Social Impact Theory Flashcards
What does social impact theory explain?
Why there are different levels of obedience. Depends on how instructions are delivered and received.
Social force
Pressure (genereated by persuasion, threat, humour and embarrassment) put on people to change their behaviour and if it succeeds that is social impact.
Strength
How much power you believe the person influencing you, has.
Immediacy
How recent and how close the influence to you.
Numbers
The more people put pressure on you, the more social force they will have on you. Latané suggests a mathematical equation. (Social impact theory=i) i=f(SIN) where S, I and N are strength, immediacy and numbers.
Divisional law
Force is split between the number of targets.
Multiple law
The more sources there are will increase the impact on the target.
+Supported by milgrams variations
Run down office block and ordinary man variations show how when the strength of the source is compromised the social force is lowered. Instructions over the phone also show how immediacy is important as when they were not in thw room it lowers rate of obedience.
+supported by latane and darley
Found divisional affect in helping behaviour. A lone person is more likely to help a stranger than when in a group as they feel more personally resonsible for their actions.
+other theories
Takes into account situational factors more than agency theory as it focuses more on source rather than just the target.
+usefulness
Allows for a better understanding of atrocities like mai li. Soldiers that were given orders over a radiodid not follow as many orders.
-individual differences
Still dont know why some people obey and others dont. Doesnt take into account persoanlity types and free will.
E.g. authoritarian personality type being more susceptible.
This is deterministic.
-other theories
Social impact theory was designed for all group behaviour (latane and darley study) and doesnt focus on obedience unlike agency theory.
