Social Influence Flashcards
What is social psychology?
The scientific study of how a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviour influence and are influenced by social groups; area of psychology in which psychologists focus on how human behaviour is affected by the presence of other people.
What is social influence?
The process through which the real or implied presence of others can directly or indirectly influence the thoughts, feelings, and behaviour of an individual
What is conformity?
The changing one’s own behaviour to match that of other people.
What is normative social influence?
The need to act in ways that we feel will let us be liked and accepted by others.
What is informational social influence?
Cues for how to behave from other people when we are in a situation that is not clear or is ambiguous. The people around us provide us with information on how to act to conform to their actions.
What is groupthink?
The kind of thinking that occurs when people place more importance on maintaining group cohesiveness than on assessing the facts of the problem with which the group is concerned.
What are the characteristics of groupthink?
Invulnerability: Members feel they cannot fail
Rationalization: Members tend to dismiss warning signs and help each other justify their actions or decisions, even if those decisions might be questionable or risky.
Lack of introspection: Members do not examine the ethical implications of their decision because they believe they cannot make immoral choices.
Stereotyping: Members stereotype their enemies as weak, stupid, or unreasonable.
Pressure: Members pressure each other not to question the prevailing opinion
Lack of disagreement: Members do not express opinions that differ from the groups choice.
Self-deception: Members share in the illusion that they all agree with the decision.
Insularity: Members prevent the group from hearing disruptive but potentially useful information from people outside the group.
What is group polarization?
The tendency for members involved in a group discussion to take somewhat more extreme positions and suggest riskier actions when compared to individuals who have not participated in a group discussion.
What is social facilitation?
The tendency for the presence of other people to have a positive impact on the performance of an easy task.
What is social impairment?
The tendency for the presence of other people to have a negative impact on the performance of an difficult task.
What is social loafing?
The tendency for people to put less effort into a simple task when working with others on that task
What is deindividuation?
The lessening of personal identity, self-restraint, and the sense of personal responsibility that can occur within a group.
What is consumer psychology?
A branch of psychology that studies the habits of consumers in the marketplace.
What is compliance?
Changing one’s behaviour as a result of other people directing or asking for the change.
What is the foot-in-the-door technique?
Asking for a small commitment and, after gaining compliance, asking for a bigger commitment.
