Social Influence

Question 1

What is Social influence and types of social influence?

Answer 1

The term social influence refers to the ways
in which external factors alter behavior.
The actions, reactions, and thoughts of an
individual are influenced by other people or
groups.
Several types of social influence are discussed
* Social Facilitation
* Deindividuation
* Bystander effect
* Conformity
* Social roles
* Obedience to authority

Question 2

Short note on Social Facilitation

Answer 2

The presence of other performers arouse the “competitive instinct” which releases energy not normally available.
Social Inhibition: derailing effects of
performance in the presence of co actors and audiences.
Social facilitation: an improvement in the
performance of well earned/easy tasks.

Question 3

Brief note on Deindividuation

Answer 3

When people lose their sense of individual identity. This occurs because of the following :
* Anonymity
* Diffused responsibility
* Group size

The crowd is always inferior to the isolated individual
- Gustav LeBon

Question 4

Brief note on the Bystander Effect

Answer 4

Refers to the phenomenon in which the
greater the number of people present, the less likely people are to help a person in distress. This can occur due to:
- Defining the situation (pluralistic ignorance)
- Diffusion of responsibility.

Minimizing bystander effect:
- Role of helping model
- Role of information

Question 5

Short note on Conformity

Answer 5

Conformity is shaping one’s behavior or
attitudes to conform to that of others.

• Informational social influence: inambiguous situations
• Normative social influence: wanting to fit in.
• Factors Affecting Conformity Pressures
  a. Group Size
  b. Group Unanimity(Majority/minority)
  c. Culture
  e. Difficulty of the Task

Question 6

Explain the component of Obedience to Authority in Social Influence

Answer 6

Change behavior in response to direct orders from authority (most direct form)

A study by Stanley Milgram specifically looked at how cooperative people are willing to be when responding to the request of an authority.

Four important features of the situation
-Surveillance
-Buffers
-Presence of role model
-Emerging nature

Question 7

What is Internalization

Answer 7

Influence to change our private attitudes, not just our public behaviors, and to obtain
changes that will be sustained even after they are no longer on the scene.

-Social influence that persuades rather than coerces.
-Self Justification: The pressure to be
consistent can be so strong that often people will justify/rationalize past behavior by forming or adjusting their private beliefs to support it.

Question 8

Define Social Roles

Answer 8

Patterns of behavior expected in
certain positions in Social order and the governance of our behavior because of the social role

Question 9

Define Compliance and the two methods to approach them?

Answer 9

Change in behavior elicited by direct requests
-Foot in the door technique: first getting
someone to comply to smaller request.
-Door in the face technique: the real request is prefaced with one that is so large that it is rejected.

Question 10

Elaborate on Group Interaction

Answer 10

-Institutional Norms
-Group decision making
1)Group Polarization(Group Shift):
Members of a group move towards an
extreme or exaggerated position while
making decisions.
2)Group Think: The desire for harmony or
conformity in the group results in an
incorrect or deviant decision-making
outcome.