PSYC FPX 2200 Assessment 3 Understanding the Influence of Social and Cultural Factors on Human Behavior

PSYC FPX 2200 Assessment 3 Human behavior is shaped by numerous factors, of which social and cultural factors are among the strongest. Social norms, cultural beliefs, and structures of society all have important roles to play in determining how individuals think, behave, and relate to others. Knowledge of these influences is needed to understand the complexity of human behavior, especially across various social and cultural contexts. This essay examines the role social and cultural factors play in affecting human behavior, with a view to examining the manner in which these factors determine people’s actions, choices, and beliefs within different environments.

Social factors include the different influences generated through interaction with others, such as family, peers, media, and social institutions. Social factors influence the behavior of individuals in profound ways.

Social norms are the implicit rules and expectations that regulate behavior in a society. These norms define what is acceptable or not acceptable in a culture or social group. Conformity is when people adapt their behavior to match these social norms, usually to be accepted or not rejected.

Example: In the workplace, a social norm may be that the dress code should be professional. Workers are required to dress formally so that they can blend in and have a good image when facing other employees and clients.
Impact on Behavior: Social norms have an effect on everything from routine behaviors, like the way individuals dress or communicate, to larger behaviors, such as political affiliations or beliefs about social causes.

2. Peer Pressure and Group Influence

Peer pressure is the influence an individual feels from their peers to act in a specific way. This form of social influence is very strong during adolescence but pervades individuals throughout their lives.

Example: Adolescents may be influenced by their friends to smoke or drink even though they hesitate about doing these things.
Impact on Behavior: Peer pressure has the potential to result in both positive and negative behaviors. Peer influence, for example, may promote positive behavior such as academic achievement or group work, but it may also lead to risk-taking behavior such as drug use.

3. Socialization and Family Influence

From a young age, individuals are socialized into specific behaviors, attitudes, and values by their families and communities. Family plays a crucial role in shaping core beliefs and behaviors that are carried into adulthood.

Since childhood, people are taught certain behaviors, attitudes, and values by their communities and families. Family plays an important role in instilling core beliefs and behaviors that one takes into adulthood.
Example: A child brought up by a family where education is valued may form a high regard for academic success, while a child brought up by a less education-valued family will not consider it important.

Cultural Factors that Influence Human Behavior

Cultural factors are the common beliefs, values, and practices that characterize a specific group or society. These factors determine how people view the world and relate to others.

1. Cultural Beliefs and Values

Cultural values and beliefs are deeply rooted in societies and determine how people view different things in life, including relationships, work, and morality. Various cultures value different things, including individualism versus collectivism or power distance.

Example: In individualistic cultures (e.g., the United States), independence and personal achievement are highly valued, whereas in collectivist cultures (e.g., Japan), social responsibility and group harmony are valued.
Impact on Behavior: Cultural values influence behavior across domains like occupational choices, familial relationships, and social relationships. For example, a person with a collectivist culture might attend to group priorities over individualistic desires, whereas a person of an individualist culture might stress individual achievement.

2. Cultural Norms and Communication Styles

Cultures have unique ways of communication that affect the manner in which individuals communicate and process messages. For instance, whereas some cultures can appreciate directness in communication, others would require indirectness or politeness.

Example: While direct communication prevails in most Western cultures with people encouraged to speak freely regarding their opinions and thoughts, the opposite applies to some cultures from Asia, which prefer using indirect communication as a means to maintain social harmony without conflict.
Impact on Behavior: Cultural styles of communication can assist people in understanding social interaction better and in avoiding miscommunications. It also impacts behavior, both in one’s personal life and in professional life, where awareness of cultures is necessary in order to build relationships and for cooperation.

3. Cultural Expectations and Gender Roles

Cultural standards tend to dictate gender roles and expectations, which in turn guide the ways that men and women are supposed to act in particular situations. Roles can prescribe anything from occupational aspirations to familial responsibilities.

Example: In certain societies, men can be expected to seek out leadership careers, and women tend to be expected to take on caregiving or familial responsibilities.
Impact on Behavior: Cultural gender roles have the ability to influence career ambitions, interpersonal relationships, and involvement in society. But these roles are now facing a challenge as societies become more progressive and promote gender equality.

Social and cultural influences are not mutually exclusive, but rather often interact and reinforce each other. For instance, a person’s behavior can be influenced both by social norms (e.g., peer pressure) and by cultural expectations (e.g., gender roles). Both of these work together to determine how people behave in various social situations.

Example of Interaction:

A young woman in a collectivist society might feel obliged to follow her family’s norms, which reinforce traditional gendered roles, in addition to pressure from her peer group to perform more contemporary behavior encouraged by her social group.

Impact on Behavior: The combination of social and cultural influences can generate internal conflict as people try to navigate the demands of various groups and communities. This combination serves to underscore the complexity of human behavior and the necessity for a more sophisticated understanding of how individuals make choices.

Social and cultural influences not only influence behavior but also have a strong impact on psychological well-being. For instance, social support from family and friends will improve an individual’s mental health, and cultural expectations and values may increase or reduce stress.

Positive Impacts:
- Close social networks and cultural unity will give emotional support and belongingness, which are both vital to mental health.
- Cultural activities like meditation, social gatherings, or religious ceremonies can induce relaxation and positive mental state.
Negative Impacts:
- Social pressures like the pressure to fit into peer images can result in anxiety, depression, and stress.
- Cultural stigma of mental illnesses can deter people from seeking treatment, causing worsening psychological distress.

Introduction: The Role of Social and Cultural Factors in Human Behavior

Social Factors that Influence Human Behavior

1. Social Norms and Conformity