How does social influence work? - Chapter 7

What is this chapter about?

This chapter is about the different ways in which social influence can affect people's beliefs, attitudes, and behaviours. It is a crucial chapter in understanding the dynamics of social interactions and the power that others can have over us. Social influence can be good, but it can also be dangerous, so it is an important topic for social psychology.

The chapter begins by introducing the concept of social influence and discussing its importance in social psychology. It then goes on to describe three main types of social influence: conformity, compliance, and obedience. Then it explains the different factors that can influence whether people conform to the opinions or behaviours of others, including the size and unanimity of the group, the nature of the task or decision, and individual differences in personality and culture. It also discusses the strategies that people use to get others to comply with their requests, including foot-in-the-door, door-in-the-face, and lowball techniques.

This chapter also explores the factors that can lead people to obey authority figures, even when doing so goes against their personal beliefs or moral principles. This section includes a discussion of the famous Milgram obedience studies and their implications. And it explores the factors that influence conformity, going against your own beliefs or principles for the bigger group. In this section, the studies by Asch are discussed. The chapter also discusses minority influence, which can be seen as the opposite of conformity because this is about the smaller group influencing the beliefs of the bigger group.

What types of social influence are there?

Social influence is a important concept in social psychology that refers to how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviour are affected by the presence or perception of others. It can be real or imagined. For example, a person may be influenced by the presence of others in a group or the mere belief that others are watching or evaluating their behaviour.

There are three main types of social influence:

• Conformity occurs when people adjust their thoughts, feelings, or behaviour to align with the norms of a group. This can happen even when the norms go against an individual's personal beliefs or values.

• Compliance involves changing one's behaviour in response to a direct request from someone else. The request may come from a person in a position of authority or a peer. Compliance can be based on social norms, expectations, or reciprocity.

• Obedience involves changing one's behaviour in response to a direct order from an authority figure. Obedience can be influenced by factors such as the legitimacy and proximity of the authority figure, the presence of others who are also obeying, and the personal characteristics of the person being asked to obey.

How does obedience to authority work?

Obedience is a type of social influence where individuals follow the orders or directives of an authority figure, even if they may disagree with them or if these orders go against their personal beliefs or values. This type of influence is often seen in hierarchical structures, such as in military or business organizations.

In the 1960s, researcher Stanley Milgram conducted a study to see how far people would go in obeying an authority figure. In the study, participants were asked to give electric shocks to another person (who was actually an actor) whenever that person gave the wrong answer to a question. The shocks were made to increase in intensity with each wrong answer and were labeled as being potentially fatal. Even though the person receiving the shocks cried out in pain and begged them to stop, many of the participants continued to give the shocks when instructed to do so by the researcher. This study showed that people are often willing to do harmful things to others if they are told to do so by someone in authority. This makes it clear why there are such ethical concerns with authorities with the power to influence others; they might influence others to do things they would not have done otherwise and they may even harm others. In a lot of situations, the person who gets the blame is the person who did harm, but this person might have been influenced by an authority that perhaps should deserve this blame more.

Factors that can influence how much obedience there is are the legitimacy and proximity of the authority figure, and the presence of others who are also obeying. If the authority figure is seen as legitimate or knowledgeable, individuals may be more likely to obey their orders. Additionally, individuals may be more likely to obey if they perceive that others around them are also following the same directives. Personal characteristics of the individual, such as their level of empathy or level of identification with the authority figure, can also play a role in obedience.

How does conformity work?

Conformity is the proces in which people change their thoughts, feelings or actions to match what the group around them is doing. This can happen even if the individual doesn't agree with the group's actions or ideas.

Solomon Asch's conformity studies in the 1950s demonstrated this phenomenon. Asch’s studies have, just like Milgram’s, become classic studies for understanding social influence. In these studies, participants were asked to match the length of lines on a card. The correct answer was obvious, but when the other people in the group purposely gave the wrong answer, many participants also gave the wrong answer. This was because they wanted to fit in with the group and not stand out or be seen as different.

Factors that can influence conformity:

• The size of the group; larger groups may have more influence.

• The unanimity of the group; if everyone in the group agrees, it may be harder for an individual to go against them.

• The public or private nature of the response; conformity may be higher when the response is public and others can see it.

• The desire to be accepted; an individual's desire to be accepted by the group may also lead to increased conformity.

What is the role of minority influence on social change?

Minority influence refers to the ability of a minority group to influence the beliefs and behaviours of the majority group. It is important to note that minority influence can occur even if the minority group has less power or social status than the majority group.

There are several ways in which minority influence can occur. One way is through the consistent expression of a different viewpoint. When a minority group consistently expresses their viewpoint, it can cause the majority group to reevaluate their own beliefs and potentially shift their perspective.

Another way that minority influence can occur is through the use of persuasive arguments. If the minority group can provide compelling and logical arguments that support their viewpoint, it can cause the majority group to reconsider their own beliefs.

The presence of a charismatic or likable leader can also contribute to minority influence. A charismatic leader can inspire and motivate members of the minority group, and can also help to garner support from members of the majority group.

If the minority group is seen as credible and trustworthy, and the majority group is open to change, then minority influence can lead to social change. Additionally, if the minority group has access to channels of communication and power, such as the media or political institutions, they may be able to use these channels to promote their viewpoint and effect change.

Minority influence is an important concept in understanding how social change can occur. Even a small group with a different viewpoint can have a significant impact on the beliefs and behaviours of a larger group, under the right conditions.