social influence

• group polarisation occurs when groups become more extreme in their views as a result of discussion
• the bystander effect is where people are less likely to intervene if there are more witnesses around
• social loafing is where people put less effort into group work than they would alone because they feel their contribution will be insignificant
• What does it mean if you conform?

  It means to agree publicly and align with the views and actions of those around you.
• What is conformity in the context of social influence?

  Conformity is a type of social influence where individuals align their behaviors and beliefs with those of a group.
• What is compliance in social influence?

  Compliance occurs when a person conforms to group norms but does not change their private beliefs.
• How does compliance manifest in social situations?

  Compliance is a superficial change of behavior that stops as soon as group pressure is removed.
• What is an example of compliance?

  Laughing at a joke because everyone else is laughing, even if you do not find it funny.
• What is identification in social influence?

  Identification occurs when a person conforms to group norms because they value something about that group.
• How does identification differ from compliance?

  Identification involves a change in behavior to achieve a goal related to the group, while compliance does not involve a change in private beliefs.
• What is internalization in social influence?


  Internalization occurs when a person genuinely accepts group norms, resulting in a permanent change in opinion and/or behavior.
• What is a key characteristic of internalization?

  Internalization leads to a change that persists even in the absence of group members.
• What are the two types of social influence identified by Deutsch and Gerard (1955)?

  Normative social influence and informational social influence.
• What are the four types of experiments in research methods?

  1. Laboratory experiments
  2. Field experiments
  3. Natural experiments
  4. Quasi-experiments
• How can you apply knowledge of social influence to a scenario?

  By identifying the type of social influence at play and explaining the reasons behind the behaviors observed.
• What is the significance of understanding different types of social influence?


  It helps in analyzing how and why individuals change their behavior in group settings.
• What is the agentic state in the context of obedience?

  An explanation of obedience where individuals act as an "agent" for an authority figure.
• How do individuals in an agentic state view their decisions?

  They no longer view their decisions as autonomous or take responsibility for their actions.
• What is compliance in social influence?

  A superficial change in behavior to match that of a group, existing only in the group's presence.
• What remains unchanged in compliance?

  The individual's internal beliefs remain unchanged.
• What is identification in social influence?

  A change in behavior and internal beliefs to match a specific group, but only in the group's presence.
• How does internalisation differ from compliance and identification?

  Internalisation involves a complete change in behavior and internal beliefs that persists outside the group's presence.
• What is informational social influence?


  Conformity due to the belief that someone has more knowledge and is therefore more likely to be right.
• What does legitimacy of authority explain in terms of obedience?

  It explains obedience as individuals obeying someone perceived to be in a higher position of authority.
• What is the locus of control?

  An explanation of resistance or conformity based on how individuals attribute events in their life.
• How do individuals with an internal locus of control explain events in their life?


  They attribute events to internal control.
• What is normative social influence?


  Conformity due to the belief that one will be ostracised or perceived negatively if they do not conform.
• How do normative and informational social influence differ?

  Normative social influence is based on the fear of negative evaluation, while informational social influence is based on the belief in others' knowledge.
• What is the definition of conformity?

  Conformity is defined as yielding to group pressures.
• How is conformity defined in terms of behavior or opinion change?


  It is a change in a person's behavior or opinion as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group.
• What distinguishes real pressure from imagined pressure in conformity?

  Real pressure involves consequences for not conforming, while imagined pressure has no consequences.
• What are the three types of conformity proposed by Kelman?

  1. Internalisation: Permanent change of beliefs and behaviors.
  2. Identification: Temporary change of behavior and beliefs in the presence of a group.
  3. Compliance: Superficial change in behavior without changing internal beliefs.
• What is internalisation in the context of conformity?

  Internalisation is making the beliefs, values, attitude, and behavior of the group your own, resulting in a permanent change.
• Can you give an example of internalisation?

  Being brought up in a religious household and becoming religious yourself is an example of internalisation.
• What is identification in the context of conformity?

  Identification is a temporary change of behavior and beliefs that occurs only in the presence of a group.
• Can you provide an example of identification?

  Acting more professional and less silly when arriving at the office is an example of identification.
• What is compliance in the context of conformity?

  Compliance is a superficial change in an individual's behavior to comply with that of a group, while their internal beliefs remain unchanged.
• What is informational social influence?

  Informational social influence occurs when an individual conforms due to the belief that someone holds more knowledge than themselves.
• What does legitimacy of authority refer to in the context of obedience?

  Legitimacy of authority is an explanation of obedience where an individual obeys someone in a perceived higher position of authority.
• What is the locus of control in relation to social influence?

  The locus of control is the idea of an individual explaining events in their life by attributing them to external or internal control.