Social Influence - Obedience and
Conformity
Social Influence
• "Process whereby attitudes and behaviour are influenced by the real or implied
presence of other people" - (Hogg & Vaughan, 2014, p. 236)
Social Norms
• "Rules and standards that are understood by members of a group and that guide and/or
constrain social behaviour without the force of laws. These norms emerge out of
interaction with others; they may or may not be stated explicitly, and any sanctions for
deviating from them come from social networks, not the legal system" - (Cialdini &
Trost, 1998, p.152)
Norm Development
• Sherif (1936)
• Social norms emerger to guide behaviour in conditions of uncertainty
• Autokinetic effect (Point of light appears to move)
• Judgements alone or in groups of
• Use judgements of others as frame of reference
• Converge away from individual to common standard: group norm
Conformity
• Asch (1951)
o Rational process – people construct norm from others' behaviour to
determine appropriate behaviour
o Average conformity 33%
o Why?
▪ Self-doubt, self-conscious, fear of social disapproval
o When judgements anonymous, conformity dropped to 12.5%
Informational and Normative Influence – Deutsch & Gerard (1955)
Informational:
• Ambiguous / uncertain situations
• Need to feel confident our perceptions/beliefs/feelings correct
• Influence to accept info from another as evidence about reality
• --> true cognitive change
• Sherif's study:
o Ambiguous --> uncertainty --> use others' estimates as information to
resolve subjective uncertainty
Normative:
• Need for social approval & acceptance
Conformity
Social Influence
• "Process whereby attitudes and behaviour are influenced by the real or implied
presence of other people" - (Hogg & Vaughan, 2014, p. 236)
Social Norms
• "Rules and standards that are understood by members of a group and that guide and/or
constrain social behaviour without the force of laws. These norms emerge out of
interaction with others; they may or may not be stated explicitly, and any sanctions for
deviating from them come from social networks, not the legal system" - (Cialdini &
Trost, 1998, p.152)
Norm Development
• Sherif (1936)
• Social norms emerger to guide behaviour in conditions of uncertainty
• Autokinetic effect (Point of light appears to move)
• Judgements alone or in groups of
• Use judgements of others as frame of reference
• Converge away from individual to common standard: group norm
Conformity
• Asch (1951)
o Rational process – people construct norm from others' behaviour to
determine appropriate behaviour
o Average conformity 33%
o Why?
▪ Self-doubt, self-conscious, fear of social disapproval
o When judgements anonymous, conformity dropped to 12.5%
Informational and Normative Influence – Deutsch & Gerard (1955)
Informational:
• Ambiguous / uncertain situations
• Need to feel confident our perceptions/beliefs/feelings correct
• Influence to accept info from another as evidence about reality
• --> true cognitive change
• Sherif's study:
o Ambiguous --> uncertainty --> use others' estimates as information to
resolve subjective uncertainty
Normative:
• Need for social approval & acceptance
