Chapter 8 Flashcards
Conformity
A change in one’s behavior due to the real or imagined influence of other people
Informational social control
The influence of other people that leads us to conform because we see them as a source of information to guide our behavior; we conform because we believe that others’ interpretation of an ambiguous situation is more correct than ours and will help us choose an appropriate course of action
Private acceptance
Conforming to other people’s behavior out of a genuine belief that what they are doing or saying is right
Public compliance
Conforming to other people’s behavior publicly without
necessarily believing in what the other people are doing or saying
Contagion
The rapid spread of emotions or behaviors through a crowd
Mass psychogenic illness`
The occurrence in a group of people of similar physical symptoms with no known physical cause
Social norms
The implicit or explicit rules a group has for the acceptable behaviors, values, and beliefs of its
members
Normative social influence
The influence of other people that leads us to conform in order to be liked and accepted by them; this type of conformity results in public compliance with the group’s beliefs and behaviors but not necessarily in private acceptance
of those beliefs and behaviors
Idiosyncrasy credits
The tolerance a person earns, over time, by conforming to group norms; if enough idiosyncrasy credits are earned, the person can, on occasion, behave deviantly without retribution from the group
Minority influence
The case where a minority of group members influences the behavior or beliefs of the majority
Injunctive norms
People’s perceptions of what behaviors are approved or
disapproved of by others
Descriptive norms
People’s perceptions of how people actually behave in given situations, regardless of whether the behavior is approved or disapproved of by others
