Chp 13.1: Social Influence

Question 1

Social Influence

Answer 1

• When people’s own responses (behaviors, attitudes, judgments) are influenced by the actions of others
• Changes in beliefs or behaviours caused by real or imagined social pressure
• Different kinds: conformity, obedience, & compliance

Question 2

social facilitation

Answer 2

an increased tendency to perform one’s dominant response in the mere presence of others

Question 3

Under what conditions does the mere presence of other people enhance or impair performance? Why?

Answer 3

Presence of others (audience/coactors) lead to heightened arousal
->
Enhanced tendency to perform dominant responses
->
If dominant responses are correct (simple/well-learned) in the present situation, performance is enhanced.
-
If dominant responses are incorrect (difficult/new) in the present situation, performance is impaired.

Question 4

Dominant response

Answer 4

Our most typical response

Question 5

social norms

Answer 5

shared expectations about how people should think, feel, and behave

Question 6

social role

Answer 6

a set of norms

Question 7

public compliance

Answer 7

altering public responses, but not true private beliefs or attitudes

Question 8

private acceptance

Answer 8

changing public responses AND private beliefs or attitudes

Question 9

informational social influence

Answer 9

• wanting to be right
• Higher conformity when task is difficult
• Higher conformity when more concerned with being right

Question 10

normative social influence

Answer 10

• wanting to be liked
• Public compliance without private acceptance
• Higher conformity when in public

Question 11

What are some situational factors that influence people’s degree of conformity?

Answer 11

• Group size -more likely to conform

- Presence of a dissenter (objector)- reduce conformity, remain independent

Question 12

Obedience

Answer 12

form of compliance; people follow direct commands typically coming from someone in a position of authority

Question 13

Factors that influence destructive obedience

Answer 13

• remoteness of the victim (obedience higher when learner was out of sight)
• closeness and legitimacy to authority figure
• cog in the wheel (obedience increases when someone else does the dirty work)
• personal characteristics

Question 14

deindividuation

Answer 14

a state of increased anonymity in which a person, often as part of a group or crowd, engages in disinhibited behaviour (mostly cuz of anonymity to outsiders)

Question 15

social loafing

Answer 15

the tendency for people to expend less individual effort when working in a group than when working alone

Question 16

group polarization

Answer 16

the tendency for the “average” opinion of group members to become more extreme when like-minded people discuss an issue

Question 17

Identify two causes of group polarisation

Answer 17

• ## Normative social Influence (gaining social acceptance so is motivated to agree with others)
• Informative social influence (hear arguments that they haven’t previously considered)

Question 18

group polarization

Answer 18

the tendency for the “average” opinion of group members to become more extreme when like-minded people discuss an issue

Question 19

Groupthink is most likely to occur when a group is: (4)

Answer 19

1. High stress to reach a decision.
2. Insulation of the group (protect from outside input)
3. Directive leadership (one promotes their personal agenda)
4. High cohesiveness.

Question 20

Some symptoms of groupthink:

Answer 20

1. Illusion of invulnerability (group overestimates itself).
2. Direct pressure on dissenters.
3. Self-censorship.
4. Illusion of unanimity (agreement)
5. Self-appointed mind guards (preventing neg remarks to the group)

Question 21

Groupthink increases risk of defective decision making:

Answer 21

1. Incomplete survey of alternatives.
2. Incomplete survey of objectives.
3. Failure to examine risks of preferred choice.
4. Poor information search.
5. Failure to reappraise alternatives.