9.1 How Others Influence Our Behavior

Question 1

social psychology

Answer 1

The scientific study of how we influence one another’s behavior and thinking.

Question 2

conformity

Answer 2

A change in behavior, belief, or both to conform to a group norm as a result of real or imagined group pressure.

Question 3

informational social influence

Answer 3

Influence stemming from the need for information in situations in which the correct action or judgment is uncertain.

Question 4

normative social influence

Answer 4

Influence stemming from our desire to gain the approval and to avoid the disapproval of others.

Question 5

compliance

Answer 5

Acting in accordance with a direct request from another person or group.

Question 6

foot-in-the-door technique

Answer 6

Compliance to a large request is gained by preceding it with a very small request.

Question 6

door-in-the-face technique

Answer 6

Compliance is gained by starting with a large, unreasonable request that is turned down and following it with a more reasonable, smaller request.

Question 7

low-ball technique

Answer 7

Compliance to a costly request is gained by first getting compliance to an attractive, less costly request but then reneging on it.

Question 8

that’s-not-all technique

Answer 8

Compliance to a planned second request with additional benefits is gained by presenting this request before a response can be made to a first request.

Question 9

obedience

Answer 9

Following the commands of a person in authority.

Question 10

experimenter bias

Answer 10

A process in which the person performing the research influences the results in order to obtain a certain outcome.

Question 11

social facilitation

Answer 11

Facilitation of a dominant response on a task due to social arousal, leading to improved performance on simple or

well-learned tasks and worse performance on complex or unlearned tasks when other people are present.

Question 12

social loafing

Answer 12

The tendency to exert less effort when working in a group toward a common goal than when individually working toward the goal.

Question 13

diffusion of responsibility

Answer 13

The lessening of individual responsibility for a task when responsibility for the task is spread across the members of a group.

Question 14

bystander effect

Answer 14

The probability of a person’s helping in an emergency is greater when there are no other bystanders than when there are other bystanders.

Question 15

deindividuation

Answer 15

The loss of self-awareness and self-restraint in a group situation that fosters arousal and anonymity.

Question 16

group polarization

Answer 16

The strengthening of a group’s prevailing opinion about a topic following group discussion about the topic.

Question 17

groupthink

Answer 17

A mode of group thinking that impairs decision making, because the desire for group harmony overrides a realistic appraisal of the possible decision alternatives.