Social Impact Theory Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts related to Social Impact Theory.

Social Impact

Changes that occur in a person (cognitive, behavioural and emotional) due to the presence or actions of others.

Source

The individuals who are doing the impacting in Social Impact Theory.

Target

The individual being impacted in Social Impact Theory.

Number (Social Impact Theory)

The more sources that are saying the same thing are more likely to influence the targets leading to them being more obedient, but if the source group is bigger than 3 each source has less impact.

Strength (Social Impact Theory)

If the source is a legitimate authority figure who has status and knowledge, they will have more influence over the targets being obedient.

Immediacy (Social Impact Theory)

Obedience is higher if the message is from a source who is a known figure or in close proximity to the target.

Multiplication Effect

Increasing the number, strength, and immediacy of the source increases social influence, making targets more obedient.

Law of Diminishing Returns

Each person added has less of an impact when a source group is bigger than 3.

Divisional Effect

Obedience levels will reduce if there are more targets than sources; social force gets spread out between all the people it is directed at.

Mathematical Formula for Social Impact

Magnitude of social impact (i) is dependent on the function (f), strength of the source (S), immediacy of the source (I) and the number of people affected (N). i = f(SIN)

Immediacy

How close in time and space the source is to the target.

Number

The amount of sources impacting the target(s)

Multiplication Effect

Increasing the amount, strength and immediacy of the source impacting the target.

Strength

The status and knowledge of the source.

Divisional Effect

Obedience levels will reduce if there are more targets than sources

SIN

Strength, Immediacy, Number

Target

The person being impacted in Social Impact Theory.

Source

The individual impacting the target in Social Impact Theory.

Law of Diminishing Returns

Each person added has less of an impact when a source group is bigger than 3.