AmericanaAmericanaSocial Psychology and HistorySocial Psychology and History

Jacob Martin, Camden Smith, Joseph Doub, Deysha Foster

History- ProhibitionHistory- Prohibition•18th Amendment makes consumption and possession of alcohol illegal

•Intended to reduce crime and improve overall American life

•Actually crime skyrockets; Speakeasies created, gangsters like Al Capone make millions off smuggling alcohol

Cheek, Jerrie S. "Roaring 20s." The Roaring Twenties. 2 Sept. 2002. Kennesaw State University. 23 May 2008 <http://webtech.kennesaw.edu/jcheek3/roaring_twenties.htm>.

History- Great DepressionHistory- Great Depression

Caused by: stock market crash- caused Caused by: stock market crash- caused by: over speculation of money supply, by: over speculation of money supply, decline of world trade and decreasing decline of world trade and decreasing income taxesincome taxes

Led to: delayed marriages, decreased birth Led to: delayed marriages, decreased birth rates, longest period of unemployment, rates, longest period of unemployment, enhanced role for womenenhanced role for women

"What Caused the Great Depression of the 1930s?" Gold Ocean 1 Mar. 1999. 23 May 2008 <http://www.shambhala.org/business/goldocean/causdep.html#political>.

History- Consumer Driven History- Consumer Driven Society of TodaySociety of Today

Today’s society is designed Today’s society is designed around consumer spendingaround consumer spending

Consumers buy many things Consumers buy many things on credit- money they do not on credit- money they do not actually haveactually have

Consumers purchase objects Consumers purchase objects at their leisure- these objects at their leisure- these objects are more for pleasure than are more for pleasure than needneed

Purchases are also made to Purchases are also made to keep up their social status or keep up their social status or possess more impressive possess more impressive than their neighbors and than their neighbors and friendsfriends

This type of living can lead to This type of living can lead to intense debt and bankruptcyintense debt and bankruptcy

White, David (2008, May 27). Consumerism, Character, and the Witness of the Church. Retrieved May 28, 2008, from Austrailian EJournal of Theology Web site: http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/research/theology/ejournal/aejt_8/white.htm

History Consumer Driven History Consumer Driven Society of Today Cont.Society of Today Cont.

Not only does it result in personal economic Not only does it result in personal economic problems, it effects the entire world economy and problems, it effects the entire world economy and well beingwell being

20% of the world in advanced countries account 20% of the world in advanced countries account for 86% of consumptionfor 86% of consumption

We demand too much of our natural resources We demand too much of our natural resources (oil, natural gas) causing environmental issues(oil, natural gas) causing environmental issues

Instead of concerning ourselves with what we Instead of concerning ourselves with what we want we should think about the effect our want we should think about the effect our spending will have on othersspending will have on others

Consumerism is spreading the gap between the Consumerism is spreading the gap between the rich and the poor more than everrich and the poor more than ever

Shah, Anup (2008, Janueary 08). Behind Consumption and Consumerism. Retrieved May 28, 2008, from Global Issues Web site: http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Consumption.asp

History- Contrast between History- Contrast between Depression and ConsumerismDepression and Consumerism

Depression: Purchases Depression: Purchases could only be made on could only be made on need, and even then need, and even then the means for that the means for that were hard to come bywere hard to come by

Consumerism: Consumerism: Individuals are no Individuals are no longer concerned with longer concerned with needs and are more needs and are more interested in making interested in making purchases that would purchases that would have seemed wasteful have seemed wasteful during the depressionduring the depression

(2007, Oct 26). Blacks in the Great Depression. Retrieved May 28, 2008, from Flickr Web site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackheritage/1767110554/

The Psychology of Americana The Psychology of Americana GroupsGroups

ConformityConformity : Conformity took place : Conformity took place in the roaring twenties mainly in the roaring twenties mainly because people did not want to be because people did not want to be excluded.excluded.

Normative Social InfluenceNormative Social Influence: In : In order for people to feel part of a order for people to feel part of a group in the roaring twenties they group in the roaring twenties they dressed a certain way so that society dressed a certain way so that society could instantly label them.could instantly label them.

Deindividuation: Deindividuation: In the great In the great depression people began to lose depression people began to lose themselves as individuals because of themselves as individuals because of the dividing factors in each class the the dividing factors in each class the poor class stuck together and so did poor class stuck together and so did the rich class.the rich class.

Group PolarizationGroup Polarization: The poor : The poor classes beliefs on how unfair the classes beliefs on how unfair the great depression was for them grew great depression was for them grew as more and more of them came as more and more of them came together to discuss it as a group together to discuss it as a group which lead to strikes.which lead to strikes.

Group ThinkGroup Think: The majority of the : The majority of the groups in the roaring twenties groups in the roaring twenties experienced group think to maintain experienced group think to maintain a peaceful balance within the group a peaceful balance within the group and avoid conflict.and avoid conflict.

Myers, D. G. (2004). Psychology. New York, NY: Worth Publishers.

The Psychology of Americana The Psychology of Americana AttitudesAttitudes

Cognitive dissonanceCognitive dissonance: Cognitive dissonance went on primarily during the great depression when the : Cognitive dissonance went on primarily during the great depression when the government felt bad for poor people and said they should offer help but then said the people need to help government felt bad for poor people and said they should offer help but then said the people need to help themselves, those two thoughts were inconsistent with each other causing cognitive dissonance.themselves, those two thoughts were inconsistent with each other causing cognitive dissonance.

Social LoafingSocial Loafing: Although the poor classes were moving toward maintaining equality within society some : Although the poor classes were moving toward maintaining equality within society some poor people failed to make any efforts to help but felt they should receive the rewards because they were poor people failed to make any efforts to help but felt they should receive the rewards because they were part of a group.part of a group.

PrejudicePrejudice: The rich class was very prejudice towards the poor class during the depression and made no : The rich class was very prejudice towards the poor class during the depression and made no attempt to help them because they felt they were beneath them.attempt to help them because they felt they were beneath them.

Just World Phenomenon: Just World Phenomenon: The rich class believed that the poor class deserved to be poor because that’s the The rich class believed that the poor class deserved to be poor because that’s the way they were bornway they were born..

AggressionAggression: Many were aggressive toward people of another class, or race. : Many were aggressive toward people of another class, or race. AltruismAltruism: People were so concerned with their own wealth and well being, other people just came in the way.: People were so concerned with their own wealth and well being, other people just came in the way.

ConclusionConclusion History: The roaring 20’s was a point in History: The roaring 20’s was a point in

history of social freedom and increased history of social freedom and increased quality of life.quality of life.

The Great Depression was an economic low The Great Depression was an economic low in our history caused by over speculation of in our history caused by over speculation of money and resulted in a massive stock money and resulted in a massive stock market crash.market crash.

Today in America, we are run by Today in America, we are run by consumerism in which consumers purchase consumerism in which consumers purchase unnecessary items at their will on credit. unnecessary items at their will on credit.

Psychology: Americans were separated by Psychology: Americans were separated by class resulting in discrimination and other class resulting in discrimination and other forms of prejudice.forms of prejudice.

CreditsCredits

History: Jacob Martin and Camden History: Jacob Martin and Camden SmithSmith

Psychology: Joseph Doub and Deysha Psychology: Joseph Doub and Deysha FosterFoster

BibliographyBibliographyhttp://farm1.static.flickr.com/129/385998262_a9c1bb1244.jpg?v=0http://farm1.static.flickr.com/129/385998262_a9c1bb1244.jpg?v=0 (Title Page photo) (Title Page photo)

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/photos-americanhistory/Speakeasy.jpghttp://www.legendsofamerica.com/photos-americanhistory/Speakeasy.jpg (Speakeasy in prohibition (Speakeasy in prohibition photo)photo)

http://www.mackinac.org/media/images/1998/gd-strike.jpg(strikehttp://www.mackinac.org/media/images/1998/gd-strike.jpg(strike picture) picture)http://www.jld.org/ama/orig/1928flappers.jpghttp://www.jld.org/ama/orig/1928flappers.jpg (jazz flappers picture) (jazz flappers picture)

http://http://www.reuther.wayne.edu/pic/sitdown/assembly.gifwww.reuther.wayne.edu/pic/sitdown/assembly.gif (assembly line picture) (assembly line picture)