Social influence key terms (paper 1)

Question 1

Conformity?

Answer 1

A change in a persons behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group.

Question 2

Group size?

Answer 2

• Asch increased the size of the group by adding more confederates.
  -By increasing group size conformity also increased.

Question 3

Unanimity?

Answer 3

-The extent to which all the members of a group agree.
- In aschs study the majority was unanimous when all the confederates selected the same size line.
- This produced a greater degree of conformity.

Question 4

Task difficulty?

Answer 4

• Aschs line-judging task is more difficult when it becomes harder to work out the answer.
• Conformity increases because naive participants assume the majority is most likely to be right.

Question 5

Internalisation?

Answer 5

• A deep type of conformity where we take on the majority view because we accept it as correct publicity and privately.
• Permanent /long term change in behaviour, even when the group is absent.

Question 6

Identification?

Answer 6

• A moderate type of conformity where we act the same way as the group because we value it and want to be apart of it.
• But we don’t necessarily agree with everything the group believes.

Question 7

Compliance?

Answer 7

• A temporary type of conformity where we outwardly go with the majority view, but we privately disagree.
• The change in behaviour only lasts while the group is present.

Question 8

Informational social influence?

Answer 8

• An explanation for conformity that says we agree with the opinion of majority because we believe it is correct.
• We accept it because we want it to be correct as well.

Question 9

Normative social influence?

Answer 9

An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion because we want to be approved and liked.

Question 10

Social roles?

Answer 10

• The ‘parts’ people play as members of various social groups.
• E.g. parent, child, student, passenger.
• These are accompanied by expectations we and others have of what is appropriate behaviour in each role.

Question 11

Obedience?

Answer 11

• A form of social influence in which an individual follows a direct order.
• The person usually issuing the order is normally a figure of authority, who has the power to punish.

Question 12

Situational variables?

Answer 12

Features of the immediate physical and social environment which may influence a persons behaviour (such as proximity, location and uniform).

Question 13

Proximity?

Answer 13

The physical closeness or distance of an authority figure to the person they are giving an order to.

Question 14

Location?

Answer 14

The place where an order is issued. The relevant factor that influences obedience is the status or prestige associated with the location.

Question 15

Uniform?

Answer 15

People in positions of authority often have a specific outfit that is symbolic of their authority.

Question 16

Agentic state?

Answer 16

• A mental state where we feel no personal responsibility for our behaviour because we believe ourselves to be acting for an authority figure.
• This frees us from the demands of our consciousness and allows us to obey even a destructive authority figure.

Question 17

Legitimacy of authority?

Answer 17

• An explanation for obedience which suggests that we are more likely to obey people who we perceive to have an authority over us.
• It’s justified by the individuals position of power within a social hierarchy.

Question 18

Dispositional explanation?

Answer 18

Any explanation of behaviour that highlights the importance of the individuals personality.

Question 19

Authoritarian personality?

Answer 19

• A type of personality that Adorno argued was especially susceptible to obeying people in authority.
• For example, people who are submissive to those of higher status.

Question 20

Resistance to social influence?

Answer 20

Refers to the ability of people who can withstand the social pressure to conform to the majority or to obey authority.

Question 21

Social support?

Answer 21

• The presence of people who resist pressures to conform or obey can help others to do the same.
• These people act as models.

Question 22

Locus of control?

Answer 22

• Refers to the sense we each have about what directs events in our lives.
• Internals believe they are mostly responsible about what happens to them.
• Externals believe it is mainly a matter of luck or other outside forces.

Question 23

Minority influence?

Answer 23

A form of social influence in which a minority of people persuades others to adopt their beliefs, attitudes of behaviours.

Question 24

Consistency?

Answer 24

• Minority influence is most effective if the minority keeps the same beliefs, both over time and between all the individuals that form the minority.
• Consistency is effective because it draws attention to minority view.

Question 25

Commitment?

Answer 25

Minority influence is more powerful if the minority demonstrates dedication to their position.

Question 26

Flexibility?

Answer 26

• Relentless consistency could be counter productive if it is seen by the majority as unbending and unreasonable.
• Therefore, minority influence is more effective if the minority show flexibility by accepting the possibility of compromise.

Question 27

Social influence?

Answer 27

The process by which individuals and groups change each other’s attitudes and behaviours. Includes conformity, obedience and minority influence.

Question 28

Social change?

Answer 28

This occurs when the whole societies. rather than just individuals, adopt new attitudes, beliefs and ways of doing things.