Social Influence

• Social Influence


  The process by which our thoughts, feelings and behaviours are influenced by other people.
• Conformity


  Giving in to real or imagined group pressure.
• Normative Social Influence


  This is following the crowd in order to fit in with the ‘norm’ and be liked by this group.
• Informational Social Influence


  This occurs when we look to the majority group for information as we are unsure about the way in which to behave.
• Demand Characteristics


  When participants pick up on cues within the experiment and modify their behaviour.
• Social Factors


  External events which may affect how a person will behave.
• Dispositional Factors


  Internal personal characteristics which may affect how a person will behave.
• Obedience


  Following the orders of someone else, who may be perceived as being in authority.
• Agency Theory


  The idea that a person will obey an authority figure when they believe that the authority figure will take responsibility for their actions.
• Authority


  When a person is perceived to have the right to give orders.
• Culture


  A group of people who share similar customs, beliefs and behaviour.
• Proximity


  How near or close something is to us.
• Authoritarian Personality


  An obedient personality type, characterised by a belief that authority figures should be obeyed.