Key Terms and Phrases P1 Flashcards
Compliance
Adhering to a rule or law in place often within a workplace or environment containing regulations designed to keep people safe.
For example: Wearing school uniform to avoid punishment.
Identification
Following the norms behaviours of a group whilst only in their presence because you wish membership or benefits from belonging to the group. These actions aren’t followed up in their private lives but are discontinued as they don’t fully believe these things with their own cognition.
For example: Swearing to increase your acceptance within a friendship group at school then not swearing whilst at home.
Internalisation
Full cognitive acceptance of a groups norms and behaviours which are continued at home due to a genuine belief being held that these behaviours are either correct or beneficial to one’s life.
For example: Accepting religious beliefs and praying or reading holy texts at home due to full belief within the cause and the values being presented.
Minority Influence
When the actions or beliefs of a minority group change the behaviours or values of the majority group.
For example: Suffragettes campaigned for women’s right to vote which swayed the way the general public accepted women within society.
Majority Influence
When the actions or beliefs of the majority group change the behaviours or values of the minority group.
For example: People within society slowly stop smoking and PSA’s demonstrate its negative health consequences causing the minority who smoke to gently diminish and they change their actions.
Minority Influence- Flexibility
The ability of the minority group to listen to the opinions of others who may disagree with their beliefs. This can affect their ability to win people over to their cause as a lack of flexibility may make them seem rigid and unwilling to listen.
Minority Influence- Commitment
Whether the group commits extreme or severe acts to further their cause may make them appear serious and dedicated to their beliefs. This could increase their seeming legitimacy and attract more people from the majority to take onboard their message.
Minority Influence- Consistency
If the message from the minority is consistent and remains stable regarding their beliefs then this could make them seem serious as they aren’t deviating from their true message which in turn may attract new members to the group.
External Locus of Control
Someone with a high ELOC believes that the outcome of their life is largely influenced by external factors that they’re unable to control and they’re more susceptible to social influence.
Internal Locus of Control
Someone with a high ILOC believes that the outcome of their life is largely influenced by themselves and their own actions they can control which makes them less susceptible to social influence.
Normative Social Influence
People are influenced and change their behaviour to fit within a group because they believe it will provide benefits or avoid negative consequences such as isolation or ostracisation. Changing behaviour due to group pressure.
Informational Social Influence
People are influenced by the decisions made by others as they believe the information they present is correct. An example would be claiming the lines are the same length in Asch’s study when in fact they’re different as the person has gleaned information from others and uses that to make a decision.
Factors affecting Obedience
- Presence of an authority figure
- Number of people present
- Type of task or job being performed
- Experience within the area
Factors affecting Conformity
- People present at the time
- Potential negative consequences that may arise from not conforming
- The type of belief or value being presented
- Whether they’re currently in the social group or not
