Social Influence Flashcards
What is social influence?
The process by which individuals change their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors as a result of real or imagined pressure from others.
Define conformity.
A type of social influence where individuals change their behavior or beliefs to match those of a group.
What are the two main types of conformity?
Normative social influence and informational social influence.
True or False: Normative social influence occurs when individuals conform to be liked or accepted by a group.
True.
What is informational social influence?
When individuals conform because they believe others are correct in their judgments.
Fill in the blank: The term ________ refers to a change in behavior due to direct requests from others.
compliance.
What is obedience?
A form of social influence where an individual follows a direct order or command from an authority figure.
Who conducted the famous obedience experiment in 1961?
Stanley Milgram.
True or False: Milgram’s study found that a significant number of participants were willing to administer high levels of electric shock when instructed by an authority figure.
True.
What is the ‘foot-in-the-door’ technique?
A compliance strategy that involves getting a person to agree to a small request first, followed by a larger request.
What does the term ‘groupthink’ refer to?
A phenomenon where the desire for harmony or conformity in a group results in irrational or dysfunctional decision-making.
Fill in the blank: The ________ effect occurs when individuals are less likely to help someone in need when others are present.
bystander.
What is social loafing?
The tendency for individuals to put in less effort when working in a group compared to working alone.
What is the role of ‘minority influence’ in social change?
Minority influence occurs when a smaller group influences the beliefs or behaviors of a larger group.
True or False: Social norms can influence behavior by providing guidelines on what is considered acceptable.
True.
What is the ‘Asch Paradigm’?
An experiment by Solomon Asch that demonstrated the power of conformity in groups through a line judgment task.
What is a key finding from Asch’s conformity experiments?
Many participants conformed to the group’s incorrect answers despite knowing the correct answer.
Fill in the blank: The ________ theory explains why people conform based on their desire to be correct.
informational social influence.
What does the term ‘social impact theory’ refer to?
A theory that suggests that social influence is a function of the strength, immediacy, and number of sources of influence.
What is the ‘banality of evil’ concept related to?
The idea that ordinary people can commit atrocities when following orders from authority, as explored by Hannah Arendt.
True or False: The presence of an ally can significantly reduce conformity in a group setting.
True.
What is the ‘public compliance’ versus ‘private acceptance’ distinction?
Public compliance is conforming outwardly without necessarily believing in the group’s position, while private acceptance involves genuinely believing in the group’s viewpoint.
What role does dissent play in social influence?
Dissent can encourage independent thinking and reduce conformity pressures within a group.
What is the ‘Zimbardo Prison Experiment’ known for?
It demonstrated how situational factors and assigned roles can lead to extreme behavior, including aggression and dehumanization.
