Welcome to Social Influence!
Ever wondered why you suddenly start liking a song just because all your friends are listening to it? Or why people follow orders even when they know they probably shouldn't? That is what Social Influence is all about! We are going to look at how the presence of other people (real or imagined) changes the way we think and act.
Don't worry if some of these names or theories seem a bit "wordy" at first—we will break them down into simple, everyday ideas.
1. Conformity: Going Along with the Crowd
Conformity is a change in a person’s behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group of people. In simpler terms: it's "fitting in."
Types of Conformity
Psychologists have identified different levels of how much we actually change when we conform:
1. Compliance: This is the most superficial (shallow) type. You go along with the group in public, but privately you haven't changed your mind.
Example: Your friends all say they love a specific movie. You agree so you don't look "uncool," but secretly, you thought it was boring.
2. Internalisation: This is the deepest level. You go along with the group because you genuinely believe they are right. Your public and private views change.
Example: You live with roommates who are very eco-friendly. After hearing their arguments, you start to truly believe in recycling and keep doing it even when you move out and live alone.
Why do we conform? (Explanations)
Normative Social Influence (NSI): This is about our emotional need to be liked. We conform to "fit in" and avoid rejection. This usually leads to compliance.
Informational Social Influence (ISI): This is about our cognitive (thinking) need to be right. We conform because we think the group has better information than we do. This usually leads to internalisation.
Quick Review Box:
• NSI = Wanting to be liked (Compliance).
• ISI = Wanting to be right (Internalisation).
2. Factors Affecting Conformity: Asch’s Research
Solomon Asch conducted a famous study where participants had to match the length of a "standard line" to three "comparison lines." The answer was always obvious, but "confederates" (people in on the experiment) gave the wrong answer on purpose to see if the real participant would follow them.
Variables Investigated by Asch
Asch found that certain things made people more or less likely to conform:
• Group Size: With only one or two confederates, conformity was low. However, with three confederates, conformity rose to about 32%. Adding more people after that didn't make much of a difference.
• Unanimity: If just one other person disagreed with the group (a "dissenter"), conformity dropped significantly. Having a "buddy" makes us much braver!
• Task Difficulty: When the lines were made more similar in length (making the task harder), conformity increased. This is because we look to others for the right answer when we are unsure (this is Informational Social Influence).
Key Takeaway: We are most likely to conform when the group is at least three people, when everyone else agrees, and when the task is difficult.
3. Obedience: Following Orders
Obedience is different from conformity. While conformity is about following a group of equals, obedience is about following a direct order from an authority figure.
Situational Variables (Milgram’s Research)
Stanley Milgram conducted a famous (and controversial) study where participants were told to give electric shocks to a "learner" whenever they got a memory task wrong. He found that three "situational" factors changed how much people obeyed:
• Proximity: When the teacher (participant) and learner were in the same room, obedience dropped. When the experimenter gave orders over the phone, obedience dropped even more. Analogy: It's harder to be mean to someone when you are looking them in the eye.
• Location: When the study moved from the prestigious Yale University to a run-down office building, obedience dropped slightly. The location's "status" matters.
• Uniform: In the original study, the experimenter wore a grey lab coat (a symbol of authority). When he was replaced by someone in "everyday clothes," obedience dropped significantly.
Social-Psychological Explanations for Obedience
1. Agentic State: This is a mental state where we feel we are not responsible for our actions. We see ourselves as an "agent" carrying out someone else's wishes. The opposite is the Autonomous State (where we feel free and responsible).
2. Legitimacy of Authority: We are more likely to obey people we perceive as being higher up in the social hierarchy. We are taught from a young age that certain people (police, doctors, teachers) have the "right" to tell us what to do.
Did you know? In Milgram’s original study, 65% of participants went all the way to the maximum voltage (450 volts), even though they were visibly distressed!
4. Dispositional Explanation: The Authoritarian Personality
While Milgram looked at the situation, Adorno looked at the person. He suggested that some people have an Authoritarian Personality that makes them naturally more likely to obey.
• These individuals have a high respect for authority and are very submissive to those they see as "superior."
• They are often dismissive or mean to those they see as "inferior."
• Adorno used the F-Scale (Fascism scale) to measure this personality type. He believed these traits often came from having very strict, "cold" parents during childhood.
5. Resistance to Social Influence
Not everyone follows the crowd or obeys orders! Psychologists want to know why some people are able to resist.
Social Support
If you have an "ally" who also resists, it becomes much easier for you to do the same. In Asch’s study, having one person disagree with the group dropped conformity. In Milgram’s study, if the participant was joined by a disobedient confederate, obedience dropped to 10%.
Locus of Control (LoC)
This is a personality trait about how much control you think you have over your life.
• Internal LoC: You believe you are responsible for what happens to you. "I passed the test because I worked hard."
• External LoC: You believe outside forces (luck, fate, other people) are responsible. "I passed because the test was easy."
Key Point: People with an Internal LoC are much more likely to resist social influence because they take personal responsibility for their actions.
Memory Aid:
Internal = I control my life.
External = Everything else controls it.
6. Minority Influence
Sometimes, a small group (the minority) can change the minds of the big group (the majority). Think of the Suffragettes or the Civil Rights movement. For a minority to be successful, they need three things:
1. Consistency: They must keep the same message over time (diachronic consistency) and all members must agree (synchronic consistency).
2. Commitment: They must show they are willing to take risks or make sacrifices for their cause. This is called the Augmentation Principle (if they are willing to suffer for it, it must be important!).
3. Flexibility: They shouldn't be too rigid or dogmatic. If they appear prepared to compromise slightly, the majority is more likely to listen.
The Process of Change: Over time, more and more people move from the majority to the minority. This is called the Snowball Effect. Eventually, the minority view becomes the new "norm."
Key Takeaway for Minority Influence: To change the world, you need to be consistent, committed, and flexible!