Social Influence Flashcards
social Influence
Process where attitudes and behaviour are influenced by the real or implied presence of other people
reference groups
Groups that are psychologically significant for our behaviour and attitudes
Compliance
Superficial, public and transitory change in behaviour and expressed attitudes in response to requests, coercion or group pressure –> does not reflect internal change
Power
the capacity to influence others while resisting their attempt to influence you
Conformity
Deep-seated, private and enduring change in behaviour and attitude due to group pressure
–> feeling of confidence that the own belifsand actions described by the norm are correct, and socially desirable
Social identity theory
theory of group membership and intergroup relations based on self categorisation, social comparison and the construction of a shared self definition in terms of in-group-defining properties
Obedience
Acting in accord with a direct order or command (following a leader)
Example: Milgram
Agentic state
unquestioning obedience in which people transfer personal responsibility to the person giving orders
Normative influence
Influence to conform the positive expectation of others, to gain social approval or to avoid social disapproval
–> yeilding to group pressure (compliance but no internal change)
Referent informational influence
Pressure to conform to a group norm that defines oneself as a group member
-social identity theory
meta-contrast principle
informational influence
influence to accept information from another as evidence about reality
–>when we feel uncertain and like to feel confident about our beliefs
-can cause true cognitive change
Reward power
The ability to give or promise reward for compliance
Coercive power
the ability to give or threaten punishment for non-compliance
informational power
the targets belief that the influencer has more information than oneself
Expert power
the targets belief that the influencer has generally greater expertise and knowledge than oneself
Legitimate power
the targets belief that the influencer is authorised by a recognized power structure to command and make decisions
Referent power
identification with, attraction to or respect for the source of influence
Reciprocity (compliance)
Tit for tat
i help you wíf you help me
Commitment/consistency
Compliance
Commitment to position –> comply with consistent requests –> avoid cognitive dissonance
Social validation/consensus
Compliance
more willing to comply with request if it’s consistent with what similar others are thinking or doing
–> social norms// e.g. elevator experiment
Friendship/liking (Compliance)
more willing to comply with a request of friends
Factors that influence obedience
- Immediacy
- to the victim >
- to the authority figure< - Group pressure
- emblems of authority - e.g. uniform
- commitment (foot in thee door, door in the face, low ball)
Example: why do we conform to the group
–>Autokinetic effect study by Sherif
Autokinetic effect: the stationary dot of light will seem to move
- -> at first everyone says something different about where it moved, but over time the estimates of people in a group move closer together until they meet
- -> convergence
- -> conformity
Example: comformity study Asch
–> Lines
Procedures: – One subject, six or more confederates – Which line is the same length as the standard? – People reported answers out loud, one at a time
–> Subject always last
The confederates answered incorrectly and almost 80% of the participants conformed at least once to the group
