Obedience: social impact theory (AO1 - description) Flashcards
What is Social Impact theory?
An explanation of the extent to which other people’s real or imagined presence can alter the way an individual thinks, feels or acts.
What does the term ‘social impact’ refer to?
Social impact is the effect others (real or imagined) have on our behaviour
Who developed Social Impact theory?
Bibb Lantané (1981)
Why did Lantané develop Social Impact theory?
To describe how we behave within ‘social forcefields’, all impacting on each other through our ongoing interactions
The person doing the influencing is the …………….. and the people who are influenced are the ……………..
source, targets
Lantané’s mathematical formula for Social Impact theory?
Impact on target = f(SIN)
SIN refers to the sources
What’s SIN?
Strength, Immediacy, Number
What does Strength refer to?
Strenght = perceived power/authority of the source and the messages conveyed
eg. a strong source has power over the target and/or communicates in an authorative/charismatic/intense way
What can affect strength?
socioeconomic status, age and the nature of any past or future relationship with the target
What does Immediacy reflect?
The closeness of the source and target in terms of space and time
What affects Immediacy?
Physical or psychological barriers to communication
What does Number relate to?
How many sources are present during the interaction, which determines the level of social impact
What is the multiplicative and divisional effect?
S, I, and N increase social impact through mulitplicative effect, and reduce it through divisional effect
Why did Lantané use the phrase ‘multiplicative effect’?
To explain how increasing strength, immediacy and/or number of sources can significantly increase social impact
How is the multiplicative effect like the brightness of a lightbulb?
Brightness is affected by:
the strength of the bulb (100 watts compared to 70 watt,
how far away the light source is (immediacy)
the number of bulbs
