social impact theory Flashcards
(15 cards)
who made social impact theory
Latane
how does social impact theory help explain obedience
it shows that we are greatly influenced by other people, meaning obedience rates will be higher based on strength, immediacy and number
define what the source and target is
source= the influencer
target= who’s being influenced
what is strength in relation to SIT
strength of the source (age, status, authority)
the more important the source, the more influence they will have
what is immediacy in relation to SIT
how close the source is to the target (physically, psychologically and proximity)
what is number in relation to SIT
number of people in situation (targets and sources)
more people who are present, the more influence they will have
define the psychosocial law
first source of the influence has the most dramatic impact on people, but the following sources generate less and less social force
what is a supporting study for SIT
Berowitz, Bickman and Milgram
what did Berowitz, Bickman and Milgram find
1 confederate= 42% of passers by stopped and looked up (did what the confederate was doing)
15 confederates= 86% of passers by stopped and looked up
with each additional confederate, the percentage increase of people looking up at the building increased
define divisional effect
suggests an authority figure would have a diminished capacity to influence someone if they had an ally or group of allies
what supporting research can be used for strength in relation to SIT
Milgram
obedience was higher when experimenter wore a lab coat (65%) in comparison to experiment 13 where experiment wore normal clothes (20% obedience)
what supporting research can be used for immediacy in relation to SIT
Milgram
obedience was higher in og study where experimenter was in the same room as pps (65%) compared to experiment 7 where experimenter gave orders otp (22.5%)
what supporting research can be used for number in relation to SIT
Berowitz, Bickman and Milgram
what is contrasting research for SIT and explain it
agency theory shows that SIT cant fully explain obedience and so its reductionist
Milgram and Latane demonstrated the impact of strength, immediacy and number on human responses in social situations like obedience
what are the applications of SIT
can explain obedience in atrocities like the holocaust
Nazi soldiers (target) obeyed Hitler (source) because he was strong (uniformed, powerful, had authority) and had a high immediacy with the German people
meaning we can try to prevent this from happening again
