Social influence

Question 1

Social influence definition

Answer 1

Process whereby attitudes and behaviour are influenced by the real or implied presence of other people

Question 2

Compliance

Answer 2

Superficial, public and transitory change in behaviour and expressed attitudes in response to requests, coercion or group pressure
-> no internal change only when under surveillance

Question 3

Reference groups

Answer 3

Kelley’s term for a group that is psychologically significant for our behaviour and attitudes
-> source of conformity or coercive power to produce compliance

Question 4

Membership groups

Answer 4

Kelley’s term for a group to which we belong by some objective external criterion, external designation or social consensus

Question 5

Dual-process dependency model

Answer 5

General model of social influence in which two separate processes operate, dependency on others for social approval and for information about reality

Question 6

Power definition

Answer 6

Capacity to influence others while resisting their attempts to influence with six bases (can also be thought of as a role in a group)
-> Reward-, Coercive-, Informational-, Expert-, Legitimate- and Referent power

Question 7

Reward Power

Answer 7

ability to give or promise rewards for compliance

Question 8

Coercive power

Answer 8

ability to give or threaten punishment for non-compliance

Question 9

Informational power

Answer 9

: The target’s belief that the influencer has more information than oneself

Question 10

Expert power

Answer 10

target’s belief that the influencer has generally greater expertise and knowledge than oneself

Question 11

Legitimate power

Answer 11

target’s belief that the influencer is authorised by a recognised power structure to command and make decision

Question 12

Referent power

Answer 12

Identification with, attraction to or respect for the source of influence

Question 13

basis of influence processes

Answer 13

attachment and identification with a group

Question 14

agentic state

Answer 14

A frame of mind thought by Milgram to characterise unquestioning obedience, in which people as agents transfer personal responsibility to the person giving orders

Question 15

Factors influencing obedience

Answer 15

• > no gender difference
• > once committed continued commitment
• > immediacy of a victim
• > immediacy of authority figure
• > group pressure
• > legitimacy of authority figure

Question 16

Conformity

Answer 16

Deep-seated, private and enduring change in behaviour and attitudes due to group pressure

Question 17

formation and influence of norms

Answer 17

• > frame of reference providing behavioural or attitudinal positions relevant in particular contexts
• > normative pressure

Question 18

Yielding to majority group pressure

Answer 18

people conform to group even if object of judgement is unambiguous

Question 19

Cultural norms as conformity factor

Answer 19

• > intercultural variation in conformity

- > conformity can be seen as favourable and form of social glue

Question 20

Group size as conformity factor

Answer 20

• > increase in conformity as group size increases

- > size refers to number of seemingly indepentent sources of influence of group

Question 21

Group unanimity as conformity factor

Answer 21

• > lack of unanimity reducing conformity when supporter is there
• > supporters, dissenters and deviates reduce conformity as we feel less confident about perceptions and attitudes while legitmising possibility that there is an alternative way

Question 22

Informational Influence

Answer 22

An influence to accept information from another as evidence about reality

• > when uncertain
• > effective when causing true cognitive change

Question 23

normative influence

Answer 23

An influence to conform to the positive expectation of others, to gain social approval or to avoid social disapproval
-> when belief that group has power to reward or punish us

Question 24

Referent informational influence

Answer 24

Pressure to conform to a group norm that defines oneself as a group member
(link to social identity theory)

Question 25

meta-contrast principle

Answer 25

The prototype of a group is that position within the group that has the largest ratio of ‘differences to ingroup positions’ to ‘differences to outgroup positions

Question 26

conformity effect

Answer 26

self-categorisation assimilates our thoughts, feelings and behaviour to the group norm and act accordingly