Social Influence : Key Terms Flashcards
Conformity
Changing behaviour, thoughts and feelings in response to real or imagined group pressure
Compliance
Public change in behaviour to conform with the majority group, but no change in private beliefs
Identification
Temporarily taking on the behaviours and beliefs of the majority group – but only whilst in the presence of the group
Internalisation
Permanent change in both public behaviour and private beliefs to conform to group norms
Informative social influence
The result of a desire to be right – it looks to others for guidance
Normative social influence
An individual conforms to the expectations of the majority in order to gain approval and avoid social disapproval- the result of a need to be liked
Cognitive dissonance
An unpleasant feeling of anxiety created by simultaneously holding two contradictory ideas
Majority influence
A form of social influence – conformity due to NSI or ISI
Situational variables
Features of an environment that can affect the behaviour of participants
Dispositional variables
Personal characteristics that can affect the behaviour of participants
Social roles
The parts (roles) individuals play as members of a social group, which meet the expectations of that situation
Deindividuation
A state in which individuals have lower self-awareness and a weaker sense of personal responsibility for their actions
Dehumanisation
Degrading people by lessening of their human qualities
Learned helplessness
A person has learned that personal behaviour has little effect on what happens so they give up responding
Confederates
individuals who pretend to be participants or researchers, but who are actually acting a part
Obedience
Complying with the demands of an authority figure
Androcentrism
A bias towards over- emphasising the male perspective
Explanations for obedience
Situational (environment) or dispositional (personality)
Agentic state
The individual surrenders moral responsibility for their actions and sees themselves as an agent for carrying out another person’s wishes
Autonomous state
Individuals feel personally responsible for their own actions
Legitimacy of authority
The degree to which individuals are seen as justified in having power over others
Dispositional explanation
The belief that behaviour is caused by internal characteristics of an individual
Authoritarian personality
A person who holds rigid beliefs, including in absolute obedience, is submissive to authority and hostile towards minority groups
Resistance to social influence
The ways in which an individual attempts to withstand perceived attempts to threaten their freedom of choice
Social support
The perception that the individual has assistance and solidarity available from others and they are part of a supportive network
Locus of control
The extent to which individuals believe that they are in control of their lives
Social influence
The process by which individuals and groups change each others’ attitudes and behaviours. Includes conformity, obedience or minority influence
Social change
Occurs when a society or group adopts a new belief or way of behaving which then becomes widely accepted as the norm
Minority influence
A type of social influence that motivates individuals to reject the norms of the majority
Commitment
A minority are willing to give up something or continue their message even when opposed
Consistency
A minority repeatedly gives the same message
Flexibility
A minority are willing to listen to other viewpoints and show some willingness to compromise
Social crytoamnesia
People have a memory that there has been a social change but cannot remember how it happened
Augmentation principle
The influence of a minority becomes more powerful (is augmented) because they take risks, are persecuted or suffer for their views
Snowball effect
A minority view is increasingly accepted until it reaches the tipping point, where it is adopted by the majority
Social norms intervention
Trying to correct a misperception and to cause social change
