Week 8

Question 1

Terror management theory predicts…

Answer 1

How we may respond when we are reminded of our own mortality

Question 2

What is a theory?

Answer 2

an organized set of principles that can be used to explain observed phenomena

Theory DOES NOT cause behaviour

Question 3

Social cues that something is funny when others are laughing is an example of…

Answer 3

informational social influence.

Question 4

What is conformity?

Answer 4

Changing our behaviour as a result of real or imagined influence of other people.

People conform for many different reasons. Not inherently good or bad- it can be either.

Question 5

What are social norms?

Answer 5

implicit or explicit rules of behaviours, values, and beliefs for group members

Question 6

Failure to comply to social norms can lead to…

Answer 6

ridicule, punishment or exclusion.

Question 7

What is normative social influence?

Answer 7

conforming in order to be liked and accepted by others.

Question 8

What does normative social influence often lead to?

Answer 8

A) Public compliance

NOT private acceptance.

Question 9

In relation to normative social influence, what is public compliance?

Answer 9

doing what others do or following other’s actions

Question 10

What is private acceptance?

Answer 10

a genuine belieg that the copied thoughts, beliefs or actions are correct.

Question 11

Ash line study: Conformity for social approval

Answer 11

7 confederates and 1 real participant seated around a table

asked the question: which comparison line matches the standard line?

Question 12

What did the Asch Line study show?

Answer 12

People knew their behaviour was incorrect but did so anyway.

–> public compliance but not private acceptance.

Question 13

How would results of the Asch line study be different if responses were private? (written instead of reported aloud)

Answer 13

People would show much less conformity.

Question 14

Whether people conform to social influence depends on:

Answer 14

Strength, immediacy, and number of people in a group

SOCIAL IMPACT THEORY.

Question 15

In relation to social impact theory, what is strength?

Answer 15

how important the group is to you can influence whether you conform to social influence.

Question 16

In relation to social impact theory, what is immediacy?

Answer 16

the proximity in time in space, can influence whether you conform to social influence.

Question 17

In relation to social impact theory, what is number of people?

Answer 17

The number of people (size of group) can influence whether you conform to social influence.

Question 18

What helps to resist conformity?

Answer 18

an Ally

Asch study: conformity dropped from 32 to 6% when one ally gave the correct answer.

Question 19

What is informational social influence?

Answer 19

When we follow other’s to gain information

• When we don’t know what’s going on, we turn to others for information and follow what they do.

the more important the outcome, the more we follow others.

Question 20

When will people conform to informational social influence?

Answer 20

• ambiguous situations, crisis situations, when an expert is present.

Question 21

What are the 2 types of norms?

Answer 21

Injunctive + Descriptive

Question 22

what are injunctive norms?

Answer 22

Rules about how people are SUPPOSED to behave. (ex. no littering)

Question 23

What are descriptive norms?

Answer 23

How people actually behave

Question 24

What happens when we ignore or resist social influence?

Answer 24

others try to bring us back in line and, if we still resist, we are rejected.

Fear of exclusion explains why we conform.

Question 25

What are strategies for overcoming normative social influence?

Answer 25

1. Be aware
2. Find an ally to resist with you
3. Cash in your idiosyncrasy credits

Question 26

What are idiosyncrasy credits?

Answer 26

Credits earned from conforming to group norms before, allows you to deviate on occasion.

Question 27

What is compliance?

Answer 27

when we change our behaviour in response to a direct request from another person

Question 28

What is the door-in-the-fact technique?

Answer 28

To get peopel to do something you want.. request something big (knowing they will refuse), and then present a small, reasonable request

Question 29

Why does the door-in-the-fact technique work?

Answer 29

norm of reciprocity

Question 30

What is the norm of reciprocity?

Answer 30

if I do something for you, then you are obligated to return the favor and do something for me.

Question 31

What are the downsides to the door-in-the-fae technique?

Answer 31

people are not likely to comply again

• Already fulfilled their part of the reciprocity norm
• no drive or reason to help in the future

Question 32

What is the foot-in-the-door technique?

Answer 32

presenting people with a small request at firt to which they will likely agree, then asking for a larger request hoping they will agree again

Question 33

Why does the foot-in-the-door technique work?

Answer 33

change in self-perception

“I’m the kind of person who really cares about safe driving. I’ve signed a petition, so what’s the harm in putting up a sign?”

Question 34

When prisoners’ rights are curtailed or ambiguous, expressions of pain may provide little protection from

Answer 34

inhumane treatment.