Social Psychology:
Social Influence

James Neill

Centre for Applied Psychology

University of Canberra

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Learning Objectives

• To describe the influence of other people on the way individuals behave

Social Influence - Questions

• How does behavior change in group settings?
• How do individuals influence groups?
• Why do minority groups influence norms?

Social Influence

The mere presence of others can alter human behavior

• Social facilitation: the presence of others can facilitate performance
• Deindividuation: in a crowd people may lose their individual identity and ability to judge right from wrong
• Self-fulfilling prophecies: false impressions of a situation evoke behaviour, that in turn, makes these impressions become true

Obedience

• Refers to compliance to the orders of an authority figure
• Critical issue: Why do humans obey orders that cause injury or death to others?
  • Nazi Germany

Conformity

• Adjusting one’s behavior or thinking (e.g., attitude) to acccomdate peer or group standards.
• Yielding to real or imagined social pressure.

Conformity

• The pressure to conform can be immense, even if subtle
• e.g., conforming to the fashion of the day

Asch's Conformity Experiments

• Classic series of experiments, 1950's.
• Which line matches the standard line?

Asch's Conformity Experiments

• Subjects were asked to judge line lengths while working in a group
• 7 subjects; the 6th was real, rest were confederates.
• Confederates consistently gave obviously wrong answers
• The subject often conformed and gave the same wrong answer
• On average, 37% of participants conformed.
• Some never caved.

Predictors of Conformity

• Feelings of insecurity, incompetence, low self-esteem, etc.
• Group size 3+.
• Group is unaminous.
• Group has desirable status.

Predictors of Conformity

• No committment to another response.
• Behavior observed by the group.
• Collectivist ulture respects social standards / conformity.
• Lack of dissentation

Obedience

• Refers to compliance to the orders of an authority figure
• Critical issue: Why do humans obey orders that cause injury or death to others?
  • Nazi Germany

Milgram's Obediance Studies

Milgram's Obediance Studies

• 65% complied with administration of shocks.
• Degree of obediance influenced by:
  • Physical proximity of authority figure
  • Status of authority figure
  • Depersonalization of victim
  • Lack of role models for defiance

Zimbardo's Prison Experiment (1970's)

• Subjects played either prisoners or guards.
• Prisoners were arrested, fingerprinted, dressed, and referred to by number.
• Guards were dressed and given control over prisoners.
• Subjects became their roles in action, thought and feeling.