Interpersonal and Group Processes Flashcards
What is social influence
how other people influence our behaviour
How many types of social influence are there and what are they
3; conformity, compliance, obedience
Define obedience
change of behaviour in response to a directive from an authority figure
Define conformity
change in behaviour to match the response or actions of others
Define compliance
change of behaviour in response to a direct request
What are the principles of compliance
Reciprocity, consistency, authority, liking, commitment
What did Cialdini & Goldstein (2004) do with the principles of compliance
Apply them to advertising
How does reciprocity influence compliance; apply this to sales
Rule that obliges us to repay others for what we
have received from them
Free samples: acceptance of “gift” = social obligation
Door-in-the-face technique: Start with an (unreasonably) large request. Wait for say no, then lower your request
People feel obliged to reciprocate concession (of lowering the offer) by the requester
How does commitment influence compliance; apply this to sales
make commitment, we feel pressure to follow through
In sales: Low-balling technique
Have people commit to a course of action, then increase the request
How does consistency influence compliance; apply this to sales
Rule that obliges us to be consistent in our behaviour
In sales: Foot-in-the-door technique
Start with a small request. Wait for say yes, then ask for additional large (related) request
People feel obliged to keep consistent and are more likely to comply to the larger request
How does liking influence compliance; apply this to sales
Comply more with requests made by individuals they like
Factors that influence liking: Physical attractiveness/ Similarity/ Familiarity
e.g. use of well-liked celebrities
How does authority influence compliance; apply this to sales
Comply more with requests made by individuals in
position of authority and more likely to obey orders from individuals in authority
Who looked at the effect of authority on obedience
Milgram, 1963
Give an example of a RW replication of Milgram’s study
Hofling’s nurses 1966; 21/22 ready to inject
List 3 reasons why people conform
ISI; NSI; Referent informational influence
What is informational influence
conform because believe others understand the situation better than we do- influenced by others to produce the “correct” behaviour