Social Influence Flashcards
Define conformity
A change in a person’s behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure
from a person or group of people
Define unanimity
The extent to which all members of a group agree.
define compliance
A superficial and temporary type of conformity where we outwardly go along with the majority view, but privately disagree with it. The change in our behaviour only lasts as long as the group is monitoring us.
Define identification
A moderate type of conformity where we act in the same way as the group because we value it and want to be part of it. But we don’t necessarily agree with everything the group/majority believes.
Define Internalisation
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.
define (ISI) Informational Social Influence
An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe it is correct. We accept it because we want to be correct as well. This may lead to internalisation.
define (NSI) Normative Social Influence
An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we want to gain social approval and be liked. This may lead to compliance
define social roles
The ‘parts’ people play as members of various social groups. These are accompanied by expectations we and others have of what is appropriate behaviours for each role, for example caring, obedient, industrious etc.
Outline what is meant by situational Variables
features of the immediate physical and social environment which may influence a person’s behaviour. (eg. location, uniform and proximity)
what are dispositional variables
personality influencing behaviour
Define obedience
A form of social influence in which an individual follows a direct order. The person issuing the order is usually a figure of authority.
Outline SIT
Social Identity Theory-the study of the interplay between personal and social identities. When people act a particular way because they identify with that particular group
define agentic state
A mental state where we feel no responsibility for our behaviour because we believe ourselves to be acting for an authority figure. This frees us from the demands of our consciences and allows us to obey even a destructive authority
identify the opposite of agentic state
Autonomous state-individuals seen as personally responsible for their actions
what is meant by binding factors
aspects of a situation that allow the person to ignore or minimise the damaging effect of their behaviour—> reduces ‘moral strain’
describe what is meant by Authoritarian Personality
A type of personality that Adorno argued was especially susceptible to obeying people in authority. Such individuals are also thought to be submissive to those of higher status and dismissive to inferiors
Outline the psychodynamic explanation
FREUD- id ego and super ego
underlying human behaviour
when feelings cannot be expressed to the source they are usually displaced onto others who are perceived as weaker-scapegoating
what is independent behaviour
activity that is not linked to other people
social support
the presence of people who resist the pressures to conform can help others to do the same. these people act as models and show others that resistance to social influence is possible.
what is LOC and what are the 2 different types
LOC is a factor that can affect our independent behaviour
internal locus of control-someone who believes they are in control of what happens to them
external locus of control-someone who thinks what happens to them is luck/fate and they are not in control of their actions, it is all external factors.
resistance to social influence and LOC
People with internal LOC are more likely to resist pressures. if a person take responsibility for their actions they are more likely to base their decisions on their own beliefs and thus resist social influence.
less need for social support
research support for social support
Susan Albercht et al-
Program for pregnant adolescents helping them resist the peer pressure to smoke.
Social support provided by a lightly older mentor/buddy.
At the end of the program those with a buddy were less likely to smoke than those in the control group.
Evidence for effect LOC on independent behaviour
Oliner and Oliner-
they interviewed 2 groups of non- Jewish people who lived through the Holocaust.
They compared 406 people who had protected and rescued Jews from the Nazis and 126 people who had not.
They found that the those who has rescued Jews had internal LOC
Evaluation for social support using ASCH
In one of his variations one of the confederates was instructed to give the correct answer throughout
conformity fell to 5%
when there is social support people are more likely to resist the pressure to conform.
Evaluation for social support using MILGRAM
In one of the variations the real ppt was paired with 2 additional confederates who also played the role of teachers.
When the 2 C. withdrew early the percentage of real ppt that went up to 450 V fell to 10%
if ppt has support for desire to disobey then they are more likely to resist the pressure of authority figures.
define what is meant by minority influence
where one person or a small group of people influence the beliefs and behaviour of other people leading to internalisation where both public and private behaviour are changed by the process
state the factors increasing effectiveness of minority influence
consistency
commitment
flexibility
style of thinking
identification
internalisation
describe the importance of consistency for social influence
Minority must be consistent in their views so that the majority begins to question their own views
name and explain the 2 types of consistency
Diachronic consistency refers to maintaining coherence over time. This involves a sense of continuity in beliefs, actions, principles, or identities across different points in time.synchronic consistency- consistency between its members – all members agree and back each other up
Synchronic consistency refers to coherence at a single point in time across different contexts, behaviors, or beliefs.
describe the importance of flexibility for social influence
If the consistent minority is seen as inflexible, rigid, uncompromising, and dogmatic, they will be unlikely to change the views of the majority. However, if they appear flexible and compromising, they are likely to be seen as less extreme, as more moderate, cooperative and reasonable. As a result, they will have a better chance of changing the majority views
importance of commitment
minority engages in extreme activities to draw attention to the cause.
AUGMENTATION PRINCIPLE- if there are risks involved in putting forward a particular view then those who express it will be taken more seriously as a result the impact of their position is strengthened and augmented
Study to prove importance of flexibility
Nemeth- compensation study
when confederate argued for the same sum all the time and stayed consistent he had no effect
but when he compromised and moved towards the majority ,the majority lowered their amount slightly
define what is meant by style of thinking in regards to minority influence
Systematic Processing: Thoughtful, detailed, and analytical; leads to stable attitudes.
Superficial Processing: Quick, relies on cues or shortcuts; often results in temporary attitudes.
identification and minority influence
when the majority identifies with the minority
define social cryptoamnesia
when social change occurs in society, the attitude or opinion becomes an integral part of the society’s culture and the source is forgotten
describe the snowball effect
the way minorities convert majorities
Members of majority slowly move towards the minority and as the minority grows in size it gradually picks up momentum so that more majority members are converted to the minority view eventually the minority grows into the majority.
define social change
when society adopts a new belief or way of behaving this is then widely accepted as the norm
define social influence
process by which individuals and groups can change each other’s attitudes and behaviours. This includes conformity obedience and minority influence
define identification and its importance on minority influence
if the majority identifies with the minority, then they are more likely to take the views of the minority seriously and change their own views in line with those of the minority
describe the Blue-Green slides study by MOSCOVICI
Aim: To investigate the effects of a consistent minority on a majority.
he placed two confederates together with four genuine participants. The participants were first given eye tests to ensure they were not color-blind .
Procedure: They were then placed in a group consisting of four participants and two confederates. They were shown 36 slides which were clearly different shades of blue, and asked to state the color of each slide out loud.
In the first part of the experiment, the two confederates answered green for each of the 36 slides. They were totally consistent in their responses. In the second part of the experiment, they answered green 24 times and blue 12 times. In this case, they were inconsistent in their answers.
outline the results and conclusions from Moscovici’s study
Results:
the consistent minority had an effect on the majority (8.4%) compared to an inconsistent minority (only 1.3% said green).
A third (32%) of all participants judged the slide to be green at least once.
Conclusion: Minorities can influence a majority, but not all the time, and only when they behave in certain ways (e.g., consistent behaviour style).
research support for consistency
Meta analysis of studies similar to Moscovici and found that minorities who are seen as being consistent are most influential
describe what is meant by the augmentation principle
when minorities engage in extreme activities to draw attention to their views they are taken more seriously by others.
