Download Introduction to Social Influence

Introduction to
Social Influence
Suddenly, Professor
Jones realises he
has come to the
conference
without his duck…
“Wait, wait! Listen
to me!...We don’t
have to be just
sheep!”
What’s the
difference between
conformity and
obedience?
When do you
conform?
Why do you
conform?
When do you
obey?
Why do you
obey?
Sit down…stand up
game
If you have a piercing.
If you still tell your mum/dad you
love them.
If you have ever lied to a
friend.
If you have ever farted in
public.
If you have ever eaten a
bogie.
If you did not brush your
teeth this morning.
If you have ever skived a
lesson.
If you have ever cheated in a
test.
If you have a tattoo.
If you have ever kicked a
dog/cat.
If you have ever stolen from a
shop.
• How many of you lied?
• Why might someone lie in a
situation like this?
• Were you influenced by the
others?
• Why?
Conformity
Conformity is a type of social
influence involving a change in
belief or behaviour in order to fit
in with a group.
This change in belief or
behaviour is in response to:
Group influences an individual
• Pressure can be real/actual:
–Your friends begin dieting and
suggest that you should also diet
Group influences an individual
• Pressure can be imagined:
– Your friends begin a diet and you
feel that you should also diet,
although they have not indicated
this
Group influences an individual
• Pressure can be implied:
– Your friends start dieting and hint
that you should also diet
Conformity can also be simply
defined as:
“yielding to group pressures”
(Crutchfield, 1955).
Types of Conformity ~
1. Compliance ~ Going along with
group even though you disagree with them
• An outward change in behaviour and
expressed attitudes, often as a
consequence of persuasion or
coercion.
• Compliance does not reflect internal
change, it usually persists only while
behaviour is under surveillance.
• We do it just to appear ‘normal’,
a desire to ‘fit in’ or be liked.
• This is called the ‘normative
influence’ ~ desire to fit in.
• As going against the ‘majority’
might lead to exclusion or
rejection from the group.
Types of Conformity ~
2. Internalisation ~ Accepting
majority’s views as your own
• Due to a desire to be correct, you
follow along with the majority and
believe in their views ~ accept and
internalise them, so they become
your own.
• Occurs when a person lacks
knowledge and looks to the group for
guidance.
• Or when a person is in an
ambiguous (i.e. unclear) situation
and socially compares their
behaviour with the group.
• This is called ‘informational
influence’ ~ desire to be correct.
Types of Conformity ~
3. Identification
• Individuals conform to the
expectations of a social role, e.g.
nurse, police etc. It is similar to
compliance as there does not
have to be a change in private
opinion.
What is Conformity?
• In what way are the people on the
next slide conforming?
• How have you conformed today?
Conformity in Action
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjP22D
pYYh8
More Conformity
• http://www.simplypsychology.org/conformit
y.html
Key Studies ~ Conformity
•
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•
•
•
•
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Asch (1951)
Sherif (1935)
Jenness (1932)
Zimbardo et al (1973)
Larsen (1974)
Perrin and Spencer (1980)
Smith and Bond (1993, 1998)
Asch (1951)
Asch (1951)
Asch’s Study
• AS_AQA_social_aschvideo.wmv