Social Influence : Key Terms

Question 1

Conformity

Answer 1

Changing behaviour, thoughts and feelings in response to real or imagined group pressure

Question 2

Compliance

Answer 2

Public change in behaviour to conform with the majority group, but no change in private beliefs

Question 3

Identification

Answer 3

Temporarily taking on the behaviours and beliefs of the majority group – but only whilst in the presence of the group

Question 4

Internalisation

Answer 4

Permanent change in both public behaviour and private beliefs to conform to group norms

Question 5

Informative social influence

Answer 5

The result of a desire to be right – it looks to others for guidance

Question 6

Normative social influence

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Cognitive dissonance

Answer 7

An unpleasant feeling of anxiety created by simultaneously holding two contradictory ideas

Question 8

Majority influence

Answer 8

A form of social influence – conformity due to NSI or ISI

Question 9

Situational variables

Answer 9

Features of an environment that can affect the behaviour of participants

Question 10

Dispositional variables

Answer 10

Personal characteristics that can affect the behaviour of participants

Question 11

Social roles

Answer 11

The parts (roles) individuals play as members of a social group, which meet the expectations of that situation

Question 12

Deindividuation

Answer 12

A state in which individuals have lower self-awareness and a weaker sense of personal responsibility for their actions

Question 13

Dehumanisation

Answer 13

Degrading people by lessening of their human qualities

Question 14

Learned helplessness

Answer 14

A person has learned that personal behaviour has little effect on what happens so they give up responding

Question 15

Confederates

Answer 15

individuals who pretend to be participants or researchers, but who are actually acting a part

Question 16

Obedience

Answer 16

Complying with the demands of an authority figure

Question 17

Androcentrism

Answer 17

A bias towards over- emphasising the male perspective

Question 18

Explanations for obedience

Answer 18

Situational (environment) or dispositional (personality)

Question 19

Agentic state

Answer 19

The individual surrenders moral responsibility for their actions and sees themselves as an agent for carrying out another person’s wishes

Question 20

Autonomous state

Answer 20

Individuals feel personally responsible for their own actions

Question 21

Legitimacy of authority

Answer 21

The degree to which individuals are seen as justified in having power over others

Question 22

Dispositional explanation

Answer 22

The belief that behaviour is caused by internal characteristics of an individual

Question 23

Authoritarian personality

Answer 23

A person who holds rigid beliefs, including in absolute obedience, is submissive to authority and hostile towards minority groups

Question 24

Resistance to social influence

Answer 24

The ways in which an individual attempts to withstand perceived attempts to threaten their freedom of choice

Question 25

Social support

Answer 25

The perception that the individual has assistance and solidarity available from others and they are part of a supportive network

Question 26

Locus of control

Answer 26

The extent to which individuals believe that they are in control of their lives

Question 27

Social influence

Answer 27

The process by which individuals and groups change each others’ attitudes and behaviours. Includes conformity, obedience or minority influence

Question 28

Social change

Answer 28

Occurs when a society or group adopts a new belief or way of behaving which then becomes widely accepted as the norm

Question 29

Minority influence

Answer 29

A type of social influence that motivates individuals to reject the norms of the majority

Question 30

Commitment

Answer 30

A minority are willing to give up something or continue their message even when opposed

Question 31

Consistency

Answer 31

A minority repeatedly gives the same message

Question 32

Flexibility

Answer 32

A minority are willing to listen to other viewpoints and show some willingness to compromise

Question 33

Social crytoamnesia

Answer 33

People have a memory that there has been a social change but cannot remember how it happened

Question 34

Augmentation principle

Answer 34

The influence of a minority becomes more powerful (is augmented) because they take risks, are persecuted or suffer for their views

Question 35

Snowball effect

Answer 35

A minority view is increasingly accepted until it reaches the tipping point, where it is adopted by the majority

Question 36

Social norms intervention

Answer 36

Trying to correct a misperception and to cause social change