Social Impact Theory Flashcards
Who proposed the Social Impact Theory?
Bibb Latané
What is Social Impact Theory?
A theory explaining social influence rather than specifically obedience.
What did Latané propose with social impact theory?
That we are greatly influenced by the actions of others.
Others have the ability to persuade us, inhibit us, threaten us and support us.
The results of other people’s actions change how we feel and act in response - hence it being called social impact.
In relation to Social Impact Theory, what is a target?
The people being impacted on
In relation to Social Impact Theory, what is a source?
The influencers
What 3 factors make up social forces?
Strength
Immediacy
Number
What does strength mean in relation to social forces of Social Impact Theory?
How important the source is to you
eg: the status (legitimate or referent), authority, age
What does immediacy mean in relation to social forces of Social Impact Theory?
How close the source is to the target
eg: proximity - over the phone or in person
What does number mean in relation to social forces of Social Impact Theory?
How many sources and target there are in the social situation
What is the multiplicative effect (Social Impact Theory)?
How increasing strength, immediacy or number of sources can significantly increase social impact
What is the divisional effect (Social Impact Theory)?
The power of the source diminishes when the number of targets increases
What is the Law of Diminishing Returns (Social Impact Theory)?
That social influence increases with a growing number of sources but at a decreasing rate.
Once the source group is bigger than 3, each additional source has less of an influence.
Name 2 strengths of Social Impact Theory
Berkowitz, Bickman and Milgram - 1 - 15 congregates looked up at the 6th floor of a building. Although increasing the number of confederates did increase the number of passers-by that joined, the number grew smaller relative to the size of the confederate group.
Sedikedes and Jackson - conducted a field experiment in which people at a zoo were asked to stop leaning on a handrail by a ‘zoo worker’. When they were in uniform they were obeyed more than when in normal clothes.
Name 2 weaknesses of Social Impact Theory
It doesn’t account for individual differences such as some people are more resistant to social influence than others.
The theory doesn’t explain why people are influenced by others, just under heat conditions it’s more likely. So it can be considered more of a description rather than an explanatory theory.
