Chapter 7 Flashcards
What is social influence?
Process where attitudes, perceptions and behaviours can be influenced by the real or implied presence of others.
What is an example of social influence?
Compliance in public (acting to perceived norms) while privately disagreeing.
What are the four conditions which must be met for a social group to form?
- Two or more individuals or ‘members’
- Must interact with each other
- Must influence each other (thoughts or behaviours)
- Common goal or purpose shared by group
What is culture?
Way of life of a particular society or community which sets it apart from others.
What is status?
Perception of individual’s position and contribution within group, as perceived by members of the group.
Someone’s position in a group as percieved by others
What is power?
Extent an individual influences or controls another’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours.
Can be exerted consciously or unconsciously.
What are the 6 types of power?
- Reward
- Coercive
- Legitimate
- Referent
- Expert
- Informational
What is reward power?
Power through control over rewards
- give positive or remove negative consequences in response to specific behavior.
What is coercive power?
Power through control over punishments or other force
- give negative or remove positive consequences in response to behavior
What is legitimate power?
Power though right to require ad demand obedience.
- status or group in society or institution gives them a RIGHT (authority) to exercise power.
What is referent power?
Power through respect
- Individuals attracted to, respect, identity with or want to be liked by this person
What is expert power?
Power through superior abilities
- Have special knowledge or skills that are desirable or needed.
What is informational power?
Power through access to and use of informational resources
- Have access to info relevant to situation and not available elsewhere.
What is a role?
A behaviour adopted by individual or assigned to them and influences how they function or act.
What is groupthink?
Way of thinking by group members, characterised by a strong tendency to seek agreement.
How can groupthink be prevented?
- Alert group members
- Appoint impartial leader
- use of subgroups
- challenge views with outside experts.
What is group polarisation?
After discussion, holding more extreme views, causing group to respond in more extreme ways.
What is deindividuation?
Reduced self-restraint and self-consciousness which explains extreme behaviour in groups or crowds.
How does anonymity have an effect in groups or crowds?
Can incite members to behave certain ways, making them unidentifiable.
- when people feel ‘invisible’, less accountable for actions and may choose to act with majority.
Can act in ways they would not
When does obedience occur?
Occurs when following commands of someone with authority, or rules, or laws of society.
Interchangeable with compliance
What are the two types of obedience?
Constrictive and destructive obedience
What is constructive obedience?
Compliance with orders of authority, resulting in positive outcomes
What is destructive compliance?
Compliance with orders from authority, resulting in negative outcomes.
Why do people obey?
Social proximity, legitimacy of authority figure, group pressure.
What is social proximity?
How close (physical and relationship) authority figure is to person who must obey.
What is legitimacy of an authority figure in obedience?
When authority figure is perceived to have high status, legitimate power, people are more likely to obey.
What is group pressure?
Involves an individual acting, or feeling they should act in a way that others do.
(aligns with actions of others)
What is conformity?
Tendency to adjust thoughts, feelings or behaviours so it meets with accepted standards in a given situation.
What are the factors which affect conformity?
- Size of group
- Unanimity
- Informational influence
- Normative influence
- Culture
- Social loafing
How does size of group impact conformity?
Increases until 4 members, then levels off
How does unanimity impact conformity?
Increases when group is in complete agreement among other group members
How does informational influence impact conformity?
Observable information, or behaviours of others in new situations environments have an influence on someone’s behaviour.
How does normative influence impact conformity?
Increases likelihood of fitting in with others and being accepted by society, when acting in response to social norms.
How does social loafing impact conformity?
- tendency to exert less effort when acting towards common goal
- conform to a group, but with less effort.
What is social loafing?
Reduction of effort that may occurs when group member believes individual contribution cannot be identified.
What is anti-conformity?
Consciously made group decision to refuse going with group, taking a stand against group thinking, plans or activities.
What is the reactance theory
Reaction when freedom is threatened for people to behave and feel as they please.
