Social Influence Key Words Flashcards
(44 cards)
What is social influence?
The process by which individuals and groups change other’s attitudes and behaviours.
Includes conformity, obedience and minority influence.
What is conformity?
A change in a person’s behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group of people.
Yielding to group pressure - also known as majority influence.
What is internalisation in the context of conformity?
A deep type of conformity where we take on the majority view because we accept it as correct, leading to a permanent change in behaviour.
This change persists even when the group is absent.
What is identification in conformity?
A moderate type of conformity where we act in the same way with the group because we value it, but we do not necessarily agree with everything.
We want to be part of the group.
What is compliance in conformity?
A superficial and temporary type of conformity where we outwardly go along with the majority view but privately disagree.
The change lasts only as long as the group is monitoring us.
What is informational social influence (ISI)?
An explanation of conformity where we agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe it is correct and want to be correct as well.
This may lead to internalisation.
What is normative social influence (NSI)?
An explanation of conformity where we agree with the majority opinion to be accepted, gain social approval, and be liked.
This may lead to compliance.
What are confederates in social psychology?
A person one works with the psychologist - a fake participant.
What does unanimity refer to in the context of conformity?
The extent to which all members of the group agree.
In Asch’s studies, a unanimous majority produced the greatest degree of conformity.
How does group size affect conformity?
Conformity increases with group size, but only up to a point, leveling off when the majority is greater than three.
This was observed in Asch’s studies.
What effect does task difficulty have on conformity?
Conformity increases when the task is more difficult, as naïve participants assume the majority is more likely to be right.
This was demonstrated in Asch’s line-judging task.
List the three types of conformity.
- Internalisation
- Identification
- Compliance
List the two explanations for conformity.
- Informational social influence (ISI)
- Normative social influence (NSI)
What variables affect conformity according to Asch’s investigations?
- Group size
- Unanimity
- Task difficulty
What are social roles?
The ‘parts’ people play as members of various social groups.
Everyday examples include parent, child, teacher, etc. These roles come with expectations for appropriate behavior.
What is obedience?
A form of social influence in which an individual follows a direct order from an authority figure.
The authority figure often has the power to punish non-compliance.
What is social identity theory?
A person’s sense of who they are based on their group membership.
Who investigated conformity to social roles?
Zimbardo.
What are situational variables in the context of obedience?
Factors identified by Milgram that influence obedience related to external circumstances rather than personalities.
What does ‘proximity’ refer to in Milgram’s studies?
The physical closeness of the authority figure to the person receiving the order.
How does location affect obedience?
The status or prestige associated with the location where an order is issued influences obedience.
What is the significance of uniform in authority?
Specific outfits that symbolize authority, indicating who is entitled to expect obedience.
Define ‘agentic state.’
A mental state where we feel no personal responsibility for our behavior because we believe we are acting for an authority figure.
What is an ‘autonomous state’?
A mental state where we feel personal responsibility for our behavior.
