Final answer:
Social contagion refers to how behaviors, emotions, and ideas spread among individuals, which is a key concept in social psychology. The Bystander Effect and deindividuation are examples of how the presence of others can impact individual behavior, where actions can be influenced by diffuse responsibility or reduced personal accountability.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Social Contagion in Social Psychology
The effects of others on our behavior, which can involve the spread of behavior, emotions, and ideas, is an example of social contagion. This phenomenon is part of the field of social psychology, which examines how people affect one another's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. One pertinent concept in social psychology related to this is the Bystander Effect, a scenario where individuals are less likely to act or help in an emergency when others are present, due to a diffusion of responsibility. Additionally, deindividuation is another aspect where an individual's behavior changes because they feel less accountable within a group setting, often leading to actions they might not take on their own.
These concepts and behaviors are impacted by various social forces such as social roles, norms, and scripts, which provide cues on how to behave in different situations. Altruism and prosocial behavior represent positive social interactions, while more harmful behaviors can emerge from group conformity or obedience to authority.