Social Imapct Theory

Question 1

Define social impact

Answer 1

The effect that people can have on our behaviour

Question 2

Impact on target equation

Answer 2

Impact on target = f(strength x immediacy x number of sources)

Or

Impact on target = f(SIN)

Question 3

Define strength in terms of social impact theory

Answer 3

The perceived power/authority of the source and the messages they convey e.g. your parents vs siblings

Question 4

Define immediacy in terms of social impact theory

Answer 4

The closeness of the source in terms of time and space e.g. given a command by parents on text vs in real life

Question 5

Define number of sources in terms of social impact theory

Answer 5

How many sources are trying to impact the target e.g. your family, tutor, friends, teacher trying to impact you

Question 6

Explain the multiplicative effect (light bulb)

Answer 6

• Strength: the power of the lightbulb
—> to strengthen: increase voltage

• Immediacy: how close the lightbulb is, delay between pressing the button and light turning on
—> to increase immediacy: can physically bring light closer into the room, remove the delay (buy a new lightbulb)

• Number: the number of lightbulbs
—> to increase number: buy more lightbulbs

Question 7

What is the divisional effect?

Answer 7

Divisional effects (division of impact) suggests that social impact is reduces if there are more targets than there are sources, with the impact to each individual target being reduced

E.g.
• teacher instructing you alone = stronger impact, impact is given all to you
• teacher instructing class = weak impact, impact is divided between each person

Question 8

Is Sedikides and Jackson supportive or contradictory evidence for social impact theory?

Answer 8

Supportive evidence

Question 9

Evaluate the strength of Social impact theory (with supportive evidence)

Answer 9

A strength of social impact theory is the evidence from Sedikides and Jackson (1990), because it tests the components of the theory and has results that demonstrate the effects of them.

They found that the strength of the source, immediacy and number all affected obedience,
alongside seeing the divisional effect. The study took place in a zoo, and when customers were instructed to move, the rate of compliance decreased if the group of targets increased.

This study demonstrates that multiple aspects of social impact theory have been shown to influence obedience in a realistic setting which makes the theory a credible explanation of why people obey authority.

Question 10

Is Hofling et al (1966) supportive or contradictory evidence for social impact theory?

Answer 10

Contradictory evidence

Question 11

Evaluate the weakness of social impact theory (with supportive evidence)

Answer 11

A weakness of social impact theory is there is contradictory evidence to suggest the psychosocial forces are different.

Hofling et al (1966) counters social impact theory as 21/22 nurses obeyed orders to overdose a patient on a medication based on orders from a doctor delivered over the phone. The doctor was not present, so the immediacy was low, however, the majority of the nurses still obeyed.

This suggests that immediacy may not play such an important role, or have as great an impact on obedience as proposed by the social impact theory, discrediting the theory