Topic 6 - Social influence

Question 1

Social influence

Answer 1

the effort by one or more people to induce change in one or more others. Involves the real or implied presence of other people.

Question 2

Descriptive social norms

Answer 2

specify what most people do in certain social situation

Question 3

Injunctive social norms

Answer 3

specify how people ought to behave in a certain social situation

Question 4

Most people don’t go along with all social norms all of the time – we pick and choose. Factors that increase conformity:

Answer 4

• How psychologically significant the group is to us (positive reference groups)
• How cohesive (level of solidarity) the group is (e.g. sporting clubs, fraternities)
• How large the group is (the larger it is, the more likely conformity will occur)
• Your position in the group (low status individuals have more pressure to conform)

Question 5

Some factors that can make you resist conformity

Answer 5

• When your sense of uniqueness is threatened

- When there is no clear way or correct rule of how to act from the group

Question 6

There are three proposed motives or theoretical explanations for conformity

Answer 6

1. Informational Social Influence - use people as source of evidence of reality
2. Normative social influence - use people’s expectations of us how we should act
3. Referent informational social influence - we use others who are in our social group as source of information

Question 7

Compliance: How we change our attitude or behavior due to coercion or group pressure.

Answer 7

1. Friendship/liking: integration, self promote, incidental similarity
2. Scarcity
3. Commitment / consistency: foot-in-the-door, low-ball
4. Reciprocity: door-in-the-face, reciprocity norm

Question 8

Factors that increases obedience:

Answer 8

• Authority figure will take sole responsibility
• Uniform to remind of social norm.
• Escalates the orders from mild to severe, especially in a fast moving and uncertain social environment.
• You strongly identify with the authority figure / cause.

Question 9

Agentic state

Answer 9

Frame of mind characterising by unquestioning obedience, where agents transfer personal responsibility to one giving orders.

Question 10

Milgram & Zimbardo on obeying authority

Answer 10

• Agentic state
• Obedience was highest when the person giving the orders was nearby (depersonalisation) and was perceived as an authority figure, especially if they were from a prestigious institution.
• More likely to comply if they don’t see anyone disobeying, role model of defiance.

Question 11

Haslam & Reicher on obeying authority

Answer 11

• Willingness to perform unpleasant tasks is contingent upon identification with the group goals
• making the goals virtuous rather than vicious

Question 12

Minority Influence:

Answer 12

Relies on creating conflict in social norms within group, as people dont like conflict.

Is often how social change occurs

Question 13

How can

minorities influence majorities:

Answer 13

• Consistent message across time and members.
• Message is distinct from the majority.
• Should avoid being too rigid/flexible.
• Must be seen as active on principle, not self-interest.
• The position they are arguing should be in line with the current social trend.

Question 14

Social loafing

Answer 14

the tendency for people in a group to exert less effort when pooling their efforts toward attaining a common goal than when individually accountable.

Question 15

Deindividuation

Answer 15

the loss of self-awareness and restraint that can occur in group situations. A reduced sense of self when in crowds

Question 16

Social facilitation

Answer 16

Improvement / deterioration in the performance of task, in the mere presence of others