Social Influences on Behavior Free Essays

Albert Fish was a 20th century serial killer, child rapist, sadomasochist, and cannibal. This paper is a brief description focused on the forces that impacted his life from the viewpoint of developmental psychology. The author made an effort to distinguish between the influences of hereditary and environment on psychological development. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Influences on Behavior or any similar topic only for you Order Now He also explains what family issues and social support systems may have influenced Albert Fish’s developmental growth and adjustment. Two different theories of personality selected by the author was applied to Fish, which includes a discussion of how each theory differs in terms of how it explains Fish’s unique patterns and traits. The author also makes a determination regarding which theory he believes best explains Fish’s behaviors and achievements. Forces That Impact Life: Developmental Psychology Developmental psychology is defined as â€Å"The branch of psychology concerned with the study of progressive behavioral changes in an individual from birth until death† (Farlex, 2011). Albert Fish’s rough childhood contributed to the person he became, along with other factors that occurred throughout adulthood. He was born to poverty on May 19, 1870. His father passed away on October 15, 1875. His mother could not take care of Fish, therefore, she placed him in a religious orphanage called Saint John’s Orphanage. Here he learned to lie, cheat, beg, and steal. He also experienced and seen wrong-doings no boy, or person, should. Albert Fish was whipped bare-bottomed at the orphanage and was forced to witness other boys being whipped. He said this abuse was the beginning of his ruined mind. During his interview, before his execution, he said he felt his first sex feeling while watching the other boys be whipped, which eventually developed while he was receiving the abuse. When Fish left the orphanage, he felt the need to satisfy these sexual urges with sexual experimentation and prostitution, which included men. His needs and urges became very sadomasochistic. He enjoyed what hurt. He inflicted pain on not only himself, but also on others. He would not stop until he reached his climax, and progress on with the torcher for days. In his late 20s, Albert Fish married. His wife had the same types of sexual interest as he. While he was married, he continued to lead a double life by fulfilling his sadomasochistic fantasies with boys. He made this way of life easily obtainable by working as a traveling housepainter and being away more than he was home. Fish traveled all over the United States. â€Å"I had children in every state,† Albert Fish stated during his interview (Borowski, 2006). After 19 years of marriage, Albert Fish’s wife left him for another man. She had sent their six children off to the movies, and they came home to an empty house. He came home to find his six children alone and discover she had taken everything. Fish believed this was his breaking point. His children testified, during his trial, although he never hit them or raised his voice to them, they did witness his self-torcher. They testified to finding blood covered boards with nails sticking out of one end and to seeing him drive needles into himself. An x-ray was taken of his pelvic region that showed 29 needles lodged within. In 1928, approximately five years after his wife abandoned him and their children, Albert Fish decided to act upon a growing urge. He responded to a newspaper advertisement of a young boy looking for employment. After he responded by telegram, he arrived at the young man’s house, bearing lunch. He quickly lost interest in the young man once Fish seen his younger sister, Grace Budd. He convinced her parents to let him take her to his niece’s birthday party, which was fictional. She was to never be seen again. Albert took Grace to an old abandoned house where he tricked her into coming into the house where he was naked, waiting for her. He strangled her, cut her up into little pieces, and devoured her. Fish said that he got the idea of cannibalism from his uncle in 1894, which was never verified. His uncle, Captain John Daus, sailed to China during the time of a famine. Children were sold to be butchered. They were brought out in parts to be cut to one’s choosing and sold as veal. The captain told his nephew human meat did taste of veal, and the behind was the sweetest part. The captain stole two children to bring home with him. He beat their behinds for days, while they were still alive, to make it nice and tender. Albert Fish decided he had to try it. Not only did the environment in which he grew up shape Albert Fish, it is believed that his genetic influences may have had a huge impact as well. â€Å"His family had a history of mental illness: his uncle suffered from religious mania, a brother was confined in the state mental hospital, another brother had died of hydrocephalus and his sister had a â€Å"mental affliction†. Three other close relatives suffered from severe mental illnesses and his mother was believed to suffer frequent aural and/or visual hallucinations† (Farlex, 2011). Albert Fish seems to fall in the postconventional moral development area of psychological development. Postconventional morality is how â€Å"people reason using abstract, self-defined moral principles that may not match conventional moral beliefs† (Kowalski Western, 2009). Fish was a very religious man. He claimed that his reasoning for his crimes were of religious purposes. He took the word of the Bible and twisted it to make his doings the work of God. Several times he said he was visited by Jesus Christ. Jesus would give him messages telling him what to do. Fish identified religion with suffering. In all his doings, he thought he was doing right because no angels came and stopped him as they did in the story of Abraham and the sacrifice of his son Isaac. The word ‘stripes’ in the Bible he referred to the lashes left by being whipped. He performed castrations and sacrificed virgins. Fish put cannibalism on the same level as communion. Eat the flesh and drink the blood, and they will become one with him, and he with them. This made Albert Fish feel God-like and powerful. He said he inserted the needles into his pelvic region to purge himself of sin by torcher. Theories of Personality The two different theories of personality selected are the drive model of Freud’s theory of psychodynamics and the cognitive-social theory. â€Å"Freud reasoned that if a symptom is not of physiological origin and the patient is consciously trying to stop it but cannot, then opposing the conscious will must be an unconscious counter-will of equal or greater magnitude† (Kowalski Western, 2009), which is the basis for his theories. The drive model was proposed by two basics: sex and aggression. Albert Fish used both together to shape his life. To him they were one and the same. He enjoyed and got off the torcher of himself and others. â€Å"Cognitive–social theories share the behaviorist belief that learning (rather than instinct, conflict, or defense) is the basis of personality and that personality d ispositions tend to be relatively specific and shaped by their consequences. However, they also focus on beliefs, expectations, and information processing† (Kowalski Western, 2009). This theory shows how environmental demands, and the way one processes the information about themselves and the world can have an effect on one’s interaction of a situation, such as school or in an orphanage, and one’s learned tendencies to behave in a certain way in a certain circumstance, which in turn can reflect one’s knowledge and beliefs. Albert Fish’s environment at the Catholic orphanage demanded him to watch other boys get whipped. He was also whipped himself. He began to relate this abuse to sexual gratification by torching himself and others. He also connected suffering to religious aspects, such as being purged of sin. In the end believed the religion was his reason for his crimes. The author believes the cognitive-theory best explains Albert Fish’s behaviors and achievements because of his strong belief that what he was doing was an act of God. If Fish was never subjected to the environment at the orphanage, he may not have developed the sexual urge from torcher. The author also believes many other factors in Fish’s life contributed to his deranged achievement, such as the family history of mental illness and the psychotic break, which occurred when his wife abandoned him and his children. Albert Fish’s environment and religious upbringing was horrid yet detrimental to his moral psychological development. It is obvious that family issues and support systems along with hereditary influences has greatly impacted his life and influenced his behaviors and achievements. Albert Fish was found guilty of murder in the first degree and sentenced to death by electric chair. He was 65. References Farlex. (2011). The Free Dictionary. Farlex, Inc. Retrieved May 22, 2011 from The Free Dictionary by Farlex: http://www. thefreedictionary. com/developmental+psychology Kowalski, Robin and Western, Drew. (2009). Psychology. 5th Ed. Chp. 10, 12, and 13. John Wiley Sons, Inc. Retrieved May 22, 2011 from the University of Phoenix: https://ecampus. hoenix. edu/content/eBookLibrary2/content/TOC. aspx? assetMetaId=e5b1e2e8-3a11-4d07-970f-cecd423d9973assetDataId=63bf6c04-77c0-4129-afdb-dd2c6b73eccf Borowski, John. (2006). Albert Fish: In Sin He Found Salvation. Waterfront Productions. Schechter, Harold. (1990). Deranged: The Shocking True Story of America’s Fiendish Killer! How to cite Social Influences on Behavior, Papers Social Influences on Behavior Free Essays Social Influences on Behavior Somchai Knorr Grantham University Social Influences on Behavior â€Å"Sociologists and philosophers had recognized that people behave differently in crowds than they do as individuals and that a crowd is more than the mere sum of its parts† (Kowalski Western, 2005). Human behavior changes based on social situations individuals may encounter, and these encounters may begin as early as toddler years. Individuals learn to adapt to society by changing their behavior in order to â€Å"fit in† with the rest of the crowd. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Influences on Behavior or any similar topic only for you Order Now Two examples of how an individual’s behavior changes based on social situations are when a) a person decides to drink liquor at a social event. The second example of when an individual’s behavior changes based on social situations is b) when a person decides to smoke marijuana or cigarettes. One may see these behaviors in an individual who regularly does not behave like so when they are trying to act like â€Å"everyone else. † These behaviors may be seen in situations such as a party, a club, or a popular social event, where an individual will find it fitting to behave differently to receive recognition from other social crowds. Precursors and Consequences â€Å"When he first arrived on campus at age 18, he figured he had to drink if he wanted to fit in, even though the legal drinking age is 21† (Wilson, 2008). Students, especially in colleges and universities, find themselves in situations where they believe they have to take part in drinking and partying to get approval from the rest of the student body to increase their self-esteem and popularity. An example of social comparison would be a student drinking and smoking to fit in with the crowd. Adults may also find themselves peer pressured to drink alcohol or smoke when taking part in extracurricular activities, such as going out to clubs or attending social events, to feel relaxed or content. Drinking and smoking is advertised on a daily basis as a way of â€Å"enjoying the party. † One example that I have observed would be with the recent kick off of the American football season. My television sets are invaded with beer commercials emphasizing on how fans seem to enjoy the game more when they are drinking a beer, when I visit my ocal Wal-Mart or Publix, there is an area designed just for football fans made of beer products. Social psychology concepts concentrate on the individual and the situation in which that individual is in. As mentioned above, self-esteem is one of the examples that apply to individuals who use liquor, marijuana or tobacco as a coping mechanism. The self-concept of one not being able to function correctly without the liquor or the tobacco in their system is another concept of social psychology. In the long run the individual is at risk of affecting his or her health, their education, and their social standing. Associated Phenomenon Phenomenon’s such as social facilitation and social influence have been associated with behaviors, such as drinking and smoking in social events. Social influence â€Å"Social influence, effects of the presence of others on the way people think, feel, and behave† (Kowalski Westen, 2005). Social influence is associated with both behaviors because the changes in behaviors are due to the attitudes of others or guidance towards a particular direction, in this case the drinking and smoking of tobacco or marijuana. Another example of how social influence affects the behavior of an individual in guiding them towards smoking or drinking with the perception that getting involved is pleasurable and accepted widely among other peers. One might find themselves as the only person the group of peers that does not smoke or drink, at one point or another they will involve themselves in the same activities because everyone else is drinking and smoking and they have not had any severe apparent consequences. When it becomes a routine for everyone around oneself to party constantly and go on drinking and smoking binges, conformity is another phenomenon that occurs because this person is accommodating themselves to standards of the rest of the group. Social facilitation Social facilitation is another phenomenon that is associated to individuals who use drinking and smoking as an excuse to behave in a certain way. Individuals use drinking as a way to express their feelings better in a group of people or towards a certain individual. For example, when a person drinks while out at a club or a party, they may feel as if they have the confidence to approach others they may find attractive or laugh and dance within the group of partygoers. â€Å"Small amounts of alcohol might dull painful feelings† (C. A. M. H. , 2008). Just as individuals use drinking and smoking as a way to feel happy and relaxed others use these substances to feel numb. Individuals use alcohol as a gateway to forgetting any traumatic events in their lives such as being sexually, physically, or emotionally abused. The stress of dealing with other individuals, like a significant other, a parent, or a child, with mental or health issue also leaves behind emotional distress, and one may feel that the way of dealing with the stress is to drink. Recently a close friend started smoking cigarettes; I questioned her on why she had taken on this habit. Her response left me flabbergasted; it seemed ridiculous to me, that she had taken on this habit because it was a way of dealing with the stress of having three children at the age of 21. Therapeutic Intervention When an individual or an individual’s family and friends consider therapeutic intervention it is for the simple fact that the behavior has escalated to an uncontrollable degree. When an individual loses control of his or her life, the therapeutic intervention is what provides the guidance, reasoning, and inspiration for the person to make the needed changes to get back on track. The determining factor of whether a person should consider therapeutic intervention or not is the frequency and quantity of alcohol, tobacco, or marijuana is consuming. Another determining factor would be the reason of why this individual has taken on this behavior. As mentioned earlier, many people begin smoking marijuana or cigarettes and begin drinking alcohol when they have encountered stressful situations as well as having to deal with traumatic events. Conclusion As examined, behaviors such as smoking and drinking are changed endured by humans based on social situations they encounter. Social situations such as parties or traumatic past events may trigger oneself to act a certain way or take on new habits. Individuals may feel that by partaking in certain activities their social standings will improve. Unfortunately, if the right amount of self control is not applied an individual may find oneself overwhelmed and become addicted to a substance or lifestyle. References Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. PAHO. (2008). Retrieved October  11, 2009, from http://www. camh. net/About_Addiction_Mental_Health/Drug_and_Addiction_Informatio n/Women_and_Alcohol/alcohol_feelings. html Thadani, Vandana; Huchting, Karen; LaBrie, Joseph. (2009, August 1). Alcohol-related information in multi-component interventions and college students’ drinking behavior The Free Library. (2009). Retrieved October 10, 2009 from http://www. thefreelibrary. com/Alcohol-related information in multi-component interventions and†¦ -a0207704284 University of Phoenix. (2009). Week Five Readings: Psychology, Chapter 15. Retrieved October 6, 2009, from University of Phoenix, Week Five, PSY/300—General Psychology Web site. Wilson, Brenda. (2008, October  23). University Uses ‘Social Norming’ to Curb Drinking. NPR Health. Retrieved from http://www. npr. org/templates/story/story. php? storyId=95937183 How to cite Social Influences on Behavior, Papers Social Influences on Behavior Free Essays Abstract Diverse societal situations, or situational variables, may include a huge influence on a person’s actions and performances. Psychology has an important function in individual’s communication which is why it is crucial that we need to comprehend how psychological factors can manipulate someone’s actions when they are face to face with a variety of public situations. A number of these factors will incorporate: the need to fit in, unselfishness, traditional values, social facilitation, and respect. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Influences on Behavior or any similar topic only for you Order Now Humans frequently become accustomed to their public settings because various types of social environments support the growth of specific behaviors. This is frequently due to a mixture of the abovementioned psychological factors that manipulate someone’s actions in any given social circumstances. Social Influences on Behavior Paper Human Interaction Humans will experience social situations all the time, just about every day. The way that we react or conduct ourselves all the way through these types of situations can be prejudiced by the essential psychological concept of human communication. Human communication is â€Å"how people think, feel, and behave toward one another† (Newcomb, Turner, Converse, 1996). This communication can be seen as unfair by a lot of factors, which can incorporate: human being experiences, stereotype, favoritism, and acknowledgment. Everybody has had their own unique experiences throughout life which often influences the way they interact with other human beings. Each person’s experiences can reflect in the way that the person behaves in social settings and interacts with other humans. Stereotyping can affect the lives of all human beings in any given culture, which also has an impact on human interaction and behavior. All cultures tend to develop certain stereotypes (race, gender, sexual preference, etc. ) based on biased opinions, and these stereotypes can become evident when humans interact with one another. The role of discrimination within human interaction has been the topic of many controversies throughout history due to its negative impact on human interaction. Discrimination can cause controversy and anger between people who do not share commonalities. Stereotyping and discrimination are similar in that they are both driven by the influence of bias and prejudice. Attribution is an individual’s way of asking (or explaining) why people act or respond the way they do when faced with social situations (Kowalski Westen, 2009). Humans use attribution in an attempt to make sense of their own actions and the actions of those around them. All of these elements combine to create the building blocks of human interaction. Social Situations Social situations are virtually unavoidable for most people. Human beings are naturally social creatures, which is why most people learn to behave in a specific way when they have to be face to face with a range of public situations. One decent illustration of how a public situation can manipulate human beings actions would be the unlike those of how an adolescent behaves when he or she is around friends versus family members. Most adolescents are influenced by the concept of conformity when interacting with peers and friends. â€Å"Conformity is the process by which people change their attitudes or behavior to accommodate the standards of peers or groups† (Kowalski Westen, 2009). Adolescents may conform out of the need to belong within their specific group of peers. Fear of rejection might also be a driving factor behind adolescent conformity. For many adolescents group think is a strong influential factor. Group think â€Å"occurs when a group makes faulty decisions because group pressures lead to a deterioration of mental efficiency, reality testing, and moral judgment. Groups affected by groupthink ignore alternatives and tend to take irrational actions that dehumanize other groups† (Irving, 1982). The consequences that the adolescent may face by not conforming to certain expected behaviors may lead to isolation or even discrimination from the peer group. In the event that the adolescent conforms to dangerous or harmful behaviors (such as alcoholism or drugs) he or she may need therapeutic intervention in order to improve the destructive behaviors that are being exhibited. Without an intervention the adolescent may become addicted to drugs or alcohol or they may cause harm to themselves or others. Unfortunately this type of scenario happens to many adolescents due to the pressures of fitting in within a high school setting. Adolescents who are otherwise well-behaved with good judgment of ethics and principals can develop into an addiction by their group of friends and the effect of the group think that their overall actions become tainted or unnatural in a harmful way. When interacting with family members adolescents may be driven by social facilitation. Family members often push adolescents to achieve a certain level of success, which can alter the behavior of the adolescent due to the facilitating affect that the family members may have on the adolescent. Obedience is another important element of social interactions between adolescents and parental units. In most cases if an adolescent is not obedient and disobeys his or her parents there are often consequences as a result of the disobedient behavior. Another example of how social interaction can change an individual’s behavior would be a situation in which an upper-class individual is approached by a homeless person who is asking for money or food. In this type of social situation altruism is the key element that drives the behavior of the upper-class individual. Altruism is described as helping another individual with no expectations of personal gain or reward. The upper-class individual may not necessarily empathize with the homeless individual, but the need for altruism may encourage him or her to give the homeless person food or money. In this case the upper-class individual’s behaviors may actually be driven by ethical hedonism, which occurs when â€Å"apparent altruism is really aimed at making the apparent altruist feel better† (Kowalski Westen, 2009). The upper-class individual may fear that not responding to and helping the homeless individual will lead to consequences such as being portrayed as cheap or egocentric. Although it may appear that the upper-class individual is being altruistic, his or her behavior may actually be driven by selfish motives that are unapparent to other people. In this particular example no therapeutic intervention would be needed. Conclusion The influence of factors such as altruism, obedience, conformity, and social-facilitation can be evident in all social interactions. Social psychology also plays an imperative role in all basic human interactions because it helps resolve some of the mystery behind people’s actions. While comprehending specific basics of public/social psychology can definitely help out in the awareness of several people’s actions it is difficult to fully comprehend and explain all of the driving factors behind each and every individual’s behavior within social situations. Human behavior is typically unpredictable, but there are a variety of common factors that can influence behaviors in any given social setting, which is where social psychology comes into play. How to cite Social Influences on Behavior, Papers Social Influences on Behavior Free Essays Human interaction is a type of action that occurs as two or more human beings have an effect upon one another. Individuals are often unaware of many of the factors that determine their emotions and behavior. Simply, we adapt to our surroundings. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Influences on Behavior or any similar topic only for you Order Now Every situation and setting requires a different set of mannerisms. For example, people act differently at work then when they’re with friends. Work is often a lot more strict and proper and to maintain those expectations, one must carefully consider what they say and what they do. But on the other hand, being with friends is a much more casual thing–you can talk about pretty much anything in whatever manner you want to. Human behavior tends to change based on social situations. This is especially when the unexpected occurs; we analyze and discuss why people act as they do. In everyday life we do the same . Does his warmth reflect romantic interest in me, or is that how he relates to everyone?Does his absenteeism signify laziness or an oppressive work atmosphere? Social Influences on Behavior This essay examines basic concepts of human interaction from a psychology perspective. In this examination, two examples of how human behavior changes based on social situation are described. Behavior is contagious. One person giggles, coughs, or yawns, and others in the group are soon doing the same. A cluster of people stands gazing upward, and passersby pause to do likewise. Laughter, even canned laughter, can be infectious.Bartenders and street musicians know to â€Å"seed ‘ their tip cups with money that suggests that others have given. This suggestibility is a subtle type of conformity . Conformity involves adjusting our thinking and behavior to bring it into line with some group standard. But why do people comply with this social influence? Why do we clap when others clap, eat as others eat, believe what others believe, even see what others see? Frequently, it is to avoid rejection or to gain social approval. In such cases , we are responding to what social psychologists call normative social influence .We are sensitive to social norms – understood rules for accepted and expected behavior- because the price we pay for being different may be severe. We may do the accepted thing because the group can provide valuable information. When we accept others` opinions about reality, we are responding to informational social influence. Have you ever heard the saying â€Å"Those who never retract their opinions love themselves more than they love the truth†? But a conforming behavior does not necessitate therapeutic intervention . As these reasons for conformity suggest; social influence can be either constructive or destructive. When influence supports that we approve ,then we applaud those who are â€Å"open-minded ‘ and â€Å"sensitive ‘ enough to be â€Å"responsive ‘ When influence supports what we disapprove , then we scorn the â€Å"submissive conformity ‘ of those who comply with others` wishes . Conformity is associated by such group phenomena as group think, minority influence, group polarization and social facilitation. I have realized that I tend to have my own behaviors and attitudes influenced by the presence of others that I am surrounded by such as being in the presence of children or when I am in the company of a pregnant woman this also happens to me.This is a natural characteristic of mine that I have had as far back as I can possibly remember. I see this behavior in just about everyone I have come across; it just sometimes comes out very differently in different people. Some people’s behaviors and attitudes can be positive and there are even some people w ho have negative reactions to certain groups of people who they are surrounded by. When I am in a room surrounded by children I definitely see a change in my behavior and attitudes. Since I can remember I have always loved children and loved being in their presence.When I am in the presence of children I have noticed and also have been told by others that my voice will change almost as if it adapts to the children’s voices or to put me at a level with the children. It is actually a very interesting thing and I have seen it happen to other people as well, and I suppose I never noticed it until it was brought to my attention. I definitely do it when talking to an infant. Also, another way my behavior changes are I will actually get down to the child’s level and play with them as if I were their age.For example, if a little girl is playing with dolls I will also grab a doll and play with the little girl to entertain her and make her smile. Playing with dolls is not something I would do normally at my age so that is definitely a behavioral change. Lastly when I am in the company of a child I will become very conscious of the things I say and do, for the fact that I do not want to do anything that would be inappropriate in front of the child. This is definitely something that I become way more conscious of when in the presence of a child then when I would be around an older crowd.When I am around pregnant woman I will definitely find myself changing some of my behaviors and attitudes. I sort of did not like being pregnant, and I still remember all the many things about it, the good and bad. One thing I find myself doing around the pregnant women is I’ll try to be extremely sensitive when it comes to the pet peeves I had during my pregnancy like I will not stare at them because I remember how extremely self conscious I was regarding my weight especially when people would stare at me. I will never make comments in reference to the weight or try to not to guess how far along she is.Finally, another way I see my attitude an d behavior change around a pregnant woman would be I find myself becoming much more polite for example, If I were on a bus and It was crowded and I was in a seat and a pregnant woman came on the bus but there wasn’t any more seats I would without even thinking about it get up and offer her my seat. The reason I am well mannered when it comes to pregnant woman is because I too was once pregnant, and I remember how at times it was such a difficult and uncomfortable situation to be in. I also remember how much I appreciated it when people would be so polite, and try to help me in any way.I am only trying to pay the good deed forward. Different situations with different people will sometimes change both my behaviors and my attitude. I am aware of most of these situations that change the way I act and am happy to say that when I change my attitude or behaviors that they are for the better. I was brought up to always respect others, and to always have others best interests at heart and I am glad that I am still living up to those standards. There is nothing wrong with being able to adapt to different situations as long as you are not doing any changing in a negative way. How to cite Social Influences on Behavior, Papers