Social influence

• What is social influence?

  • The process by which individuals and groups change each others attitudes and behaviour

  • for example conformity minority influence and obedience
• What is conformity ?

  Adjusting one's behavior or beliefs to match those of a group.
• What are the 3 different types of conformity?

  1. compliance
  2. identification
  3. Internalisation
• What is compliance ?

  • going along with the group to fit in with them, even if you disagree with them

  • The person conforms publicly but privately disagree
• What is identification ?

  • adopting an attitude or behaviour because you want to be associated with a particular person or group

  • often linked to social roles

  • The person shows public compliance and private acceptance of the views and behaviour of the group while with them but it is temporary and not maintained when we leave the group
• What is internalisation

  • going along with the group because you accept their ideas

  • The person shows public compliance AND private acceptance as the views and behaviours become part of the way they think

  • it Is the deepest form of Conformity and is permanent
• What are the two explanations for conformity ?

  1. Informational social influence
  2. Normative social influence
• what is the explanation for Conformity Informational social influence (ISI)?

  • we conform because we want to be right
  • we think that the group knows more than us especially if they are percieved to be an expert
  • we internalise their opinions as our own - we genuinely believe they are right and our own opinions become theirs
• What is the explanation for conformity normitive social influence (NSI)?

  • we conform because we want to be liked and want to fit in
  • we go along with the group publically even though we may not agree with them privately
  • this is really just following the crowd in order to fit in with thw 'norm' it is usually short term conformity and therefore linkes with compliance
• what is Jenness' aim ?

  To investigate whether indiuvidual judgement of jelly beans in a jar was influenced by discussion with another personin an ambiguous task
• what was Jenness' procedure?

  1. participantd made indiviudual private estimates of the number of beans in a jar
  2. They then discussed their estimates in a group
  3. Group estimates were then created
  4. participants were asked to make a private second estimate
• What was Jenness' findings?

  The participants' second estimates tended to converge their group estimate
• What was Jenness' conclusion?

  The results show that when in an ambiguous / unfamiliar situation it makes a person uncertain so we look to others for guidance.

  They want to do the right thing but may lack the appropriate information. observing others can provide this information. This is called informational social influence
• What was Jenness' Evaluation?

  Jenness' research is often regarded as ground breaking into informational social influence. It therefore lacks external validity as it is not an everyday event to be asked how many beans are in a jar and so doesnt reflect actual behaviour in real life situations
• What is a social role ?

  Social roles are the part people play as members of a social group . With each social role you adopt your behaviour changes to fit the expectations both you and others have of that role