Psych 221 Chapter 6 Vocabulary

Social influence

Social influence

A change in overt behavior caused by real or imagined pressure from others

Conformity

Behavior change designed to match the actions of others

Compliance

Behavior change that occurs as a result of a direct request

Obedience

Compliance that occurs in response to a directive from an authority figure

Foot-in-the-door technique

A technique that increases compliance with a large request by first getting compliance with smaller, related request

Participant observation

A research approach in which the researcher infiltrates the setting to be studied and observes its workings from within

Reciprocation

People are more willing to comply with requests (for favors, information, concessions) from other people who previously did them a good turn

Commitment/consistency

People are more willing to be moved in a particular direction if they see it as consistent with an existing commitment

Authority

People are more willing to follow the recommendations of someone they view as an authority

Social validation

People are more willing to take a recommended step if they see evidence that many others, especially similar others, are taking it

Scarcity

People find objects and opportunities more attractive to the degree that they are scarce, rare, or dwindling in availability

Liking/Friendship

People prefer to say yes to those they know and like

Expert power

The capacity to influence other people as a function of a person’s presumed wisdom or knowledge

Social validation (definition)

An interpersonal way to locate and validate the correct choice

Norm of reciprocity

The norm that requires that we repay others with the form of behavior they have given us

Door-in-the-face technique

A technique that increases compliance by beginning with a large favor likely to be rejected and then retreating to a more moderate favor

That’s-not-all technique

A technique that increases compliance by “sweetening” an offer with additional benefits

Market-based approach

Offering assistance on the basis of the norm for a reciprocal exchange of favors between two individuals

Family-based approach

Offering assistance on the basis of ingroup/outgroup norms that encourage loyalty only to those within one’s small group

Friendship-based approach

Offering assistance on the basis of friendship norms that encourage loyalty to one’s friends, regardless of the friend’s position or status

System-based approach

Offering assistance on the basis of the existing norms and rules of the organization

Disrupt-then-reframe technique

A tactic that operates to increase compliance by disrupting one’s initial, resistance-laden view of a request and quickly reframing the request in more favorable terms

Reactance theory

Brehm’s theory that we react against threats to our freedoms by asserting those freedoms, often by doing the opposite of what we are being pressured to do

Personal commitment

Anything that connects an individual’s identity more closely to a position or course of action

Low-ball technique

Gaining a commitment to an arrangement and then raising the cost of carrying out the arrangement

Bait-and-switch technique

Gaining a commitment to an arrangement, then making the arrangement unavailable or unappealing and offering a more costly arrangement

Labeling technique

Assigning a label to an individual and then requesting a favor that is consistent with the label