Social Impact Theory - Latane 1981 Flashcards
What is the division of impact effect?
The impact of a single source is divided by the number of targets and therefore becomes less potent.
How did Latane represent the division of impact?
i = f(SIN)
What study did Sedikides and Jackson conduct?
A study in a bird house in a zoo.
What were the different scenarios in Sedikides and Jacksons study?
Scenario one - experimenter dressed as a bird keeper and told visitors leaning on the railing was prohibited.
Scenario two - experimenter communicated the same message but wore ordinary clothes.
What did Sedikides and Jackson find out about how visitors responded?
Visitors responded better in scenario one as the source is perceived as having higher status and authority due to wearing a uniform.
What are the strengths of social impact theory?
Mathematical equation to predict laws of behaviour
Sedikides and Jackson
Supported by the findings of Milgrams research into obedience.
What are the weaknesses of social impact theory?
Doesn’t specifically relate to obedience
Some people may be more resistant to social impact
Reduces the complexity of human behaviour to a mathematical equation (reductionist)
What is reductionism?
A debate in psychology that refers to the simplifying of complex phenomenon such as human behaviour into separate parts.
It is an explanation of a ‘whole’ (e.g. system or an illness) in terms of the parts/units of which that whole is built.
What is holism?
Says that explanations should take a wider perspective considering the interactions between the parts such as between other individuals.
Why is a mathematical equation to predict laws of behaviour a strength of social impact theory?
Predictions using the equation can be made to help society in tackling obedience that is detrimental to its members
Why is Sedikides and Jackson supporting evidence for social impact theory?
They conducted a study in a bird house in a zoo to investigate the role of strength of the source.
It was found that visitors responded better to scenario one as the source was perceived as having higher status and authority due to wearing a uniform
Why is there supporting evidence from Milgrams research into obedience for social impact theory?
Milgram found that obedience rates were higher when the authority figure (S) issued commands in person in the same room (I) with just one target present (N) than when the authority figure was in another room
Why is the fact that social impact theory doesn’t specifically relate to obedience a weakness?
As the theory doesn’t specifically relate to obedience it can be said to be simplistic in its application
Why is the fact that some people may be more resistant to social impact a weakness of social impact theory?
Features of an individual aren’t taken into account by social impact theory
e.g. some people may be more easily persuaded than others
Why is the fact that social impact theory reduces the complexity of human behaviour to a mathematical equation a weakness?
This theory reduces the complexity of human behaviour to a mathematical equation and therefore overlooks many other factors in the social situation that may affect behaviour
