Social Influence

Social influence

Any effect that another person or group has on our own attitudes and behaviours (influences people into a certain direction) 

What are the two types of social influence

1. WHAT

2. WHAT

What are the two types of social influence

1. Conformity

2. Obedience

Conformity

Describes attitudes or behaviour change in response to an implied, rather than explicit, social norm.  (implicit norm) - copying behaviours and beliefs of others

Obedience

Attitude or behaviour change in response to a direct, or explicit order

Social norm

Attitudes and behaviours that are commonly held in a particular group and exert a powerful influence over the attitudes and behaviours of group members 

Who did an experiment on social norms

• Sherif - autokinetic effect

• Asch’s line test

Sherifs autokinetic effect experiment

light dot experiment: When put into groups people's judgements converged closer to the same point. The effects of social context on their judgment worked outside there awareness (denied that others opinions effect their choice) (visual perception effect) 

The effects of conformity can also be observed without the actual presence of WHAT

The effects of conformity can also be observed without the actual presence of OTHERS

The level of uncertainty in the task WHAT the rate at which WHAT on the social norm developed

The level of uncertainty in the task INCREASED the rate at which CONVERGE on the social norm developed

When uncertain, we use WHAT: look for other information in the WHAT to form an estimated response

When uncertain we use HEURISTICS: look for other information in the ENVIRONMENT to form an estimated response

Group norm

A set of beliefs about one’s own group, as opposed to another group 

WHAT or ‘WHAT’ attitudes can be different from WHAT ‘WHAT’ attitudes 

INDIVIDUAL or ‘PRIVATE’ attitudes can be different from SOCIAL NORMS ‘PUBLIC’ attitudes 

In sheriff's experiment, participants were WHAT and looked to others therefor the WHAT judgement and the WHAT judgements converged (they were the same) 

In sheriff's experiment, participants were UNCERTAIN and looked to others therefor the GROUP judgement and the INDIVIDUAL judgements converged (they were the same) 

In some cases people can go along with a social norm but hold a WHAT (group) opinion that does not match their WHAT opinion - when the context is not one which the perceiver feels WHAT about 

In some cases people can go along with a social norm but hold a PUBLIC (group) opinion that does not match their PRIVATE opinion - when the context is not one which the perceiver feels UNCERTAIN about 

Asch’s conformity experiment

• interested in: WHAT

• WHAT experiment - very obvious which WHAT was the correct one

Asch’s conformity experiment

• interested in: The effects of others on judgements when the task is easy and there is a mismatch between public and private attitudes

• LINE LENGTH experiment - very obvious which LINE was the correct one

Asch’s conformity experiment findings

• No other people present: only WHAT% of people made errors (task was easy)

• Participants conformed to the incorrect majority of confederates on WHAT% of trials 

• This increase in error rate could only be attributable to the WHAT of other people 

• WHAT% of participants conformed on at least one of the trials - establishing that even when the task is WHAT and people are WHAT about their private attitudes, they will still sometimes conform to the viewpoint of the majority

Asch’s conformity experiment findings

• No other people present: only 1% of people made errors (task was easy)

• Participants conformed to the incorrect majority of confederates on 37% of trials 

• This increase in error rate could only be attributable to the PRESENCE of other people 

• 76% of participants conformed on at least one of the trials - establishing that even when the task is EASY and people are CERTAIN about their private attitudes, they will still sometimes conform to the viewpoint of the majority

Deutsch and Gerard suggested two sources of social influence that could account for the convergence of group norm:

1. WHAT

2. WHAT

Deutsch and Gerard suggested two sources of social influence that could account for the convergence of group norm:

1. Informational influence

2. Normative influence

maximizing group WHAT and WHAT influence and maximizing WHAT and WHAT influence increased levels of conformity

maximizing group PRESSURE and NORMATIVE influence and maximizing UNCERTAINTY and INFORMATIONAL influence increased levels of conformity

Informational influence

Conformity to a group norm that occurs as a way of gaining information (ambiguous or uncertain situation where people try to gain information) 

Informational influence accounts for the conformity found in WHO’S experiment - seen as a WHAT that is useful in making judgments

Informational influence accounts for the conformity found in SHERIFS experiment - seen as a HEURISTIC that is useful in making judgments

Informational influence is a change in WHAT and WHAT attitude (WHAT)

Informational influence is a change in PUBLIC and PRIVATE attitude (CONVERSION)

Conversions (informational influence) occur when

1. WHAT

2. WHAT

3. WHAT

Conversions (informational influence) occur when

1. Uncertain of own opinion

2. Difficult task

3. Little information

Normative influence

Conformity due to the desire to gain acceptance and praise and avoid punishment and exclusion from others

Normative influence is used to explain WHOS experiment - participants knew they were WHAT and the majority were WHAT, but they still went along with the group to WHAT

Normative influence is used to explain ASCH’S experiment - participants knew they were RIGHT and the majority were WRONG, but they still went along with the group to FIT IN

Normative influence is a change in WHAT attitudes and no change in WHAT attitudes (WHAT)

Normative influence is a change in PUBLIC attitudes and no change in PRIVATE attitudes (COMPLIANCE)

Compliance (normative influence) occurs when

1. WHAT

2. WHAT

3. WHAT

Compliance (normative influence) occurs when

1. certain of own opinion

2. Easy task

3. Detailed information