Psychology Social Psychology

Psychology of Group Behavior

How groups think, conform, lead, conflict, and change in real-world settings

Psychology of Group Behavior logo
Quick Course Facts
17
Self-paced, Online, Lessons
17
Videos and/or Narrated Presentations
5.5
Approximate Hours of Course Media
About the Psychology of Group Behavior Course

Psychology of Group Behavior explores how people shape, and are shaped by, the groups they belong to. This course helps you understand the forces behind group identity, social pressure, leadership, and decision-making so you can work more effectively in teams, communities, and organizations.

Explore How Groups Think, Adapt, And Influence Outcomes

  • Learn the core principles of Psychology behind group behavior and social influence
  • Understand how groups think, conform, lead, conflict, and change in real-world settings
  • Recognize the impact of norms, roles, authority, and cohesion on everyday interactions
  • Apply practical tools to improve communication, cooperation, and group decision-making

A practical Psychology course on the patterns, pressures, and power of group life.

This course introduces the foundations of group psychology and shows why people often behave differently when they are part of a collective. You will examine how social context, belonging, and categorization influence perception, self-image, and behavior, while also learning how in-group bias and exclusion shape relationships. By building a strong understanding of these basics, you will be better prepared to interpret group dynamics in school, work, and everyday life.

As you move through the lessons, you will study how norms, roles, and expectations guide behavior, and why conformity and social pressure can affect judgment even among confident individuals. The course also covers obedience, authority, compliance, and the ways leadership styles build trust or create resistance. You will see how communication patterns, information flow, and distorted messages affect group outcomes, especially when decisions must be made quickly or under pressure.

The course also looks closely at group cohesion, conflict, competition, cooperation, and the hidden biases that can limit participation. You will explore the bystander effect, crowd behavior, groupthink, and social movements to understand both the risks and strengths of collective action. By the end, you will have a clearer view of Psychology of Group Behavior and the confidence to recognize patterns, respond more thoughtfully, and contribute to healthier, more effective groups.

Course Lessons

Full lesson breakdown

Lessons are organized by topic area and each includes descriptive copy for search visibility and student clarity.

Foundations of group psychology

1 lesson

This lesson introduces group behavior as a core topic in psychology: how people think, feel, and act when they are part of a group. You will learn what makes a collection of individuals into a functio…

Social context and behavior

1 lesson

Lesson 2: Why People Think Differently in Groups

18 min
This lesson explains why people often think and act differently when they are in groups than when they are alone. Students will learn how social context shapes attention, judgment, and behavior throug…

Belonging and social categorization

1 lesson

Lesson 3: Group Identity and In-Group Bias

20 min
This lesson explains how people come to see themselves as part of a group, how social categorization shapes belonging, and why even small distinctions can trigger in-group bias . Students will learn t…

How groups organize behavior

1 lesson

Lesson 4: Norms, Roles, and Expectations

19 min
This lesson explains how groups organize behavior through norms , roles , and expectations . Learners will see how these invisible rules shape communication, decision-making, cooperation, and conflict…

Why people align with the group

1 lesson

Lesson 5: Conformity and Social Pressure

20 min
Conformity is one of the most common forces shaping group behavior. In this lesson, learners examine why people align with a group even when the group is wrong, uncertain, or only loosely connected. T…

Power and influence in groups

1 lesson

Lesson 6: Obedience, Authority, and Compliance

20 min
This lesson explains how obedience , authority , and compliance shape behavior in groups and institutions. You will learn the difference between following a direct order, accepting a leader’s legitima…

What keeps groups together

1 lesson

Lesson 7: Group Cohesion and Belonging

18 min
Group cohesion is the set of forces that keeps people connected to a group. In this lesson, you will learn how belonging develops, why people stay engaged, and which factors strengthen or weaken a gro…

Styles, trust, and influence

1 lesson

Lesson 8: Leadership in Groups

20 min
This lesson explains how leadership works inside groups: what makes people accept influence, why trust matters, and how different leadership styles affect motivation, coordination, and group performan…

How information moves and gets distorted

1 lesson

Lesson 9: Communication Patterns in Groups

18 min
Groups do not just share information; they filter, simplify, and reshape it as it moves from person to person. In this lesson, learners examine how messages travel through groups, why details get dist…

Judgment, risk, and consensus

1 lesson

Lesson 10: Group Decision-Making

20 min
This lesson explains how groups make decisions, why group judgment can improve or distort outcomes, and how risk changes when people decide together. You will see how consensus can speed coordination …

When cohesion reduces critical thinking

1 lesson

Lesson 11: Groupthink and Poor Decisions

20 min
Groupthink happens when a highly cohesive group values agreement so strongly that it starts to suppress doubt, dissent, and careful analysis. In this lesson, Professor Victoria Okafor explains how gro…

Managing tension inside groups

1 lesson

Lesson 12: Conflict, Competition, and Cooperation

19 min
This lesson explores why groups shift from collaboration to rivalry, and how tension can be managed before it damages trust, performance, or belonging. Students will learn the psychology of conflict i…

Hidden forces that shape participation

1 lesson

Lesson 13: Bias, Stereotypes, and Exclusion

20 min
This lesson explains how bias, stereotypes, and exclusion quietly shape who speaks, who is heard, and who belongs in groups. Students learn how mental shortcuts can distort judgment, how stereotypes t…

Why people fail to act

1 lesson

Lesson 14: Bystander Effect and Diffusion of Responsibility

18 min
The bystander effect describes the drop in helping behavior that happens when more people are present. In groups, people often assume someone else will act, look to others for cues, or hesitate becaus…

How groups behave in public settings

1 lesson

Lesson 15: Crowds, Collective Behavior, and Emotion

19 min
This lesson explains how people think, feel, and act when they are part of a crowd or public gathering. It covers how crowds can shift individual behavior, why emotion spreads quickly, and how collect…

How groups organize for change

1 lesson

Lesson 16: Social Movements and Collective Action

20 min
This lesson explains how social movements and collective action emerge, grow, and persuade people to participate. Students will learn why individuals join groups for change, how shared identity and pe…

Practical tools for better group outcomes

1 lesson

Lesson 17: Applying Group Psychology in Teams and Communities

21 min
This lesson shows how to turn group psychology into practical action in teams, workplaces, classrooms, and communities. You will learn how to spot group norms, reduce social loafing, improve shared de…
About Your Instructor
Professor Victoria Okafor

Professor Victoria Okafor

Professor Victoria Okafor guides this AI-built Virversity course with a clear, practical teaching style.