Social Influence

Question 1

Normative social influence

Answer 1

An individual conforms with expectations of the majority in order to gain approval or avoid disapproval. May believe they’re under surveillance

Question 2

informational social influence

Answer 2

Result of a desire to be right. looking to others as a way of gaining evidence about reality

Question 3

compliance

Answer 3

individual accepts influence to try and gain approval or avoid disapproval. Persons underlying behaviour doesn’t change

Question 4

internalisation

Answer 4

individual accepts influence because the attitude reposed is consistent with their own value system (could be convinced)

Question 5

Identification

Answer 5

individual adopts attitude or behaviour because they want to be associated with a particular person or group

Question 6

conformity to social roles

Answer 6

Stanford prison experiment and BBC prison experiment

Question 7

Procedure for Stanford prison experiment

Answer 7

• mock prison set up at university
• male volunteers (tested)
• 24 most stable assigned prisoner or guard
  prisoners unexpected arrested at home, given prisoner uniform and assigned ID number
• allowed certain rights: 3 meals a day, supervised toilet visits and 2 visits a week
• guards given uniform, clubs, whistles and reflective sunglasses
• Zimbardo took role of prison superior

Question 8

findings for the Stanford prison experiment

Answer 8

• first few days guards became aggressive and abusive
• prisoners made to do degrading activities
• participants forgot it was study
• 5 prisoners had to be released early
• terminated after 6 days supposed to last 2 weeks
• both prisoners and guards conformed to their roles

Question 9

social change

Answer 9

occurs when a society or section of society adopts a new belief or way of behaving which then becomes widely accepted as the norm

Question 10

what are the 5 main stages of social change?

Answer 10

1. drawing attention to the issue
2. cognitive conflict
3. consistence of position
4. the argumentation principle
5. the snowball effect

Question 11

drawing attention to the issue

Answer 11

creates a conflict that the majority are motivated to reduce

Question 12

cognitive conflict

Answer 12

makes majority group think are more about the issue being challenged
some either support minority or dismiss it

Question 13

consistency of position

Answer 13

research has shown that is a minority consistency express their viewpoint, then it will be more influential in bringing about social change

Question 14

the argumentation principle

Answer 14

if willing to suffer for their viewpoints then it is seen as being more committed
it is then taken more seriously

Question 15

the snowball effect

Answer 15

as more people start to consider it, it becomes more widespread, this leads to a tipping point and eventually social change.

Question 16

Conformity

Answer 16

A change in a persons behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group of people

Question 17

Group size

Answer 17

Conformity increased with group size, but only up to a point, levelling off when the majority was great than three

Question 18

Unanimity

Answer 18

The extent to which all the members of a group agree, produces greater degree of conformity in naive participants

Question 19

Task difficulty

Answer 19

When task (e.g. Similar lines) are difficult to differentiate

Question 20

Social roles

Answer 20

The parts people play as members of various social groups, come with expectations of appropriate social roles

Question 21

Obedience

Answer 21

An individual follows a direct order, usually an authority figure, power to punish

Question 22

Proximity

Answer 22

Physical closeness or distance of an authority figure to the person they are giving an order to

Question 23

Location

Answer 23

The place where an order is issued, relevant factor that influences obedience

Question 24

Uniform

Answer 24

People in position of authority often have a specific outfit that is symbolic of their authority (police officers or judges)

Question 25

Situational variables

Answer 25

Factors that are believed to influence the level of obedience shown by participants. External circumstances rather than personality

Question 26

Agentic state

Answer 26

No personal responsibility for behaviour, shifts blame onto authority figure

Question 27

Legitimacy of authority

Answer 27

More likely to obey people who we perceive to have authority over us

Question 28

Dispositional explanation

Answer 28

Explanation of behaviour that highlights the importance of individuals personality

Question 29

Authoritarian personality

Answer 29

Especially susceptible to obey people in authority, submissive to this in higher status

Question 30

Resistance to social influence

Answer 30

Withstand the social pressure to conform to the majority or to obey authority, influenced by situational & Dispositional factors

Question 31

Social support

Answer 31

Resist pressure to conform or obey and can help other to do the same, act as models

Question 32

Locus of control

Answer 32

People differ in their beliefs about whether the outcomes of their actions dependant of what they do or on events outside their personal control

Question 33

Minority figure

Answer 33

Members of the majority group change their beliefs or behaviours as a result of their exposure to a persuasive minority

Question 34

Flexibility

Answer 34

Willingness to be flexible and to compromise when expressing a position

Question 35

Commitment

Answer 35

Degree to which minority are dedicated to particular cause or activity

Question 36

Consistency

Answer 36

Stable in the expressed position over time and agreement among different members of the minority

Question 37

Social influence

Answer 37

Process by which individuals and groups change each other’s attitudes and behaviours