Social Influence Key Words Flashcards
Conformity
A change in a person’s behaviour or opinion due to real or imagined pressure from a group or person.
Internalisation
Deep type of conformity we take on majority view because we accept it as correct. Leads to permanent change in behaviour even when group is absent.
Identification
Moderate type of conformity
Act in the same way as group because we value it and want to be part of it.
We don’t necessarily agree with everything majority believes
Compliance
Superficial, temporary type of conformity
Outwardly go along with majority view, privately disagree.
Change only lasts as long as group is monitoring us.
Informational social influence (ISI)
Conformity
Agree with opinion of majority because believe it is correct, we want to be correct
May lead to internalisation
Normative social influence (NSI)
Conformity
Agree with opinion of majority because want to be accepted, gain social approval, be liked.
May lead to compliance
Group size
Adding more confederates thus increasing size of majority
Conformity increased up to a point (3 majority)
Unanimity
Extent to which all members of group agree
Unanimous - all confederates said same line - greatest conformity
Task difficulty
Harder to work out correct answer - conformity increases
Pps assume majority more likely to be right
Social roles
Parts people play as members of social groups e.g parent, child, teacher, passenger.
Accompanied by expectations of what is appropriate behaviour in each role e.g caring, obedient
Obedience
Social influence
Individual follows a direct order usually from an authority figure who has the power to punish if not obedient
Situational variables
Milgram
Factors that influence level of obedience from pps.
Related to external circumstances rather than personality
Proximity, location, uniform
Proximity
Physical closeness or distance of authority figure to person they are giving the order to.
Location
Place where order is issued
Status or prestige associated with location
Uniform
Authority usually have uniform that is symbolic
Indicates who is entitled to expect obedience
Agentic state
Mental state
Feel no personal responsibility for behaviour, believe ourselves to be acting for authority, as agent
Frees us from demands of consciences, allows to obey even destructive authority
Legitimacy of authority
More likely to obey people who we perceive to have authority over us
Authority is justified by individual’s position of power within social hierarchy.
Dispositional explanation
Highlights importance of individuals personality
Contrast situational explanations
Authoritarian personality
Adorno
Especially susceptible to obeying people in authority
Submissive to those of higher status
Dismissive of inferiors
Resistance to social influence
Ability to withstand social pressures to conform to majority or obey to authority
Influenced by situational and dispositional factors
Social support
Presence of people who resist pressures to conform or obey, help others to do the same.
Act as models, show resistance is possible
Locus of control (LOC)
sense we have about what directs events in our lives
Internal locus of control
Believe they are responsible for what happens to them.
External locus of control
Believe it is mainly a matter of luck or outside forces that determines what happens to them.
Minority influence
Social influence
Minority of people persuade others to adopt their beliefs, attitudes, behaviours
Leads to internalisation, conversion
Consistency
Minority keeps same beliefs over time and between all individuals of minority group.
Draws attention to view - minority influence most effective
Commitment
Minority demonstrates dedication, makes personal sacrifices, not acting out of self-interest
Makes minority influence more powerful
Flexibility
Accepting possibility of compromise - minority influence more effective
Relentless consistency could be counter-productive if seen as unbending and unreasonable
Social influence
Individuals and groups change each other’s attitudes, behaviours.
Conformity, obedience, minority influence
Social change
Whole societies adopt new attitudes, beliefs, ways of doing things.
e.g accepting Earth orbits Sun, gay rights, environmental issues.
