Psychology Social Influence - KO Full

Social Influence

What is the process by which individuals and groups change each other's attitudes and behaviours?

Conformity

What term describes a change in a person's behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group.

Herbert Kelman (1958)

Who suggested that there were three types of conformity: internalisation, identification and compliance?

Internalisation

The type of conformity where we take on the majority view, accepting it as correct, both publicly and privately, causing a persistent and usually permanent change.

Identification

The type of conformity where we change our behaviour publicly to identify with and be part of a group

Compliance

The superficial form of conformity where we agree publicly but not privately because of real or imagined pressure from a group.

Informational social influence

An explanation for conformity that states we agree with the majority because we are in an ambiguous situation and therefore believe that they are correct.

Normative social influence

An explanation for conformity where we agree with the majority due to a wish for social approval.

Unanimity

What term describes the extent to which all members of a group agree?

Asch (1951, 1955)

Who investigated conformity in an unambiguous situation?

Group size, unanimity and task difficulty

Asch carried out some further studies, investigating the effect of which factors on conformity?

Social roles

What term describes the 'parts' people play as members of a social group?

The Stanford Prison Experiment

Zimbardo carried out what seminal study on conformity to social roles?

Obedience

What form of social influence involves an individual, usually an authority figure, following a direct order?

65%

In Milgram's (1963) study on obedience, what percentage of participants continued to the highest level of 450V?

Proximity, location and uniform

What three situational variables did Milgram investigate?

Agentic state

What term describes a mental state where we feel no personal responsibility for our behaviour because we are acting as an 'agent' for an authority figure?

Legitimacy of authority

What explanation for obedience suggests we are more likely to obey people we perceive to have authority over us?

Agentic shift

What term is used to describe the process of changing from an autonomous to an agentic state?

Binding factors

What term describes aspects of a situation that allow an individual to ignore or minimise the damaging effect of their behaviour?

Social identity theory

What theory suggests that behaviour is motivated by our social identity, made up of our personal identity and our social identity?

Dispositional explanations

What explanations for behaviour highlight the importance of an individual's personality?

Authoritarian personality

What type of personality is particularly susceptible to obeying people in authority?

Adorno et al (1950)

Who investigated the authoritarian personality?

Resistance to social influence

What term describes the ability of people to resist the social pressure to conform or obey authority?

Social support

What term describes the presence of people who resist the pressures to conform, thereby helping others to do the same?

Locus of control

What term refers to the sense we each have about what directs events in our lives?

Julian Rotter (1966)

Who developed the concept of a locus of control?

Minority influence

Name the type of social influence where a minority of people persuade others to adopt their beliefs, attitudes or behaviours.

Consistency, commitment and flexibility

What three factors are central in bringing about social change through minority influence?

Social change

Name the process by which whole societies adopt new attitudes, beliefs and ways of doing things.

Social cryptomnesia

What term describes the phenomenon whereby the minority influence that leads to the wide adoption of new attitudes is often forgotten?