Social Influence

Question 1

Define social influence.

Answer 1

A process where attitudes and behaviour are influenced by the real or imagined presence of other people.

Question 2

Define compliance/obedience.

Answer 2

Change that goes against one’s own beliefs. Public behavioural change but not private.

Question 3

Define conformity.

Answer 3

Change that restructures one’s underlying beliefs. Public and private behavioural change.

Question 4

Define minority influence.

Answer 4

Process where numerical or power minorities change attitudes of the majority.

Question 5

Name the three main variations of Milgram’s obedience to authority.

Answer 5

Immediacy of the victim.
Immediacy of authority figure.
Legitimacy of authority.

Question 6

Briefly describe Milgram’s contribution to Social Psychology.

Answer 6

Showed the darker side of human nature.
Social influence seen as something negative.
Lots of ethical issues raised which led to change of ethic laws.

Question 7

Briefly explain Sherif’s the autokinetic effect results.

Answer 7

Optical illusion.
Pps had to estimate how far the light had moved individually and in groups.
Group scores + individual scores converged.
People look at others to help define reality.

Question 8

Briefly explain Asch’s conformity to incorrect majority results.

Answer 8

Actor-participants gave the wrong answer which led to participants giving the wrong answer too. The larger the group the more likely conformity occurred.

Question 9

Why did people conform in Asch’s study?

Answer 9

Paps felt their perceptions were inaccurate.
Some said they saw the lines as the group did.
Some said they didn’t believe the group but wanted to fit in.

Question 10

Name two limits of conformity (Asch).

Answer 10

Unanimity.

Anonymity.

Question 11

Name the three main ideas around who conforms.

Answer 11

Individual differences - low self-esteem, need for self-control, low IQ, high anxiety.
Cultural norms - conformity more likely in collectivistic cultures.
Situational factors - groups unanimity, group size, deviants.

Question 12

Explain the theory of social influence - normative & informational influence (Deutsch & Gerard).

Answer 12

Informational influence: influence to achieve accurate perception. True influence, rational.
Normative influence: influence to gain approval to avoid rejection. Mere compliance, irrational.
Both influence conformity rates.

Question 13

What type of model is the normative & informational influence model?

Answer 13

It is a dual-process model of social influence.

Question 14

Briefly explain Turner’s referent informational influence model.

Answer 14

It has 5 stages: self-categorisation, discover in-group stereotype, cognitively represent ingroup norms, self-stereotyping, in-group normative behaviour.

Question 15

What type of model is the referent informational influence model.

Answer 15

It is a single-process model of social influence.

Question 16

State some evidence shown for Turner’s referent information influence model.

Answer 16

Studies showed that social influence is most likely when the source and target share a salient group membership.
In-group sources are valid sources of information and don’t need surveillance.
Out-group sources can be effective with power/surveillance.

Question 17

What did Sergei Moscovici believe about Asch’s studies?

Answer 17

That they were studies of minority rather than majority influence.

Question 18

What did Moscovici believe about the individual?

Answer 18

He believed individuals have agency and can influence large majorities.
Criticised conformity bias.

Question 19

Briefly explain Moscivici’s dual process model of majority and minority influence.

Answer 19

Majority influence leads to direct public compliance. No private attitude change. Short-term.
Minority influence leads to indirect, latent private change. Long-term. Occurs through conversion.

Question 20

What type of minorities are the most successful in influencing?

Answer 20

Consistent minorities.
They convey credibility, draw attention to minority and disrupt majority norm. Create conflict that can only be resolved through conversion.

Question 21

Briefly explain conversion theory.

Answer 21

This is where there is a conversion effect. A conversion effect is a sudden, internal change in majority which impacts the direction of attention, content of thinking and differential influence.

Question 22

What is the evidence supporting conversion theory?

Answer 22

Maas & Clark - public views mirror majority but private views reflect own opinions.

Question 23

Briefly explain convergent-divergent theory.

Answer 23

Minority influence improves performance for divergent thinking.
Majority influence improves performance for convergent thinking.

Question 24

What is the evidence supporting convergent-divergent theory.

Answer 24

Nemeth - minority influence led to innovation, creativity and generation of ideas.

Question 25

Why are minorities effective?

Answer 25

They cause latent cognitive changes as a consequence of challenging the majority’s perspective.

Question 26

Define conformity bias.

Answer 26

The tendency to assume that minority plays conform to majorities.