Core 4
1. Social Influence & Social Perception
Social influence occurs when an individual's thoughts, feelings, or actions are affected or changed by other people or groups.
Conformity: Adjusting one’s beliefs, opinions, or behaviors to align with group standards or societal norms.
Normative Social Influence: Conforming because of a desire to fit in, be liked, or avoid social rejection.
Example: Selecting a specific style of dress or joining a popular extra-curricular club primarily because your peer circle prefers it.
Informational Social Influence: Conforming because you believe others possess accurate knowledge or expertise in an unfamiliar situation.
Example: A student entering a new chemistry lab observing how experienced lab partners set up safety equipment and following their exact steps.
Compliance: Changing one's behavior in response to a direct request or suggestion from another person, even if they do not hold positional authority.
Example: Agreeing to swap study shifts with a classmate when they politely ask for a favor.
Obedience: Following direct commands or orders issued by an explicit authority figure.
Example: Stopping an exam immediately and handing in the paper when the proctor calls time.
Social Perception & Attribution
Observing Cues: Gathering visible signals such as facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, or eye contact.
Interpreting Behavior: Attributing meaning to those cues.
Limitations: Impressions based on incomplete information or superficial cues can easily lead to incorrect assumptions or misunderstandings.
Example: Assuming a teammate who is quiet during a meeting is uncooperative, when in reality they are experiencing a severe migraine.
Attribution & Self-Serving Bias: Assigning causes to people's behaviors or outcomes. Flawed attribution (self-serving bias) occurs when individuals blame external factors for their failures while ignoring personal errors. A balanced view requires evaluating both personal responsibility and situational context.
2. Patterns of Social Interaction & Behavior
Social Behavior Pattern
Primary Goal / Characteristic
Related Practical Example
Cooperation
Individuals or groups combining efforts and skills to achieve a shared, common objective.
A graphic artist and a writer dividing a marketing campaign into design and copy, then assembling their work into a final portfolio.
Competition
Individuals or groups striving against one another to secure a reward or achieve higher performance.
Two debate partners practicing together to prepare for a tournament, yet competing individually for the "Best Speaker" award.
Accommodation
Adjusting one's preferences, position, or schedule to maintain harmony or resolve differences.
A team agreeing to alternate project meeting times between morning and evening so all members can attend despite conflicting schedules.
Conflict
Open disagreement, opposition, or antagonism between parties with opposing goals or views.
Team members arguing over budget allocation, criticizing each other's motives, and halting progress because neither side will yield.
📌 KEY POINTS
Constructive Conflict Resolution: Active listening, respectful discussion, and combining compatible parts of differing ideas into a shared solution.
Excessive Accommodation: Consistently yielding personal preferences solely to avoid arguments. While it maintains short-term peace, it can cause long-term frustration and burnout.
Synergy: Group success relies on complementary abilities (e.g., combining technical research skills with public speaking strengths).