Social Influence: Groups & Norms Flashcards
What is meant by Social Norm?
generally accepted way of thinking, feeling, behaving in a social group
What is the difference between a descriptive and a injunctive/prescriptive social norm?
What are the functions of Social Norms?
- Regulate behavior, emotion, cognition in groups of individuals
- Define relationship between individual and their environment
- Provide shared reality (shared interpretations of situations)
- Provide social identity
What is meant by Conformity?
convergence of individual to group norm (thoughts, feelings, behaviors)
Between what types of conformity can you differentiate?
- private and
- public
What is meant by private conformity?
acceptance of group norm as own,
use as personal standard
* based on informational influence
What is meant by public conformity?
- open behavior conforms to norm without acceptance, result of group pressure (real or imagined)
- open behavior adaptation based on perceived consensus
- based on normative influence
Asch‘s paradigm
What influences conformity?
- Group size
- Salience of social group
- Visibilty of own response
- Independence of group responses
- Unanimity (Einstimmigkeit) of group responses
- Social support (ally)
- Culture … but don‘t simplify cultural differences (!)
Why do we bahave in a conform way?
- Mastery
- Connectedness
Why do we bahave in a conform way?
Explain Mastery
Why do we bahave in a conform way?
Explain Connectedness
Conformity: WHY?
Mastery is based on informational influence. But when do we take informational influence?
- Mostly with analytical, cognitive tasks/problems
- with verifiably correct solution
- (intellective tasks, focus on facts, information)
Conformity: WHY?
Connectedness is based on normative influence. But when do we take normative influence?
- Mostly with decisions in relation to norms/values
- without objectively verifiable correct solution
- (judgmental tasks, focus on values)
Invalid consensus can be equally influential. When for example?
-
When processed without consideration
apparent consensus might not exist (e.g., canned laughter in sitcoms) -
When formed without independence
ingroup ‘contamination’ or external rewards (e.g., consumer group evaluations) -
When ‘expressed’ without acceptance
public conformity indistinguishable from real consensus (e.g., pluralistic ignorance)
When ‘expressed’ without acceptance
Give an example for pluralistic ignorance
For what type of conformity is the “Foot in the door- technique (persuasion)” an example?
Public-without-Private Conformity
What is the foot in the door- technique (persuasion)?
When does the “Foot in the door- technique (persuasion)” works best?
What is the Low balling-technique?
Compliance more likely if costs are revealed only after securing initial agreement
What is meant by Social Commitment as a Norm?
Social Contracts: honor interpersonal commitments
* keep promises, fulfill obligations, stand by agreements, etc.
* allows intragroup-trust, long-lasting planning, effective group functioning
For what type of conformity is the “The-Door-in-the-face technique” an example?
Public-without-Private Conformity
What is For what type of conformity is the “The-Door-in-the-face technique”?
The-Door-in-the-face technique
Explain the study of Cialdini et al., 1975; Genschow et al., 2020
When does the The-Door-in-the-face technique works?
- Initial request large enough to be refused
- Target given a chance to compromise for refusal by complying with second request
- 2nd request related to first & from same person (appear as personal concession)
What norm is The-Door-in-the-face technique based on?
norm of reciprocity
What is meant by Social Reciprocity?
Return favors, goods, services – even when unsolicited (unaufgefordert)
Return favors, goods, services – even when unsolicited
Expalain the Exemplar Experiment (Regan, 1971):
In order to influence behavior, a norm needs to be?
- known (available)
- accessible
- activated
Norm Activation
What is the problem with Deliberate Reminders of norms?
- Priming effects may have paradoxical consequences
- Reactance: negative response to perceived limitation of individual freedom
- Norm adherence needs supervision & sanction
Subtle Reminders of norm violation
Explain the study of Keizer et al. (2008): Broken-Window-Theory in criminology
Reference Groups
Who do we (choose to) agree with?
Reference Groups
How does the reaction to persuasive appeals differ between ingroup and outgroup?
Group Dynamics
Groupthink (Janis, 1982): Cases of extremely poor decision making.
What is meant by that?
Name a few Causes of Groupthink
How to avoid Groupthink?
Why / How does a crowd turn into a mob?
Name the four ways of explaining this
- Personality theory
- De-individuation theory
- Emergent Norm theory
- Social Identity theory
Why / How does a crowd turn into a mob?
How does the Personality Theory explains that?
The individual in the crowd behaves just as he would behave alone only more so.
Why / How does a crowd turn into a mob?
Was sagt die De-individuation Theory darüber aus?
Main assumption: Norms preventing extreme behavior have reduced restraining effect on people who feel anonymous
Why / How does a crowd turn into a mob?
Descibe the Exemplar experiment from Johnson & Downing regarding the De-individuation Theory
Why / How does a crowd turn into a mob?
Explain the Emergent Norm theory
Main assumption: new norms emerge in crowds because no available norms for such unusual situations
Why / How does a crowd turn into a mob?
Explain the Social Identity Model of Crowd Action
Was ist das The Milgram Experiment (1961)?
Was spielte eine wichtige Rolle für “Obedience” im Milgram Experiment?
- Varying Physical Distance between teacher & learner
- Presence & Behavior of Other Participants
- Authority of the Situation
What is Milgrams explanation to “Why do people obey?”?
How could you re-interpretate Milgrim’s results?
How could you re-evaluate Milgrim’s results?
How did Replicating the Milgram Study in 2006 (Burger, 2009) end up?
Replicating the Milgram Study in 2006 (Burger, 2009). How strong is the difference between Male and Female Learners?
Milgrims Experiment: (2014) meta-analytic re-analyses
What are the Influences on likelihood of continuing to 450V
Resisting Norms
How do people resist via “Systematic Processing”?
Resisting Norms
How do people create / forge alternative norm of resistance?
Conversion theory
How does a alternative consensus need to look like to have a big influence?
small but consistent & growing alternative
Conversion theory
What are the effects of offering a alternative consensus?
Conversion theory
When will Negotiating similarity & difference work best?
Conversion theory
What are the effects of negotiating similarity & difference?
Conversion theory
When is stimulating systematic information processing most successful?
Conversion theory
What are the effects of stimulating systematic information processing?
Attitude-Norm Collision – Who wins?
