CHAPTER 18 – SOCIAL INFLUENCE

SOCIAL INFLUENCE

* The process whereby the words or actions of other people directly or indirectly influence a person’s behavior

* Norms – 


o Descriptive Norms –


o Injunctive Norms – 


* Deindividuation – a psychological state in which a person becomes ________ in the group and loses the sense of ______________



* Motivation and the Presence of Others

o Social facilitation – the presence of other people can ___________ performance

o Social impairment – the presence of other people can ___________ performance 

o Social loafing – tendency to exert _______ effort within in a group than when performing alone


CONFORMITY AND COMPLIANCE

Conformity – adjust behavior because of group pressure

Compliance - adjust behavior because of a request

* The Role of Norms

o Asch’s Line Test (1956) - 


* Why do people conform?

o Private acceptance – 


o Public conformity – 



* When do people conform?

o Ambiguity of situation is higher
o Unanimity and size of majority are greater
o Minority influence – takes a while to occur

* Inducing Compliance

o Foot-in-the-door approach – 



o Door-in-the-face approach– 



o Low-ball approach – 




OBEDIENCE - CHANGE OF BEHAVIOR IN RESPONSE TO A DEMAND FROM AN AUTHORITY FIGURE

* The Milgram Studies









* Factors Affecting Obedience

o Prestige and status of the experimenter


o The presence of others who disobey


o Personality characteristics



* Evaluating Milgram’s Studies

o Relevant today –


o Ethics –


o Questions of meaning – 



AGGRESSION – AN ACTION INTENDED TO HARM ANOTHER PERSON

* Why are people aggressive?

o Instinct theories – Thanatos builds up and must be released


o Evolutionary theories – promotes survival of aggressor’s genes


o Genetics and biological mechanisms

* Genetics – twin studies – 


* Brain structures

* Amygdala and hypothalamus – damage to these structures has been linked to ______________________ toward usually neutral stimuli

* Cerebral cortex – metabolizing rate of glucose __________ in murderers

* Testosterone – exposure during ___________________________

o Learning and cultural mechanisms - 



* When are people aggressive?

o Frustration-aggression hypothesis – 



o Generalized arousal – 


ALTRUISM AND HELPING BEHAVIOR

Altruism – unselfish concern for another’s welfare

* Why do people help?

o Arousal: Cost-reward theory – 



* Clarity of the need for help –


* Presence of others – inhibits helping behavior

* Bystander effect – 


* Diffusion of responsibility – 


* Personality of helper – 


* Environmental factors – 


o Empathy-altruism theory – 



o Evolutionary theory – social behaviors are __________________ that helped ancestors survive

* Kin selection –


COOPERATION, COMPETITION, AND CONFLICT

Cooperation – work together to attain a goal

Competition – attain a goal for oneself while denying it to others

Conflict – a group or person stands in the way of goals of another


* Social Dilemmas – situations in which an action that produces rewards for one individual will produce negative consequences for everyone

o Prisoner’s Dilemma – social dilemma where best mutual outcome occurs through cooperation



* Mixed motive conflict – 


* Compete because winning is _____________ and ______________


* Resource dilemmas – people share some common resource that creates a dilemma between the interests of the individual and those of the group

o Commons dilemma – 


o Public goods dilemma –



ADDITIONAL LEARNING OBJECTIVES

* Discuss the question of whether pornography causes aggression. (see Thinking Critically:  Does Pornography Cause Aggression?)

* Define environmental psychology and describe the environmental influences on aggression. (see Environmental Influences on Aggression)

* Describe ways to foster cooperation.  (see Fostering Cooperation)  

* Define zero-sum games. Describe the four main causes of interpersonal conflict. Explain why managing conflict effectively is better than trying to eliminate it. (see Interpersonal Conflict)

* Describe the personality characteristics of a good leader. Define the task-oriented and person-oriented leaders. Describe the types of situations that call for the use of each style. (see Group Leadership)

* Define groupthink. What can be done to minimize or prevent it from happening?