UNIT 2: Social Influence Flashcards
Define Conformity
A change in behaviour or opinion due to the influence of the majority
4 Types of Social Influence
Conformity
Obedience
Minority Influence
Independent Behaviour
Define Obedience
An individual that does what an authority figure tells her/him to do
Define Minority Influence
When the minority persuades an individual to go along with the minority instead of the majority
Define Independent Behaviour
When an individual resists the pressure to conform or to obey
2 types of research
Studies
Theories
What is a study
A study is Finding out by doing something ( set up experiments)
An example of a study
A psychologist sets up an experiment to test whether people are more likely to hand over room keys to someone dressed in a uniform than to someone dressed in a suit
What is a theory
A theory is Putting forward an idea or explanation for something
Example of a theory
a psychologist proposes that a uniform give an impression of authority explaining why room keys are more readily handed over
2 types of conformity
internalisation and compliance
What is a reference group
the group to which you belong to and consider yourself a member of
e.g. a college class, sports club or friendship group
What are social norms
rules regarding the appropriate behaviour for that particular group/situation
Define implicit social norms
Unspoken but well understood and assumed norms
e.g. standing too close to strangers
2 types of social norms
implicit and explicit
Define explicit social norms
A clear and spoken instruction of we should behave
e.g. stand on the right on the London underground escalators
-Going along with the group publicly even if we do not really agree with what they are doing- compliance or internalisation?
Compliance
-Going along with the group because we accept their beliefs and attitudes and they become part of our way of viewing the world- Internalisation or compliance?
Internalisation
Define Internalisation
Internalisation is where the behaviour or belief of the majority is accepted by the individual and becomes part of his or her own belief system
Is internalisation deep or low level of conformity
deepest, most permanent as the behaviour will continue even if the original majority group is not present
Is compliance deep or low level of conformity
Most superficial, shallowest level of conformity
What is normative social influence
Based on our desire to be liked and approved of and accepted. Publicly agreeing with the majority but privately maintaining our own views
Is compliance an example of Normative social influence or Informational social influence?
Normative
NSI stands for
Normative Social Influence
Informational social influence is
based on our desired to be right.
When faced with a new situation we look to others who we believe are correct about how to behaviour, especially when it is an ambiguous situation.
Is internalisation an example of Normative social influence or Informational social influence?
Informational social influence
What type of conformity results from informational social influence?
Internalisation
What type of conformity results from Normative social influence?
Compliance
What does ISI stand for
Informational social influence
Normative social influence leads to
Public conformity
Public conformity leads
Compliance
Compliance is a result of
Public conformity
Public conformity is a result of
Normative social influence
Informational Social influence leads to
Private conformity
Private conformity leads to
Internalisation
Internalisation is a result of
Private conformity
Private conformity is a result of
Informational social influence
What is the auto kinetic effect
When a person is put in a pitch black room and experiences an optical illusion of seeing a moving point of light when it is actually stationary
What did Sherif do?
Auto kinetic effect
Sherif’s 1st experiment
Asked each participant to estimate how far the light had moved
Variety of results but all relative
Estimates were put into groups of 3 and said out loud emerged into a group norm
Sherif’s Second experiment
Sherif put them into groups first and asked each participant for there first estimate
Group norm emerged
When participants were asked again individually they continued to give estimates decided by the group earlier
What type of conformity occurred in Sherif’ study
Internalisation because the participants obtained the same estimate after leaving the group because they believed it was right
What type of social influence occurred in Sherif’s study
Informational social influence?
Define Ecological validity
Whether the results are the same if they’re done in a lab (artificially) or in real life (everyday task)
What is Asch’s experiment
One reference line and 3 other lines on a card, 2 of which are different lengths to the reference line and 1 matches, labelled A B C. Participants had to match the line that was the same length as the reference line. Asch used 1 naive participant surrounded by confederates to see if the participant would conform and call out the wrong answers like the confederates over the a number of trials.
When was Asch’s experiment?
1951
When was Sherif’s study
1935
What did Asch investigate
Investigated conformity to majority social influence in an unambiguous situation
Overall conformity rate in Asch’s experiment
32%
Why did Asch’s experiment lack ecological validity
It was done in a lab environment under controlled conditions. Not an everyday task to measure lines, highly artificial.
4 explanations for obedience to authority
Agent of state
Gradual commitment
Buffers
Legitimate authority
