Social influence terms

conformity

change in behavior or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or a group

Situational explanations for obedience

Agentic state, legitimacy of authority

majority influence

pressure exerted by the larger group on an individual to conform to their beliefs, behaviors

group size

the number of people in majority, with conformity increasing up to 3 confederates then leveling off

unanimity

the extent to which all group members agree, conformity highest when the majority is unanimous, dropping when a dissenter is present

task difficulty

how hard or ambiguous task is, conformity increasing when difficult due to uncertainty

Informational Social Influence

• explanation for conformity saying we agree with the opinion of majority because we believe it’s correct

• cognitive process

• comes from the need to be right in ambiguous situations

• leads to internalization

Normative social influence

• explanation for conformity saying we agree with the opinion of majority because we want social approval, fear rejection

• emotional process

• comes from the want to be liked in stressful situations when we need social support

• leads to compliance

compliance

• superficial, temporary

• type of conformity where we follow publicly but privately disagree

• lasts only in group’s presence

Internalisation

• genuine, permanent

• type of conformity where we truly genuinely accept group’s norms

• private and public change in behavior, thoughts

• persists even in group’s absence

nAffiliators

people with strong need for affiliation - relating to others - more likely to conform because greatly concerned with social approval

locus of control

personality dimension measuring whether people believe they have control over events in their lives - external/internal

neuroticism

personality trait characterized by anxiety, unstable mood, increases conformity

conscientiousness

personality trait characterized by being organized, responsible, increases conformity

dissenter

person breaking unanimity by giving another answer, reduces NSI by providing social support and ISI - alternative info

social support

presence of another person making it easier to resist conformity

majority influence

pressure exerted by a larger group on an individual to conform to their beliefs, behaviors

real pressure

pressure to conform where there are actual consequences for not conforming

imagined pressure

pressure to conform perceived by an individual even when there are no actual consequences for not conforming

two-process theory

• by Deutsch and Gerard 1955

• conformity based on 2 central human needs to be liked and correct

obedience

form of social influence where an individual follows a direct order issued by an authority figure holding the power to punish when obedient behavior is not forthcoming

social identity theory

• Tafel and Turner 1970

• person’s sense of self largely shaped by their group memberships

situational variables

• explanations for obedience

• features of immediate physical and social environment which may influence person’s behavior

dispositional variables

internal, relatively enduring personal characteristic influencing behavior across situations

location

• place where an order is issued

• relevant factor influencing obedience - status/prestige associated with it

proximity

physical closeness, distance from an authority figure to person being ordered (In Milgram also Teacher - Learner)

uniform

symbol of the legitimacy of the authority, outfit indicating they are entitled to expect obedience

agentic state

• mental state where we feel no personal responsibility for our behavior because we believe ourselves to be acting for an authority figure as their agent

• frees us from demands of consciences allowing to obey a destructive authority figure

legitimacy of authority

• explanation for obedience suggests we’re more likely to obey people perceived to have authority over us

• justified by individual’s position of power in social hierarchy

autonomous state

acting as a self-dire ed individual guided by personal conscience and accepting responsibility rather than obeying authority

agentic shift

transition from autonomous to agentic state where we stop acting on personal conscience and sees ourselves as carrying out authority’s orders with responsibility transferred upwards

social hierarchy

ranked system of authority and status enabling the agentic shift by legitimizing who has the right to command and who has to obey

binding factors

aspects of the situation allowing us to ignore, minimise the damaging effect of our behavior and reduce the feeling of moral strain