social impact theory

Question 1

who created SIT?

Answer 1

Bibb Latane 1981 - the theory wasn’t orginally devised to look at obedience.

Question 2

what is social impact?

Answer 2

• any individual feelings, thoughts, beliefs or behaviours that is exerted by the presence or actions of others.

Question 3

what did latane propose?

Answer 3

that we are greatly influenced by the actions of others - the theory is about how we are affected by our environment.

Question 4

what is a target?

Answer 4

• the person being impacted on

- someone who recieves a demand

Question 5

what is a source?

Answer 5

• the influencer

- someone giving commands

Question 6

what are the social forces which influece our behaviour within groups?

Answer 6

• numbers = how many sources in comparrison to targets
• strength = can be determined by status and authority
• and immediacy = proximity between the source and the target.

Question 7

mathematical formula for the magnitude of the impact?

Answer 7

i=f(SIN) 
- i = magnitude of impact
- f = is a function
- S = strength of sources 
- I - immediacy of sources 
- N = number of sources 
this tells you that these combined with cause obedient behaviour to occur.

Question 8

what is the lightbulb analogy?

Answer 8

• one lightbulb in a dark room with have a dramatic effect
• but as more light bulbs are added the effect with become less dramatic
  in this sense it suggests that social impact theory may be incorrect as increasing the number of sources doesn’t necessarily guarantee more obedience.

Question 9

what is the divisional effect?

Answer 9

when a large number of targets is more than the number of sources and therefore their ability to maintain obedience is diminished.

Question 10

what is a study that supports social impact theory?

Answer 10

one of milgrams variations were two confederates acted as fellow participants in the shocking room when these confederates rebelled agaisnt mr.wallaces instructions only 10% if participants followed to the end.

Question 11

what is a weakness of the theory?

Answer 11

it is limited in what types of social situations it can explain. for example if two groups meet with an equal size of people in their groups then the impact they’d have on each other would be unclear. - therefore the explanation is incomplete.