Chapter 7: Social Influence
Social influence = process whereby attitudes and behavior are influenced by the real or
implied presence of other people.
2 aspects:
1. effect of presence of others (leaders/groups)
2. social pressure and norms
Norms = attitudinal and behavioral uniformities (regularities) that define group membership
and differentiate between groups.
Compliance = the change of public behaviors or utterances
→ based on power: control of others’ behavior through domination
- Public compliance = an outward change in behavior and expressed attitudes in
response to a request from another person, or as a consequence of persuasion or
coercion.
Conformity = behavior in accordance with socially accepted conventions; deep-seated,
private and enduring change in behavior and attitudes due to group pressure.
→ based on subjective validity of social norms (a feeling of confidence and certainty that the
beliefs and actions described by the norm are correct, appropriate, valid and socially
desirable)
2 functions of conformity
1. informational influence
→ caused by wish to form accurate judgment
2. normative influence
→ caused by need for approval and inclusion, makes people susceptible to social
pressure
Subjective acceptance and conversion produce → true internal change, that persists in
the absence of surveillance.
Reference groups = groups that are psychologically significant for people’s attitudes and
behavior, either in the positive sense that we seek to behave in accordance with their norms,
or in the negative sense that we seek to behave in opposition to their norms.
→ positive is a source of conformity, while negative has power to produce compliance
Membership groups = to which we belong (which we are in) by some objective criterion,
external designation or social consensus.
Dual-process dependency model = general model of social influence in which two
separate processes operate: dependency on others for social approval & for information
about reality.
Power = capacity to influence others while resisting their attempts to influence.
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Social influence = process whereby attitudes and behavior are influenced by the real or
implied presence of other people.
2 aspects:
1. effect of presence of others (leaders/groups)
2. social pressure and norms
Norms = attitudinal and behavioral uniformities (regularities) that define group membership
and differentiate between groups.
Compliance = the change of public behaviors or utterances
→ based on power: control of others’ behavior through domination
- Public compliance = an outward change in behavior and expressed attitudes in
response to a request from another person, or as a consequence of persuasion or
coercion.
Conformity = behavior in accordance with socially accepted conventions; deep-seated,
private and enduring change in behavior and attitudes due to group pressure.
→ based on subjective validity of social norms (a feeling of confidence and certainty that the
beliefs and actions described by the norm are correct, appropriate, valid and socially
desirable)
2 functions of conformity
1. informational influence
→ caused by wish to form accurate judgment
2. normative influence
→ caused by need for approval and inclusion, makes people susceptible to social
pressure
Subjective acceptance and conversion produce → true internal change, that persists in
the absence of surveillance.
Reference groups = groups that are psychologically significant for people’s attitudes and
behavior, either in the positive sense that we seek to behave in accordance with their norms,
or in the negative sense that we seek to behave in opposition to their norms.
→ positive is a source of conformity, while negative has power to produce compliance
Membership groups = to which we belong (which we are in) by some objective criterion,
external designation or social consensus.
Dual-process dependency model = general model of social influence in which two
separate processes operate: dependency on others for social approval & for information
about reality.
Power = capacity to influence others while resisting their attempts to influence.
33
