Group Influence & Social Media

Question 1

Reference Groups: Brand communities

Answer 1

A set of consumers who have social relationships because of an enthusiasm for the same brand.

Question 2

Reference groups:

Answer 2

Real or imaginary individual or group that has significant relevance for an individual’s aspirations, behaviours or evaluations.

Question 3

Reference group: Propinquity:

Answer 3

Interpersonal attraction because of “like-attract-like”/ similarities.

Question 4

Reference group: Extended self:

Answer 4

Brand becomes an extended part of oneself because one really identifies with the brand.

Question 5

Reference group: Mere exposure effect:

Answer 5

By seeing things again and again, we tend to like it more.

Question 6

Reference group: Group cohesiveness:

Answer 6

The degree to which members of a group are attracted to each other and value their group membership.

Question 7

Increasing group cohesiveness:

Answer 7

• Making it a smaller group.
• Membership restriction/ Exclusivity
• Symbols for the group
• Defined limited between who’s in the group and who’s out.

Question 8

Aspirational Reference Group (out-group):

Answer 8

A group of idealized people (successful business people, performers, athletes).

Question 9

Dissociative reference group:

Answer 9

Groups or group members that a consumer wants to avoid associations with. Avoid buying things that would identify that consumer with the disliked group. (Ex: “nerds”).

Question 10

Conformity:

Answer 10

A change in beliefs or actions as a reaction to a real or imagined group pressure.

Question 11

Norms:

Answer 11

Informal rules that govern behaviour.

Question 12

Anti-conformity:

Answer 12

Defiance of the group. Related to the need for uniqueness.

Question 13

Reactance:

Answer 13

Unpleasant feeling when something feels forced or imposed by an authority or a by a social norm -> leads people to do the opposite.

Reactance is when people feel the urge to do the opposite of what someone tells them to do, especially if they feel their freedom is being threatened or restricted.

Question 14

Social comparison theory:

Answer 14

Suggests that individuals compare themselves to others who are similar to them to determine their own social and personal worth. People tend to choose a co-oriented peer (a person of equivalent standing) for their comparison.

Question 15

Deindividuation:

Answer 15

Deindividuation is when people lose their sense of individuality and feel less accountable for their actions in a group.

Question 16

Risky shift:

Answer 16

Risky shift is the tendency for people to make riskier decisions in a group than they would make individually.

Question 17

Social loafing:

Answer 17

Individuals devote less effort to a task when their contribution is part of a larger group effort (tipping less).

Question 18

Diffusion of responsibility:

Answer 18

Individuals feel less accountable for the outcome of a decision when many people are involved. Might not want to take any responsibility if there’s others who might be willing to do so.