Social Influence

1. Social Influence Doneisha Burke MSc.

2. What is Social Influence? Social influence A) defined as a change in behavior caused by real or imagined pressure from others. B) the process whereby words or actions of other people directly or indirectly influence our behavior

3. Power Power is the ability of a person to control or influence the choices of other persons. Social psychologists French and Raven, in a now-classic study (1959), developed a schema of five categories of power which reflected the different bases or resources that power holders rely upon.

4. 5 Types of Power Legitimate Power- comes from holding a formal position. Others comply because they accept the legitimacy of the power holders position. Reward Power- power achieved based on the ability to distribute rewards that others view as valuable. Coercive Power- power that is based on fear and avoidance of punishment. Expert Power- power based on a persons expertise, competence and information in a certain area. Referent Power- Influence based on possession by an individual of desirable resources or personal traits in order to be similar to or identify with the source. Informational Power-Influence based on the potential use of informational resources, including rational argument, persuasion and factual data.

5. Types of Social Influence Conformity Compliance Obedience

6. Conformity Conformity is a change in behavior or belief due to the real or imagined influence of others Here the element of pressure is most indirect. We will conform without any direct pressure simply because we imagine: a)��The possibility of pressure from others b)��The disapproval of others, even if unstated c)�� Our own discomfort with the imagined responses of others

7. Conformity Conformity is determined by two types of social influence/comformity Informational Social Influence Normative Social Influence

8. Conformity: Informational Social Influence (Sheriff Auto-kinetic effect) Informational social influence occurs when we conform because we see other people as a source of information and they must be right When Will People Conform to Informational Social Influence? 1.�When the Situation is Ambiguous - this is the most crucial variable in determining whether people use each other as a source of information; the more uncertain you are, the more you rely on others; N.B. people may collectively mislead each other in an ambiguous situation� 2.When the Situation is a Crisis - crisis situations leave us limited time to act, which make us scared and panicky; Looking to other people can help ease fears, but unfortunately they are not always right 3.�When Other People Are Experts - the more expertise or knowledge someone has, the more people will turn to them as a guide in an ambiguous situation; unfortunately experts are not always reliable sources of information

9. Conformity: Normative Social Influence Normative social influence occurs when one conforms to be liked or accepted by the members of the group. Humans are a social species and thus have a fundamental need for social companionship that forms the basis for normative social influence, conformity in order to be liked and accepted by others Normative conformity/social influence often results in public compliance without private acceptance��

10. When Will People Conform to Normative Social Influence ? Latane's (1981) Social Impact theory suggests that conforming to normative pressures depends on Strength: how important the influencing group of people are to you. Immediacy: how close the group are to you (in space and time) at the time of the influence attempt. Number: How many people there are in the group.

11. Conformity Factors affecting conformity 1.� expertise-the greater the perceived expertise, the greater the conformity 2.� we are made to feel incompetent or insecure 3.� importance/attraction of group membership 4. If your response is public 5.� size of group conformity increases with unanimous agreement of at least three people, but then levels off 6.� group unanimity (the deviate) 7.� others in group observe our behavior (group sanctions such teasing the non-conformist) 8.� cultural norms (e.g., respect for social standards) 

12. Classic Conformity Studies Solomon Asch (1951): The �classic� social influence study. (read upon your own) Muzafer Sherif(1936): Autokinetic Effect (read up on your own)

13. Compliance Compliance refers to any change in behavior that is due to a request or suggestion from another person

14. Techniques in Compliance THE FOOT-IN�THE-DOOR: the tendency for people who have first agreed to a small request to comply later with a larger request. It involves getting a person to agree to a large request by first setting them up by having that person agree to a modest request THE DOOR-IN-THE-FACE: The persuader approaches an individual with a request that is so demanding or outrageous that it would most likely be refused. Then, the persuader presents a smaller and more reasonable request which was the intended request. The individual accepts the second request because it seems smaller than the first.

15. Techniques in Compliance The Low Ball Technique the practice of adding a higher cost to a contract after a person has already agreed to it ( a lower price), or of understating the true cost involved in an act. E.g. A person agrees to buy a car at a low price. The sales person then apologizes that the wrong price was on the car. The person still agrees to buy it at the higher price. That�s not All Technique Compliance is increased by improving the deal (incrementally) e.g. I'm not going to give you this cookie cutter. No. That's not all I'm going to give you. For the same price, I'm going to throw in a fine steel spatula. A bargain I hear you say? But I'm going to make it even better, with this splendid temperature probe, absolutely free. Now, who wants this wonderful offer now?

16. Obedience This is a change in behavior that is the result of a direct order or command from another person. It is often understood that the decision not to obey can lead to punishment, imprisonment or even death.

17. Obedience Stanley Milgram - studied whether average individuals would obey an authority figure telling them to do something that harms another individual. (please read up on your own)

18. Attitudes Definition of attitudes Functions of attitudes Three primary approaches How attitudes are formed The link between attitude and behaviour

19. Attitude defined A favorable or unfavorable evaluative reaction toward something or someone, exhibited in ones beliefs, feelings, or intended behavior.

20. Important elements of attitudes Attitudes are formed and organized through experience. That is, we are not born with our attitudes we acquire them via the socialization process An attitude is not passive, but rather it exerts a dynamic or directive influence on behaviour. i.e.attitudes believed to directly influence behaviour

21. Tri-component (ABC) model of attitudes It argues that an attitude forms when 3 components become linked in an organized structure: Affective - feelings or emotions that something evokes. e.g. fear, sympathy, hate. E.g. I dislike welfare recipients�. Behavioral - tendency or disposition to act in certain ways toward something. Might want to keep welfare recipients out of our neighborhood. Emphasis is on the tendency to act, not the actual acting; what we intend and what we do may be quite different. E.g. �I donate clothes to homeless shelters� Cognitive- our thoughts, beliefs, and ideas about something. When a human being is the object of an attitude, the cognitive component is frequently a stereotype, e.g. "welfare recipients are lazy" But not all are necessary for attitude to exist Collective Example- prejudice is affective, Stereotyping is cognitive and discrimination is behavioural

22. Functions of Attitudes: Katz & Smith (1960): four psychological functions served by attitudes (a)�Utilitarian: helps persons achieve rewards and minimize penalties e.g. if unemployed we favor a political party that will increase social welfare benefits (b) Knowledge: helps persons structure/categorize the world so that it makes sense (c)�Ego defense: Some attitudes serve to protect us from acknowledging basic truths about ourselves or the harsh realities of life. They serve as defense mechanisms. E.g. if you have feelings of inferiority you develop an attitude of superiority (d)�Value-expression: helps person express important aspects of the self-concept e.g. you have an image of yourself as an ambitious young adult and you develop attitudes which you believe indicates such a core value N.B. Thus, when changing attitudes, need to determine the functions those attitudes serve for the individual

23. Attitude Formation Attitudes are formed on the basis of: Classical conditioning Operant conditioning Observational learning Heredity

24. Attitude Formation: Classical Conditioning Attitude formation occurs when the attitude object becomes associated with objects or experiences that are pleasant or unpleasant. E.g. When you were a child, parents may have cheered for The Chicago Bulls. You may not have even known who they were, but you liked your parents happy attitude. Now the Chicago Bulls team evokes that same response in you.

25. Attitude Formation: Operant Conditioning Behaviors or attitudes that are followed by positive consequences are reinforced and are more likely to be repeated than are behaviors and attitudes that are followed by negative consequences. E.g. If immediately after nursing her son Marie feels peaceful and happy, she will develop a positive attitude toward nursing

26. Attitude Formation: Observational Learning People acquire attitudes by observing and imitating the actions of others (models) We do not imitate all that we observe however as observations determine the responses we learn, but reinforcement determines the responses we express. 

27. Attitude Formation: Heredity Some scholars have argued that some of our attitudes are influenced by our make up Studies done with identical twins show that their attitudes correlate more highly than those of non-identical twins This is especially true when the twins have been separated early in life and share sharply contrasting households.

28. Attitude & Behaviour: Things to consider The stronger and more important the attitude, the more likely it will influence behaviour. Attitudes that are relatively stable and enduring are most likely to affect behaviour than those that are recent in origin Attitudes that are more accessible to memory influence behaviours more than those that are not. Hence the things that you remember more at the time determine your behaviour. People who are more privately self aware tend to behave in ways that reflect their personal standards and attitudes. People who are more publicly self aware tend to behave in ways that are socially acceptable even if they contradict their personal attitudes and standards