative influence makes people correct (D) Normative influence operates only in small groups; informational influence operates in large groups

  • A. Normative influence affects only public behaviour; informational influence affects private beliefs ✓
  • B. Both produce identical behavioural outcomes but differ only in motivation
  • C. Informational influence makes people fit in; normative influence makes people correct
  • D. Normative influence operates only in small groups; informational influence operates in large groups

Answer: A — Normative influence (fear of rejection) changes public behaviour but may not change private beliefs; informational influence (desire for accuracy) changes both behaviour and actual beliefs.

Flashcards

What is a group according to CBSE Chapter 7?

An organised system of 2+ individuals who are interdependent, share common motives, have defined roles and norms that regulate behaviour.

What percentage of participants conformed in Asch's line judgment experiment?

75% conformed at least once, with an average conformity rate of 37% across all trials.

What percentage of participants obeyed in Milgram's electric shock experiment?

65% of participants delivered the maximum 450-volt shock when ordered by the experimenter.

Define normative influence vs informational influence in group conformity.

Normative influence means conforming to fit in and gain approval; informational influence means conforming because the group is correct and we want accurate information.

What is the foot-in-the-door compliance technique?

A small initial request is made first, and once agreed, a larger request follows, increasing likelihood of compliance to the larger request.

What is social loafing and who studied it?

Social loafing is the tendency for individuals to exert less effort in a group; Ringelmann demonstrated this effect showing effort decreases as group size increases.

What is groupthink according to Janis?

Groupthink is a mode of thinking where desire for harmony leads to illusion of invulnerability, self-censorship, and poor decision-making in groups.

How does proximity of victim affect obedience in Milgram's experiment?

Proximity of the victim to the participant decreased obedience rates, as direct contact reduced willingness to administer shocks.

What is deindividuation and when does it occur?

Deindividuation is loss of personal identity and self-awareness in groups or crowds, leading to uninhibited, often aggressive or impulsive behaviour.

What is the bystander effect and what causes it?

The bystander effect is reduced helping behaviour as the number of bystanders increases, caused by diffusion of responsibility among observers.

Important Board Questions

Define a group and mention two characteristics that distinguish it from a crowd. (2 marks) [2 marks]

Define group as 2+ interdependent individuals with shared motives and norms. State that groups have structure/roles/belonging while crowds lack these; groups have mutually dependent members while crowds have independent individuals by chance.

Explain normative influence and informational influence in conformity with one example each. (5 marks) [5 marks]

Define normative influence as conforming to fit in/gain approval; informational influence as conforming because the group appears correct. Example: student wears school uniform (normative) vs student believes teacher's explanation because peers also believe it (informational). Explain how both lead to behaviour change but differ in motivation and permanence.

Analyse the bystander effect using Latané and Darley's five-step model. How did the number of bystanders affect helping behaviour in their experiments? Discuss the role of diffusion of responsibility. (6 marks) [6 marks]

Outline five steps: notice event, interpret as emergency, assume responsibility, decide how to help, take action. Explain that as bystanders increased, helping decreased because responsibility diffused among observers. Cite empirical data if possible (e.g., fewer helpers with more bystanders). Evaluate how this applies to real-life emergencies and moral implications.

Assertion-Reason Questions for Social Influence and Group Processes

Q1. Assertion (A):

A group is fundamentally different from a crowd because a group has defined roles, norms, and interdependence among its members.

Reason (R):

Crowds are random assemblies of people with no mutual interdependence, structure, or shared expectations about behaviour.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true. The assertion correctly identifies what makes groups unique (roles, norms, interdependence), and the reason validly explains why crowds differ—they lack these structural and relational features. The reason directly supports why groups are fundamentally different.

Q2. Assertion (A):

People join groups primarily to satisfy security needs and achieve goals that cannot be accomplished individually.

Reason (R):

Groups reduce insecurity by providing comfort and protection, and group members pool resources to accomplish larger objectives.

Answer: B — Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true—people do join for security and goal achievement. However, the reason does not fully explain the assertion because people also join for status, self-esteem, and psychological needs. The reason captures only two of six motivations, so while both are correct, the reason is not the complete or direct explanation.

Q3. Assertion (A):

Teams are special kinds of groups where both individual contributions and teamwork matter, with members holding themselves mutually accountable.

Reason (R):

In teams, there is a positive synergy attained through coordinated efforts, unlike groups where the leader alone bears responsibility.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true and closely connected. The assertion defines teams accurately, and the reason explains the key distinguishing feature—mutual accountability and synergy versus single-leader responsibility. The reason directly justifies why teams are 'special' kinds of groups.

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Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for Social Influence and Group Processes

Case Study:

A high school in Delhi formed a debate club with 18 members who meet weekly, follow a code of conduct, have formal roles (captain, vice-captain, speaker, researcher), and work collectively to prepare for inter-school competitions. Members feel a strong sense of belonging and view the club's success as their personal achievement. When the club won the state championship, members reported feeling increased self-worth. However, when membership shifted to a group of 20 casual cricket enthusiasts who gathered at a park on weekends without structure or defined goals, the members felt no particular sense of collective pride.

Q1. Why does the debate club satisfy self-esteem needs while the casual cricket group does not, according to the chapter?

  • A. The debate club has formal norms, roles, and collective goals; when the group achieves success, members experience elevated self-worth through association with a prestigious group ✓
  • B. The debate club members are more intelligent than cricket enthusiasts
  • C. The cricket group lacks a coach or leader to motivate members
  • D. Self-esteem is only satisfied in competitive activities like debate

Answer: A

Q2. Which characteristics of a true 'group' are clearly present in the debate club but absent in the casual cricket gathering?

  • A. Size, location, and frequency of meetings
  • B. Defined roles, norms, common motives, interdependence, and structured interaction ✓
  • C. Only the presence of a captain or leader
  • D. The ability to engage in physical activity

Answer: B

Q3. The debate club members' pride in the state championship victory reflects which reason for joining groups mentioned in the chapter?

  • A. Security and comfort
  • B. Knowledge acquisition only
  • C. Status and self-esteem through membership in a prestigious group ✓
  • D. Goal achievement unrelated to personal identity

Answer: C

Q4. If the casual cricket group were to adopt formal structure, defined roles, and explicit goals (like training for a tournament), what psychological change would members likely experience according to the chapter?

  • A. No change, as group psychology depends on activity, not structure
  • B. Increased sense of belonging, collective identity, and potentially enhanced self-esteem through group identity ✓
  • C. Decreased enjoyment due to increased rules and norms
  • D. Improved physical skills but no psychological benefits

Answer: B

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Previous Year Questions (PYQ) for Social Influence and Group Processes

Real CBSE board exam questions from past papers — free to attempt.

CBSE 2026 · Set Psychology · 1 mark

A teacher notices that one of her usually calm and respectful students behaves aggressively during a group activity. She considers whether this behaviour might be due to peer pressure and classroom dynamics rather than the student's personality. Which approach is the teacher following?

  • Functionalism
  • Altruism
  • Structuralism
  • Situationism

CBSE 2026 · Set Psychology · 2 marks

Riya feels a strong sense of belonging and emotional attachment with her childhood family dance group, but when she joined the school council, she followed rules and communicated formally with its members. Identify the two types of groups Riya is part of and explain each with reference to the scenario.

CBSE 2026 · Set Psychology · 4 marks

During an inter-school science exhibition, • Riya, who usually works efficiently when alone, noticed a drop in her productivity while working with a team. • Her friend Arjun, however performed much better during the final group presentation than he did during rehearsals. • Meanwhile, during a debate on climate change, the group members who initially had mild views became more extreme after discussing their options together. • While playing tug of war, only Riya's teammates contributed less efforts in the group task compared to working alone. Based on the above situation, identify and explain any four psychological concepts related to group influence on individual behaviour.

CBSE 2025 · Set 63_psychology · 1 mark

A peaceful audience at a sports event suddenly turns into a frenzied mob following a controversial decision by the referee. Which factors are likely responsible for this transformation?

  • The audience's initial passive nature
  • The presence of clear and enforced rules
  • The polarisation of attention and shared emotions among the audience
  • The diverse opinions and behaviours within the crowd

CBSE 2025 · Set 63_psychology · 1 mark

A company is forming a new committee to plan a major event. To ensure effective collaboration, they want the committee to function as a primary group. Which of the following strategies would best support this goal?

  • Assigning clear roles and tasks to each member
  • Encouraging frequent, informal interactions among members
  • Setting strict rules and guidelines for all meetings
  • Limiting communication to official emails and reports

CBSE 2025 · Set 63_psychology · 2 marks

Identify and explain two strategies to reduce social loafing within a group.

CBSE 2025 · Set 63_psychology · 2 marks

Evaluate the role of common motives and goals in forming and maintaining a cohesive group, with an example.

CBSE 2023 · Set 63_Psychology · 1 mark

We all belong to different types of groups. What type of group will the armed forces be if you join it?

  • (i), (iii) and (iv)
  • (iii) and (iv)
  • (ii) and (iii)
  • (i), (ii) and (iv)

CBSE 2023 · Set 63_Psychology · 2 marks

Differentiate between ingroup and outgroup.

CBSE 2023 · Set 63_Psychology · 3 marks

Mehak is an important member of her Psychology group and has recently been selected to be a member of the football team as well. What is the main difference between the group and the team that she is a part of?

CBSE 2022 · Set 63 Psychology · 3 marks

When groups are formed, they pass through some developmental sequences or stages. Explain these stages with the help of an example.

CBSE 2022 · Set 63 Psychology · 4 marks

A person may be a member of different types of groups. With the help of examples, discuss the major types of these groups that people belong to.

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