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Social Influence Flashcards

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1
Q

Social Influence

A

The effect that the people in your environment have on your behaviour

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2
Q

Types of conformity

A

Compliance
Identification
Internalisation

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3
Q

Compliance

A

A superficial and temporary type of conformity where we outwardly go along with the majority view but privately disagree with it

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4
Q

Identification

A

A moderate type of conformity where we act in the same way with the group because we value it and want to be part of it. But we don’t necessarily agree with everything the majority believes.

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5
Q

Internalisation

A

A deep type of conformity where we take on the majority view because we accept it as correct. It leads to a far reaching and permanent change in behaviour, even when the group is absent

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6
Q

Explanations for conformity

A

Informative social influence
Normative social influence

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7
Q

Informative social influence

A

This is when people conform in order to be correct. It is motivated by the desire to be right. It usually involves public and private agreement. It is most likely in an ambiguous situation. It results in internalisation and a permanent change. Its a deeper level of conformity.

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8
Q

Normative social influence

A

This is when people conform in order to fit in. It is motivated by the need for acceptance/need to avoid disapproval. It usually involves public agreement but private disagreement. It is most likely in an unambiguous situation. It results in compliance and often temporary change. It is a shallow form of conformity.

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9
Q

Factors affecting conformity

A

Group size
unanimity
task difficulty

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10
Q

Group size

A

As the group size increased conformity increased.
Conformity increased but only to the maximum conformity of 3

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11
Q

Unanimity

A

Breaking unanimity decreased conformity because they had an ally.

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12
Q

Task difficulty

A

Conformity increased as tasks became more difficult.
Study became more ambiguous and so people conformed more as they thought others knew more

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13
Q

Milgram’s Variations

A

Proximity
Uniform
Location

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14
Q

Proximity

A
  1. proximity to the experimenter
  2. proximity from the student
    Obedience levels dropped from 65% to 40% and 65% to 20%
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15
Q

Location

A

Taking the experiment to a run down office in Bridgeport.
Obedience levels dropped to 40%

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16
Q

Uniform

A

Put the experimenter in a t-shirt and jeans.
Obedience levels dropped. Suggesting uniform gives a person authority.

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17
Q

What are the 2 main explanations of obedience?

A

Legitimacy and Agency

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18
Q

Describe Legitimacy

A

Refers to the status and validity of the authority figure.

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19
Q

What are the factors that may increase the legitimacy?

A
  • Uniform
  • Location
  • Hierarchy
20
Q

Describe agency

A

Refers to individuals becoming agents to the authority figure. They pass responsibility to the authority figure. This is called agentic shift. Individuals or participants shift from an autonomous state to an agentic state. This is shown when people say ‘I was just following orders’

21
Q

What are the reasons for resisting social influence?

A
  • Locus of control
  • Social support
22
Q

Describe locus of control

A

Refers to the sense we each have about what directs events in our lives.

23
Q

Describe internal locus of control

A

A person believes their behaviour is caused primarily by their own personal decisions and efforts

24
Q

Describe external locus of control

A

A person believes their behaviour is caused primarily by fate, luck or other external circumstances.

25
Q

Describe the characteristics of a person with an internal locus of control

A
  • High level of personal control over their lives and behaviour
  • Take personal responsibility for it
26
Q

Describe the characteristics of a person with an external locus control

A
  • They belief that life is determined by external environmental factors such as luck
27
Q

How do people with an internal locus control react to social influence?

A

They seek out information which will help them personally and are less likely to rely on others. They are more achievement oriented and can resist pressure on others.

28
Q

How do people with an external locus control react to social influence?

A

They are more likely to be influenced by others as they don’t believe they exercise personal control over their lives.

29
Q

Give support for locus of control in explaining resistance to social influence.

A

Holland repeated Milgram’s study and measured whether participants were internal or externals.
37% internals did not give highest shock
23% externals did not give highest shock
This showed that internals are more able to resist authority.

30
Q

What is meant by the term Social Support?

A

An ally/ having someone on your side

31
Q

How did Asch research the effect of social support on conformity?

A

Asch found that the presence of another non conformist confederate lowered overall conformity on the line task.

32
Q

How did Milgram research the effect of social support on obedience?

A

Milgram found that obedience levels dropped from 65% to 10% when the teacher was joined by another disobedient confederate.

33
Q

Why does the presence of social support causes both conformity and obedience to decrease?

A
  • Breaks unanimity
  • Gives individuals more confidence in themselves and their beliefs
  • Makes majority less convincing
34
Q

What is meant by the authoritarian personality?

A

The authoritarian personality is a distinct personality pattern identified by Adorno. People with this type of personality are rigid thinkers who obey authority, see the world in ‘black and white’ and enforce strict adherence to social rules and hierarchies.

35
Q

What is minority influence?

A

Minority influence is a form of social influence in which members of the majority group change their belief or behaviours as a result of their exposure to a persuasive minority.

36
Q

What are the 3 processes involved with minority influence?

A
  • consistency
  • commitment
  • flexibility
37
Q

Describe consistency

A

Giving the same opinion over time, situation and with other people

38
Q

Describe commitment

A

Engaging in extreme activities to draw attention to their views.

39
Q

Describe flexibility

A

Members of the minority need to be prepared to adapt to their point of view and accept reasonable and valid counterarguments.

40
Q

What are the changes to social change?

A
  • Drawing attention through social proof
  • Consistency
  • Deeper processing
  • Augmentation principle
  • Snowball effect
  • Social cryptomnesia
41
Q

What is social change?

A

Society adopts a new way of behaving. It is the process of bringing about significant societal changes, which usually results in a conflict with those in authority or power.

42
Q

Describe drawing attention

A

The minority draws the attention of the majority to an issue

43
Q

Describe consistency

A

Minority influence is most effective when the minority keeps the same beliefs over time and between all individuals

44
Q

Describe cognitive conflict

A

Conflict between the majority’s beliefs and those introduced by the minority leads to a deeper thinking about the issues

45
Q

Describe augmentation principle

A

If a person performs and action where there are known constraints/ risks, their motive for acting must be stronger. Suffering for your cause could be simply time, resources or something more extreme

46
Q

Describe the snowfall effect

A

A process that starts from an initial state of small significance and increasingly becomes larger

47
Q

Describe social cryptomnesia

A

When social change occurs, the new attitude becomes an integral part of society’s cultural and the source of the influence is forgotten along with a memory of this attitude first being introduced.

Psychology (16 decks)

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