Social Impact

• what are the three components in social impact theory calculation?

  strength, immediacy, number
• what are the 2 types of people in this theory?

  a source or a target
• what is the idea of social psychology that relates to social impact theory

  that we are greatly influenced by the actions of others

  and their behaviour can affect how we feel
• what factors help an authority figure have more obedience from others?

  the high status they have, age, how many authority figures
• what is division of impact?

  when the number of targets to be influenced affects the impacts of the source
• how does the division of impact work?


  one source has less impact on numerous targets
• what is the multiplication effect on the target?

  where the number of sources more than target creates a greater influence over the target - but only till a certain point (psychosocial law)
• what factors would make a sources less authoriative?

  1. not being close to the source
  2. there are lots of targets
  3. there is only 1 source of authority
  4. authority figures has low status/authority
• what are the evidence to this theory?

  1. Yale Vs run down office building scenario - status
  2. telephonic instructions - immediacy of source to target
  3. two people rebelling against experimenter - number of sources
• where can this theory be applied?

  in understanding to why people obey instructions with status and in general
• how can this be useful for the application?

  better status more likely people will obey and so if child naughty then teacher could get head teacher to come and deal with them
• what is the strength of this theory?

  allows us to objectively measure and quantify factors which are important to obedience
• what is another strength of this theory? (predictions)

  we can manipulate variables and predict what the effects on obedience levels
• what is a shortcoming on the theory?

  individual differences aren't taken into account - not explained why some people have more resistant to obey then others
• what are the alternative theories?

  1. social impact theory is better explaining obedience when there is no moral strain involved
  2. instructions that involve going against conscience are better explained by agency theory

  so it depends on the situation to determine the better theory to the applied
• what is the conclusion with the evidence for social impact theory?

  even though Milgram's study lacks ecological validity and internal validity there are other experiments that support Milgram's findings