social psychology Social psychology is the methodical study of how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. Although studying many of the same substantive topics as its counterpart in the field ...

, the ''dominant response'' is "the response that is most likely to occur in the presence of the given array of

stimuli A stimulus is something that causes a physiological response. It may refer to: *Stimulation **Stimulus (physiology), something external that influences an activity **Stimulus (psychology), a concept in behaviorism and perception *Stimulus (economi ...

". Increased

arousal Arousal is the physiology, physiological and psychology, psychological state of being awoken or of Five senses, sense organs stimulated to a point of perception. It involves activation of the ascending reticular activating system (ARAS) in the hu ...

"enhances an individual's tendency to perform the dominant response". This means that "whatever you are normally inclined to do, you will be even more strongly inclined to do when in the presence of others".''Social Psychology and Human Nature'', pg.437-438, by

Roy Baumeister Roy Frederick Baumeister (; born May 16, 1953) is an American social psychologist who is known for his work on the self, social rejection, belongingness, sexuality and sex differences, self-control, self-esteem, self-defeating behaviors, ...

and

Brad Bushman Brad J. Bushman (born May 14, 1960, in Salt Lake City, Utah) is the Margaret Hall and Robert Randal Rinehart Chair of Mass Communication Professor at Ohio State University. He also has an appointment in psychology. He has published extensively on ...

. Cengage Learning, 2011. In an easy task, the dominant response is usually correct or successful, while in a more difficult (complex or unfamiliar) task, the dominant response is often unsuccessful or incorrect.''Social Psychology'', pg.301, by

Saul Kassin Saul Kassin is an American academic, who serves as a Distinguished Professor of psychology at the City University of New York's John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Massachusetts Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Williams College in Williams ...

, Steven Fein and Hazel Rose Markus. Cengage-Wadsworth, c2011. For example, in a simple maze where the only path is a straight line, the dominant (and correct) response would be to run straight ahead. However, in a more complex maze in a cross shape where the start point and goal point are adjacent to each other, running straight ahead (the dominant response) is the incorrect response.

References

Social psychology {{social-psych-stub