Chapter 9: Social Influence Flashcards
Normative social influence
conformity based on a desire to fulfill other’s expectations, motivated by desire to be accepted
Example is the asch line test.
- People go along with group even when they know it is wrong
- This is because you either think they have more info than you do, or you don’t want to rock the boat/want to fit in
Informational social influence
Conformity from accepting evidence provided by other people - motivated by desire to look accurate and knowledgable to others when we don’t know the right answer.
Green dot on screen example
- Hard to make judgements when you don’t have anything to compare it to
- In case of ambiguous judgement, people more likely to follow the group
Key factors of social influence
judgmental ambiguity increases _______
size of group increases _______
present of defector decreases _______
Anonymity of responses decreases _____
Conformity
A change in behavior or beliefs to agree with others
Different levels depending on your culture.
Can be observed through idioms
Conformity in Western Culture
Not encouraged all the time
- Squeaky wheel gets grease, IE the loudest people get the most attention
Key Points: Independence, standing out, and personal preferences
Conformity in Eastern Culture
Very encouraged
- Nail that sticks up gets hammered down
- Loudest duck gets shot
Key points: interdependence, fitting in, focus on others preferences and social harmony
Kim and Markus Study
Studied magazine ads in Korea and the US
Main findings:
- Korean ads emphasized making choices based on tradition and others feelings
-American ads emphasized making choices based on personal preferences and desires
Norms
Learned social rules. Includes:
- descriptive and injunctive
Descriptive norms
How others are actually behaving
-IE people walking on right side, paying attention in lecture
Injunctive norms
What is considered acceptable vs unacceptable. Usually turn to laws
Is Conformity good or bad?
Depends!
-Help maintain and establish social order
BUT mindlessly following norms can lead to problems
Factors that affect conformity
Group size
- Larger produces more conformity
Unanimity
- with even one dissenter, conformity decreases
Status
-if group members are high status, more conformity
Public Response
-people conform more when they must respond publicly
Public commitment
-making a public commitment to your own position decreases conformity
Compliance
yielding to a request for certain behaviors or agreement to a particular point of view while privately disagreeing
Difference between compliance and conformity
compliance includes a DIRECT request,
Conformity does not
Foot in the door
willingness to comply to a larger request after first complying with a smaller request
- works because we like consistency
Door in the face
willingness to comply to a smaller request after first requesting a larger request
-works because of concession
norm of reciprocity
expectation that people will help those who have helped them
Principal of social proof
we determine what is correct by looking to others )icing the tip jar, putting best seller on the cover)
Fake celebrity new york prank
Committment
If people commit, orally or in writing, to an idea or goal, they are more likely to honor that commitment because of establishing that idea or goal as being congruent with their self-image
Scarcity
Things you do not or cannot have become more valuable. We want what we cannot have.
Liking
People are easily persuaded by other people that they like. Cialdini cites the marketing of Tupperware in what might now be called viral marketing. People were more likely to buy if they liked the person selling it to them. Some of the many biases favoring more attractive people are discussed. See physical attractiveness stereotype.
Authority
People will tend to obey authority figures, even if they are asked to perform objectionable acts. Cialdini cites incidents such as the Milgram experiments in the early 1960s and the My Lai massacre.
Obedience to authority
Related to the milgram study, shows that authority is much more powerful than previously thought. Also the doctors and nurses example, nurses would administer a lethal dose.
Obedience
A change in behavior or beliefs as a result of the commands of others in authority
Milgram Study
Effects of punishment on memory:
Teacher - Delivers painful electric shocks to learner for incorrect answers
Learner: a middle aged man with a heart condition (fake)
60% went all the way vs perceived 1/1000 by scientists
Factors that increase/decrease obedience
Increase:
lack of responsibility
Normative and informational influence
Not hearing the learner
Decrease:
Presence of a dissenter
Prestige and status of experimenter
Thats not all technique
Adding something to original offer, thus creating pressure to reciprocate
Negative state relief hypothesis
seeing someone in distress makes us feel bad
we help to eliminate our own negative feelings
