Social Impact theory

• What is social impact theory?

  the idea that conforming to social influence depends on the group's importance, immediacy, and the number of people in the group
• What is the aim of social impact theory?

  > produce a theory that would explain studies from the 60s to the 70s, how people conform to the group they are in, follow leaders and imitate each other
• What is the equation that helps to predict the social impact on the target?

  I=f(SIN)
• What does the strength mean?

  > how much influence or power the target perceives the source to have

  > determined by age, status, ability or relationship

  > STRONGER THE SOURCE THE GREATER THE INFLUENCE
• What does the immediacy mean?

  > factors such as proximity or closeness

  > physical - distance between source and target

  > temporal - influenced immediately after the source has asked them to do something

  > social - close friend or family member
• What does the number mean?

  > number of sources exerting social influence

  > GREATER THE NUMBER OF SOURCES THE MORE LIKELY THE TARGET IS TO BE OBEDIENT
• What does the division of impact mean?

  Social impact is reduced if there are more targets than sources
• What is the diffusion of responsibility?

  People feel less responsible for their behaviour as the number of people increases
• What is the 'Bystander effect'?

  (Barley & Latané - 1 other participant present = 85% of help

  4+ participant present = 31% of help)

  MORE PEOPLE PRESENT THE LESS THEY FELT A RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP.
• What is 'diminishing returns'?

  First source of influence has the biggest impact, two sources doesn't mean double the impact