Social Influence

Joshua M. Phelps

February 21st 2005

Explanation of Survey Study

• Attitudes toward Illegal Immigrants

Lecture Outline

• Intro to Social Influence

• Social Norms

• Conformity

• Obedience

• Minority Influence

Exam Questions

1. Drøft Asch sin studie av konformitet.

2. Hvordan kan en minoritet påvirke en majoritet?

3. Gjør rede for undersøkelser som kaster lys over ulike former for sosial påvirkning og de konsekvenser sosial påvirkning kan ha.

Social Influence

• Sosial Påvirkning

• Process whereby attitudes are influenced by the real or implied presence of other people (Hogg & Vaughan, 2005)

• Changes mainly in behavior resulting from interpersonal interaction (Fiske, 2004)

Social Norms

• Normer

• Generally accepted way of thinking, feeling, or behaving that is endorsed and expected because it is perceived as the right and proper thing to do (Turner, 1991 pg. 3).

Examples

• Greeting

• Standing in Line

• What happens when you violate a norm?– How do you feel?– How would others react?

Conformity

• Konformitet• Definition: Deep-seated private and enduring

change in behavior and attitudes due to group pressure (Hogg & Vaughan, 2005)

• The tendency to change our perceptions, opinions, or behaviours in ways that are consistent with group norms (Brehm et al. 2002, p. 222)

Sherif (1936)

• Autokinesis effect

• Two Conditions– Alone - Group– Group - Alone

• Conclusion

Asch (1951)

• Conformity to unanimous majority

• Unambiguous situation

Asch (1951)

Asch (1951)

• Results– Average conformity rate: 33%

• Public conformity to unanimously incorrect majority in unambiguous situation

Factors Influencing Conformity

• Situation– Group Size– Group Unanimity– Group Cohesiveness

• Individual Characteristics

• Culture

Why do people conform?

• Informational vs. Normative Influence– Validation of Reality (Informational)– Social Approval and Acceptance (Normative)

• Referent informational influence• Cialdini & Goldstein (2004) Motives

– Accuracy– Affiliation– Positive Self Concept

Conformity Example

• American Beauty Video

Obedience

• Lydighet

• Conformity to direct orders from a person of high status and authority (Worchel et al., 2000)

Milgram (1974)

• Obedience to Authority

Videos

• Milgram’s Study

• Danish Authority Experiment

Factors Influencing Obedience

• Commitment

• Proximity of Victim

• Proximity of Authority

• Legitimacy of Authority

• Group Pressure

Why do people obey authorities?

• Adaptive

• Motives (Fiske, 2004)– Controlling– Trusting– Understanding

Ethics and Milgram

• Participant Stress and Freedom

• Informed Consent– Rights to quit study at any time– Debriefing at end of study

Minority Influence

• Minoritet Påvirkning

• Social influence processes wherby numerical or power minorities change the attitudes of the majority (Hogg & Vaughan, 2005)

Minority Influence

• Criticism of Conformity Bias

• Moscovici– Blue/green slide study– Innovation

• Conversion effect

How can a Minority influence the Majority?

• Be Consistent– Be Active and Unwavering

• Invest in the Cause

• Act out of Principle

• Balance between rigidity and flexibility

• Become part of the ingroup

Consequences of Social Influence

Compliance

• Føyelighet– Superficial, public and transitory change in

behaviour and expressed attitudes in response to requests, coercion or group pressure.

Last Week’s Compliance Examples

• Republican National Convention

• Advertisements

Social Influence in Practice

• Violate a social norm

• Observe conformity to a group norm

• Watch an authority

• Influence the majority

Sources

• Hogg & Vaughan (2005). Social Psychology, 4th edition.

• Fiske (2004). Social Beings

• Cialdini & Goldstein (2004). Compliance and Conformity (Annual Review of Psychology)

• Turner (1991). Social Influence

Read on Own

• Power

• Types of Norms

• Variations on Conformity and Obedience Studies