Sociocentric Thinking:
Impediments to
Intellectual Development
Our purpose:
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To better understand our sociocentric
nature.
To begin to see its pervasiveness in
human life.
To consider some of the important
implications of this human tendency,
including implications for teaching and
learning.
Key Questions
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What is sociocentricity?
How does sociocentric thought impede human
rationality and keep us from developing as
reasonable persons?
How can we begin to emancipate our minds
from sociocentric forces and live as persons of
free will?
How can we help our students gain command of
their sociocentric nature?
Sociocentric thought is the native human tendency
to see the world from a narrow and biased
group-centered perspective, to operate within
the world through subjective and partial group
beliefs, group influences, group rules, group
think, group interests.
Sociocentric Thought is intricately connected with
egocentric thought, the native tendency to see
the world from a narrow, self-centered
perspective.
Though the mind is by nature egocentric and
sociocentric, it also has the capacity to
reason rationally and reasonably.
To develop as rational persons, we must take
command of our native egocentric and
sociocentric natures.
Beginning at a very young age humans begin to
internalize the mores and folkways of the groups
to which they belong. They begin “fitting in” to
groups, from no choice of their own, but out of
instinct and in order to survive.
Due to an innate need to be accepted and
esteemed by others, to be validated, humans
operate largely as members of various groups
through the whole of their lives.
At the same time, humans do not naturally develop
skills of group critique – the ability to determine
group practices that make sense to accept, those
that need modification, and those that should be
wholeheartedly rejected.
Due to the credulity of the uncultivated mind, from a
very young age, humans largely uncritically accept
the beliefs of family, school, religion, peers,
government, clubs and organizations, indeed any
group in which they become members.
And then they largely defend and build on
those views they have uncritically accepted.
Most of these group-held beliefs lie at the
unconscious level of thought, not explicitly
recognized by the mind, nevertheless
guiding much of our behavior.
Native sociocentric thought is at the root of many
human problems and countless injustices.
Only when each of us takes command of this hidden
part of our nature, can we begin to extricate
ourselves from dogmatic and dangerous group
ideologies, from group rules, taboos and
conventions arbitrarily formed and strictly imposed,
from unwarranted group righteousness that leads
to untold pain and suffering, from group agendas
and actions that undermine the cultivation of
critical societies.
The Human Animal as the
Sociocentric Animal
Sociocentric Thinking is Linked with
Egocentric Thinking
Consider these definitions:
 Human egocentrism, the natural human tendency “to
view everything within the world in relationship to
oneself, to be self-centered” (Webster’s New World
Dictionary); and
 Human sociocentrism, most simply conceptualized as
group egocentricity. To define sociocentricity, we might
take Webster’s definition of egocentricity (above),
substituting group for self. Thus, sociocentric thinking is
the natural human tendency to view everything within
the world in relationship to one’s group, to be groupcentered.
Just as all humans are egocentric by nature, we are
sociocentric as well.
Sociocentric thinking is egocentric thinking raised to
the level of the group. And it can be even more
destructive than egocentric thinking, since it
carries with it the sanction of a social group.
Note the following parallels for
egocentric and sociocentric patterns
of thought:
Egocentric standard: “It’s true because I believe it.”
 Related sociocentric standard: “It’s true because we
believe it.”
Egocentric standard: “It’s true because I want to believe
it.”
 Related sociocentric standard: “It’s true because we
want to believe it.”
Egocentric standard: “It’s true because it’s in my vested
interest to believe it.”
 Related sociocentric standard: “It’s true because it’s in
our vested interest to believe it.”
Egocentric standard: “It’s true because I have always
believed it.”
 Related sociocentric standard: “It’s true because we
have always believed it.”
What do all human groups
have in common?
In every human group, there are
three existing realities:
1.
2.
3.
Things you must do (requirements).
Things you cannot do (taboos).
Things you are permitted to do but are
not required to do.
This conception is the heart of sociological
thinking.
Consider your country as “group,”
for example.
Working in groups, make a list of the
following:
1. Things you must do (requirements) in
your country.
2. Things you cannot do (taboos) in your
country.
3. Things you are permitted to do but are
not required to do.
Make a list of the groups you belong to (or have
belonged to in the past). Then choose the group
you think has influenced you the most in your
beliefs, values, and behavior. Complete the
following statements:
1. The group that has influenced me the most is
probably . . .
2. This group’s main function or agenda is . .
3. Comment on as many of the following variables
as you can identify with, with respect to the
group you have chosen to analyze.
To what extent does your membership in this group
involve:
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a name that defines who and what they are;
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a way of talking;
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a set of friends and enemies;
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group rituals in which you must participate;
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expected behaviors involving fellow members;
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expected behaviors when around the “enemies” of
the group;
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a hierarchy of power within the group;
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a way of dressing and speaking;
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social requirements to which you must conform;
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a set of taboos—forbidden acts, whose violation is
punished.
One of the key “requirements” of this group is . . .
One of the key “taboos” (what I am forbidden to
do) is . . .
A group that my group would look down upon is . .
We think of this group as beneath us because . . .
Social Stratification as a
Manifestation of Sociocentric
Thought
Sociocentric systems are used in complex societies
to justify differential treatment and injustices
within a society, nation, or culture.
This feature of complex social systems has been
documented by sociologists who have specialized
in the phenomenon of social stratification.
As virtually all modern societies today are complex,
the following characteristics of stratification
presumably can be found in all of them.
According to Plotnicov and Tuden (1970)…
Every modern society has social groups that
1. are ranked hierarchically,
2. maintain relatively permanent positions in the
hierarchy,
3. have differential control of the sources of power,
primarily economic and political,
4. are separated by cultural and invidious distinctions
that also serve to maintain the social distances
between the groups, and
5. are articulated by an overarching ideology which
provides a rationale for the established
hierarchical arrangements. (pp. 4–5).
Given this phenomenon, we should be able to
identify, for any given group in our society,
1. where approximately it stands in the hierarchy
of power,
2. what the sources of power and control are,
3. how the distinctions that indicate status are
formulated,
4. how social distances are maintained between
the groups, and
5. the overarching ideology that provides the
rationale for the way things are.
Try to construct a hierarchy of the social
groups within the culture with which you are
most knowledgeable.
First identify the groups with the most power and
prestige.
What characteristics do these groups have?
Then identify the groups with less and less power
until you reach the groups with the least amount of
power.
How do the groups with the most power keep their
power?
To what extent is it possible for groups with the least
power to increase their power?
To what extent do they seem to accept their limited
power?
To the extent that they accept their limited power,
why do you think they do?
What are some important implications of social
stratification?
How does it stand in the way of human
emancipation?
How does it affect our students’ thinking and their
lives?
Identifying Some of Your
Sociocentric Beliefs…
Identify at least one belief your “group” holds in each
of the categories.
“It’s true because we believe it.”_______________
___________________________________________
“It’s true because we want to believe it.”_________
___________________________________________
“It’s true because it is in our vested interest to
believe it.”________________________________
“It’s true because we have always believed it.
_________________________________________
There are two distinct logics of
sociocentric thinking,
both of which are destructive.
The logic of group interest, of getting the most for the
group without regard to the rights and needs of
others, of protecting its biased interests, forwarding
its partial agendas.
This logic informs the point of view from which
everyone outside the group is seen and understood
and by which everything that happens outside of the
group is judged. This leads to the problem of ingroup thinking and behavior - everyone outside the
group is judged according to the standards of the
group; everyone in the group is privileged, everyone
outside the group is seen as a potential threat.
The logic of group conformity - defines the
intricate inner workings of the group,
ensures that everyone coexists in the
group in accordance with its customs,
conventions, rules, taboos, mores, laws.
Sociocentric Counterfeits of
Ethical Reasoning
It is important to understand
the barriers to ethical
reasoning caused by
sociocentric thought
Diagram of 4 concepts
Groups of 3
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Ethical Reasoning Guide, pp. 9-14
Silently read each section.
Then discuss your understanding of
each section.
As you work through each section, make
a list of beliefs in that “domain” that are
considered unethical but are not.
Then list beliefs or acts within the
domain that are unethical (but
considered ethical)
$25 for Heaven
Child Kidnap Hysteria
Honor Killing Turkey
Two Sociocentric Phenomena
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Believing that our group is privileged. (and
thereby applying a different standard to
other groups or people).
Indoctrinating members of the group into
the beliefs, customs, taboos of the group
(and thereby impeding their development
and their right to develop as rational
persons).
Insights from Piaget
Through the numerous studies conducted
by Jean Piaget we can glean insights
which help us understand sociocentric
thought. For instance, in his book, The
Moral Judgment of the Child, Piaget
outlines three stages of the consciousness
of rules, which are as follows (p. 28):
Stage One – the child, being fundamentally
egocentric, does not see rules as obligatory, and
basically does what feels good. Rules, when
followed, are unconsciously received (ages 0-2).
State Two – rules are considered sacred and
untouchable, emanating from adults and lasting
forever (ages 3-10)
Stage Three – rules are considered due to mutual
consent. The child believes that to be loyal one
must “respect” the laws. Laws can be altered if
you can enlist general opinion on your side (ages
9-12).
Piaget considers the “collective rule,” the
belief that everyone must follow the rules,
to be at first external to the child. But over
time the child begins to see the rules as
freely chosen, a product of mutual consent
and an “autonomous conscience.”
Thus, in other words, the child uncritically
accepts the rules and laws of society, and
yet sees them as independently chosen.
This phenomenon is evident in adult thinking as
well. Though most rules of society are accepted
without question, blindly, yet people believe they
have come to their beliefs through evidence and
reasoning. Though they adhere to societal
customs and taboos without benefit of conscious
thought, still they see themselves as autonomous
thinkers.
This manifestation of self-delusion, so pervasive in
human thinking, has unlimited negative
implications for the quality of life.
In addition to this collective rule phenomenon,
which is directly applicable to sociocentric
thought, Piaget’s characterizations of the
egocentric mind, developed by studying the
thinking of children, has significant application,
with appropriate translation, to sociocentric
thinking. Consider Piaget’s characterizations of
the egocentric thinker (1976), and then our
formulation of the sociocentric parallel of each
phenomenon.
Egocentrism of thought necessarily entails a
certain degree of unconsciousness,’ (p. 137)
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Sociocentric of thought necessarily entails a
certain degree of unconsciousness,
The egocentric thinker is confident in his own
ideas,
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The sociocentric thinker is confident in the
ideas of his group.
The egocentric thinker is naturally...(untroubled)
about the reasons and motives which have guided
his reasoning process,
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The sociocentric thinker is naturally untroubled
about the reasons and motives which have guided
the reasoning of sociocentric thinking
The egocentric thinker [seeks] to justify himself in the
eyes of others ... only under the pressure of
argument and opposition...,
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The sociocentric thinker [seeks] to justify his group
in the eyes of other groups, or people external to
the group ... only under the pressure of argument
and opposition...,
The egocentric thinker is incapable either by
introspection or retrospection of capturing the
successive steps. ..[his] mind has taken (pp. 137138)
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The sociocentric thinker is incapable, either by
introspection or retrospection, of capturing the
successive steps . ..[his] group has taken in
formulating their beliefs
The egocentric thinker suffers from illusions of
perspective, (p. 165)
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The sociocentric thinker suffers from illusions of
group perspective
The egocentric thinker is ignorant of his own ego, takes his
own point of view to be absolute, and fails to
establish...that reciprocity which alone would ensure
objectivity (p. 197)
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The sociocentric thinker is ignorant of his group’s
sociocentric nature, takes his group’s point of view to be
absolute, and fails to establish...that reciprocity among and
between perspectives which alone would ensure objectivity
The egocentric thinker [uses] thought ... at the service of
personal desire.
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The sociocentric thinker uses thought at the service of
group desire
The egocentric thinker simply believes ... without trying to
find the truth (p. 203).
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The sociocentric thinker simply believes group-fostered
ideologies ... without trying to find the truth.
The egocentric thinker assimilates everything he
hears to his own point of view. (p. 208)
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The sociocentric thinker assimilates everything he
hears to his group’s point of view.
The egocentric thinker does not try to prove whether
such and such of his idea does or does not
correspond to reality. When the question is put to
him, he evades it. It does not interest him, and it
is even alien to his whole mental attitude, (p. 247)
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The sociocentric thinker does not try to prove
whether such and such of his group’s ideas does or
does not correspond to reality. When the question
is put to him, he evades it. It does not interest
him, and it is even alien to his whole mental
attitude.
In sum, for each characterization of
egocentric thought identified by Piaget
through careful observation and study,
one can find a ready parallel in
sociocentric thought which can be easily
exemplified in observing the behavior of
groups throughout the world, in all areas
of human life.
Thinking critically about
“condemned” beliefs
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Write down one belief you have which is
largely condemned in your culture, but
which you believe is true.
I will then collect your anonymous papers
and redistribute them to groups for
discussion.
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Discuss and vote on the ideas you think
are reasonable.
Thinking critically about
“condemned” beliefs
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Write down one belief which is commonly
accepted in your culture as desirable, but
which you disagree with.
I will then collect your anonymous papers and
redistribute them to groups for discussion.
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Discuss and vote on the ideas you think are
reasonable.
Thinking critically about
controversial issues
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Make a list of controversial issues you
think shouldn’t be controversial because
there is a correct answer (in your view).
Make a list of non-controversial issues that
should be controversial (in your view).
Give your reasons