Social influence, conformity and persuasion

Question 1

define social influence

Answer 1

how others affect our beliefs, attitudes, values or behaviour

Question 2

Social learning

Answer 2

capacity to learn from observing others e.g. mirror neurons

Question 3

what is the basis of social learning theory

Answer 3

observational learning

Question 4

explain social learning theory

Answer 4

We are encouraged or discouraged to engage in new behaviours after viewing someone else engaging in these behaviours

Question 5

what is the chameleon effect

Answer 5

• Tendency to mimic non-verbal behaviours of someone else
• Shift attitudes towards what we presume another person’s opinions might be if we like them

Question 6

what are the downsides of social learning in the media example

Answer 6

• Media portrayals of celebrity suicides are associated with increases in suicides and car accidents among the general public

Question 7

what is social priming

Answer 7

priming ideas, norms and values

Question 8

Define injunctive norms

Answer 8

what behaviours are generally appropriate in one’s culture

Question 9

define descriptive norms

Answer 9

a belief about what people typically do

Question 10

define social contagion and example

Answer 10

The phenomenon whereby ideas, feelings, and behaviours seem to spread across people like wildfire e.g. yawns

Question 11

define obedience

Answer 11

Actions to fulfil the direct order or command of another person - Pressure to obey is direct and explicit

Question 12

What are the findings of Milgram’s obedience study

Answer 12

• 65% fully obeyed, delivering the highest voltage.
  Not a single participant refused to continue until the shock level reached 315 volts.

Question 13

Variations on Milgram’s obedience study

Answer 13

• Separation from “learner” increases obedience
• Removing experimenter from room reduces obedience
  -Legitimacy of authority of experimenter increases obedience

Question 14

Evidence of obedience consistency

Answer 14

• Women and men show same obedience
  Different cultures seem to have similar obedience

Question 15

Reasons we obey

Answer 15

• Innate predisposition to obey authority
• Socialised to obey - gradual build in obedience levels
  -Difficult to defy legitimate authority

Question 16

Define persuasion

Answer 16

Intentional efforts to change other’s people’s attitudes to change their behaviour

Question 17

Central routes of persuasion

Answer 17

Direct, logic and evidence based
Depends on strength of argument

Question 18

Peripheral routes of persuasion

Answer 18

Indirect, emotional based
Use of irrelevant, peripheral cues

Question 19

describe attitudes formed through the central route

Answer 19

• Stronger and more likely to affect behaviour
• More durable, long lasting
• Resistant to contrary information

Question 20

what is the sleeper effect

Answer 20

• We remember a message but forget where it came from
  -Source credibility has a diminishing effect on attitudes over time

Question 21

what is the foot in the door effect

Answer 21

People are more likely to comply with a moderate request after having initially complied with a smaller request

Question 22

what is the door in the face effect

Answer 22

We are more likely to comply with a moderate request after first presented with and refused to agree to larger request

Question 23

what is the norm for social commitment

Answer 23

Once people make a public agreement, they tend to stick to it, even if circumstances change

Question 24

lowballing

Answer 24

After agreeing to an offer, people find it hard to break that commitment, even if extra cost is later added to the deal