Social Influence Flashcards
Define Conformity.
Conformity is a type of social influence defined as a change in belief or behaviour in response to real or imagined social pressure.
Define Compliance
This refers to instances where a person may agree in public with a group of people, but the person privately disagrees with the group’s viewpoint or behaviour. The individual changes their views, but it is a temporary change.
Define Internalisation
Publicly changing behaviour to fit in with the group while also agreeing with them privately. An internal (private) and external (public) change of behaviour. This is the deepest level of conformity were the beliefs of the group become part of the individual’s own belief system.
Define Identification
Identification occurs when someone conforms to the demands of a given social role in society. For example, a policeman, teacher or politician. This type of conformity extends over several aspects of external behaviour. However, there still be no changed to internal personal opinion.
What is normative social influence?
When a person conforms with group because they want to fit in/appear normal.
What is informational social influence?
When a person conforms with a group because they think the group is more knowledgable or they lack knowledge and believe the group will be correct.
What did Asch’s line study find out about group size’s effect on conformity? (AO3)
With one other person (i.e., confederate) in the group conformity was 3%, with two others it increased to 13%, and with three or more it was 32% (or 1/3). However, conformity did not increase much after the group size was about 4/5.
What did Asch’s line study find out about unanimity of group on conformity (AO3)
With just one person going against the confederates conformity can drop as much as 80%.
Other AO3 from Asch’s line study…
Task difficulty increases conformity
Findings of Zimbardo’s study
- Called off after 5 days
- Guards became aggressive most prisoners became submissive telling tales on other prisoners etc…
Why could demand characteristics in Zimbardo’s study give the study low ecological validity?
The guards were playing a role and so they were not effected by the same factors that may affect guards in real life therefore the study could have low ecological validity.
What is the Agentic state
A mindset which allows us to carry out orders from an authority figure, even if they conflict with our personal sense of right and wrong. We absolve ourselves of responsibility, believing that as we are acting on someone else’s behalf, blame for any negative consequences ultimately lies with them.
What is an authority figure?
Someone we deem to be above us in the social hierarchy and thus have legitimate authority.
What factors can effect the effectiveness and legitimacy of someones authority?
Uniform, Proximity, Location, etc.
What three factors can make minority influence more effective?
Consistency, Commitment, Flexibility
