Social Influence

Question 1

Conformity/persuasive influence (internal change)

Answer 1

= Subjective acceptance
 Reference group: the one that is psychologically significant for behaviour and attitudes
o Positive: seek to behave in accordance with their norms
 Source of conformity
o Negative: seek to behave in opposition to their norms
 Membership group: the one that we belong to
o when membership group also negative reference group it has coercive (zwingend) power to produce compliance

Question 2

Frame of reference

Answer 2

people use behaviour of others to establish a range of possible behaviour – middle positions in such frames of reference are perceived to be correct and are adopted

Question 3

Informational influence

Answer 3

= process where people accept information from another as evidence about reality. E.g. sheriffs experiment of moving dot.
 Comes into play when we feel uncertain because need to feel confident about perceptions, beliefs and feelings
 Rules in moments of doubt

Question 4

Normative influence

Answer 4

= process where people conform to positive expectations of others, to gain social approval or avoid social disapproval. E.g. ash’s line experiment where you have to decide which one is the longest but stick to the group – ash paradigm.
 When we believe the group has power to reward or punish (need to believe that group knows what we’re doing)
 When group is important to us
 When everybody else says the same
 When group consists of more than 3 people