SOCIAL INFLUENCE Social Pressure

Asch’s Line Judgment Task

● Efforts by one or more persons to
change the behavior, attitudes, or - Report judgment on length of lines
feelings of one or more others - Participants who heard the
answers of other people, even
though they were clearly wrong,
Three Major Forms of gave in to group pressures and
Social Influence conformed
- Participants change their answers
1. Conformity because they are concerned about
a. Involves efforts to change what others think of them
others behavior through (normative social influence)
norms about how to behave Other studies and insights
in a given situation
- Only children display normative
b. Individuals change their
conformity to robots
attitudes/ behavior to
- Public conformity – doing or saying
adhere to existing social
what others around us say or do
norms
- Private acceptance – actually
c. Norms: rules or
coming to feel or think as others do
expectations within a group
- People follow social norms overtly,
concerning how its
but do not actually change their
members should or should
private views
not behave
- Introspection illusion – conformity
d. Norms can be formal (e.g.
occurs nonconsicously & so
speed limits, rules) or
escapes our notice/ introspection;
informal (e.g. unspoken
belief that social influence plays a
rules)
smaller role in shaping our own
2. Compliance
actions than it does in shaping the
a. Changing others behavior
actions of others
through direct requests
- We underestimate how much we
3. Obedience
conform/ how much others actions’
a. Direct orders or commands
influence us
from others
- esp. in individualistic
4. Unintentional social influence
cultures
a. Other people change our
- In collectivist cultures,
behavior without intending
conforming has no negative
to
implications = easy to admit
- People believe they are less
CONFORMITY susceptible to conformity (more
influenced by actual content) than
Why do people conform?
others
- Norms make social actions
predictable
- No norms = chaos = danger How social norms emerge
- To look good/ to indicate that they - Due to strong desire to be correct/
are good citizens that follow the behave in an appropriate way
rules
 - Behaving consistent w - High status people do not always
social norms helps achieve need to conform
that goal Descriptive and injunctive social
- Due to strong desire to be norms
accepted and liked by others
- Descriptive norms – norms
- Humans possess inherent
indicating what most people do in a
tendency to imitate actions of
given situation
others
- The perception of what
- Mimicking increases connection
most people do in a given
between people & allows
situation
interactions to flow smoothly
- injunctive norms – norms
- Two primary reasons for
specifying what ought to be done;
conformity: normative influence &
what is approved or disapproved in
informational influence
a given situation
- Similar to subjective norms
Factors affecting conformity (entail perceptions of what
Cohesiveness and conformity important others expect
one to do)
- Cohesiveness – extent to which we
- Entail an element of moral
are attracted to a social group and
reasoning/ judgment
want to belong to it
- Focus theory of Normative
- All factors/forces that cause
Conduct
group members to remain
- Norms will influence
in the group
behavior only to the extent
- Greater cohesiveness = higher
that why are salient to the
tendency to follow the norms of the
people involved at the time
group
the behavior occurs
- The more you value being a
- People cofnrom to
member/ accepted by a group, the
injunctive norms only when
more we want to avoid doing
those become mentally
things to separate us from them
activated / relevant to
- Ex. acting and looking like them
themselves and their
- When were uncertain about
actions
winning their acceptance, more
tendency to conform
Conformity and group size Social foundations of
- Bigger group = higher tendency to Conformity
conform Normative social influence: the
Conformity and status within a desire to be liked
group - Normative social influence – social
- Seniority – senior members feel influence based on the desire to be
less pressure to conform liked/ accepted by others
- Junior members have strong - We conform bc it helps us
pressures to conform as their get the social approval and
position is not assured acceptance we want
- Conformity to a groups established - Involves altering our behavior to
norms and rules helps gain status meet others’ expectations
 - Can lead to increased risk taking in Reciher and Haslam’s BBC Prison
younger people esp those w/ low Study
self esteem
- Initially, they showed behavior
- Low self esteem = greater
consistent with these roles, but
need to fit in and be
soon the guards rejected the
accepted
norms of their assigned roles, and
Informational social influence: the the prisoners formed a cohesive
desire to be right collective identity and rebelled
- We use other people to know if we against the existing power
are right or not structure.
- Other people’s actions and - Social norms and the social
opinions define our social reality structure from which they arise do
- Informational social influence – not necessarily produce
social influence based on the acceptance of inequalities
tendency to depend on others as a - Whether individuals go along w/
source of information about many roles and norms that impose
aspects of the social world; based inequality depends on the extent to
on the desire to be correct/ which people involved identify with
possess accurate perceptions of these roles
social world - Low identification w/
- More present in situations where structure = resistance &
we are uncertain about what is social change
correct rather than in situations
where we are confident in our Reasons for Nonconformity
ability
- Determines our actions when we Actor-Observer Effect Revisited: It’s
attend to what most others who are Role in Resisting Pressures to
similar to us are doing Conform
- Ingroups - Actor-observer effect – tendency to
- Rely on descriptive norms bc other attribute our own behavior to
people tend to have info we dont external causes (i.e. situation) but
especially in new situations the actions of others to internal
causes (i.e. personality)
Downside of conformity - Synchronous behavior – behavior
in which individuals match their
Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Study
actions to those of others
- It is the situations in whcih people - May stem from feelings of
find themselves – not their connectedness to a group
personal traits – that largely - As actors, we experience pressure
determine their behavior to conform arising from group
- Individual differences disappear membership
when powerful situational - Focused on the goals they
pressures are present (i.e. hope to achieve
conformity to role based norms; - As observers, we do not
prisoner/ warden) → evil behavior experiency group pressure; we
may instead beceom sensitive to
 the restrictions of synchronous - Power frees those who possess it
behavior on our freedom from situational control & makes
- Unaware of the goals of them resistant to conformity
actors; focus instead on pressures
freedom given up The desire to be unique and
- Observers experience reactance – nonconformity
the feeling that our personal
- People believe they conform less
freedom is being restricted & that
than others
we should resist strong pressure to
- People have a need for
conform to maintain our
uniqueness
individuality
- when threatened, they will
- Can produce negative
actively resist conformity
attitude change or opposite
pressures to restore sense
tot what was intended
of uniqueness
- Increases resistance to
The benefits of nonconforming
persuasion/ influence
- Decision to conform depends on - Sometimes nonconforming can
whether we are participating or result in people perceiving you
observing more favorably (e.g. dressing
- Observing conforming behavior casual in a luxury store =
helps people resist the pressure to famous/successful)
conform - Nonconforming people are seen as
Power as a shield against high in personal autonomy =
conformity perceived as higher status
- Conforming people → lower
- Powerful people dont really have to autonomy → lower status
conform bc:
1. Less dependent on others for
obtaining social resources Minority Influence
a. They dont need to pay - Minority groups can also exert, noy
attention to others efforts to just receive, social influence
constrain their actions - Minorities succeed in influencing
b. They make the rules/ can majorities when:
shape situations rather than 1. Minority members are
be molded by them consistent in their
2. Less likely to take the perspective opposition
of other people = less influenced a. Impact is reduced
by them when they waiver/
a. Thoughts and actions seem divided
shaped by internal states 2. Minority members must
b. Closer correspondence avoid appearing rigid or
between their traits and dogmatic & allow for
preferences and what they flexible decision-making &
think/do compared to other the consideration of
people different decision
- Situational info has less influence alternatives
on their attitudes, intentions, and
actions
 a. Merely repeating - Feel obligated to pay people back
the same position is in some way for what they have
less persuasive done for us
3. General social context in Social validation
which the minority group - More willing to comply w a request
operates is important for some action if it is consistent w/
a. Arguing for a what we believe ingroup people/
position consistent people similar to us are doing/
w/ current social thinking
trends = higher - Desire to be correct = think/ act
chance of like others
influencing majority
Authority
- More willing to comply w requests
COMPLIANCE from someone who holds / appears
- A form of social influence involving to hold legitimate authority
direct requests from one to another
Tactics based on friendship /
Underlying Principles of liking
Compliance - Impression management – various
(Cialdini, 1994, 2008) procedures for making a good
impression on others
Friendship/ liking
- Used for purposes of
- More willing to comply w requests ingratiation – getting others
from friends/ people we like than to like us so that theyre
those from strangers / those we do more willing to agree to our
not like requests
Commitment/ consistency Ingratiation techniques
- Once committed to an action / 1. Flattery – praising others in some
position, we are more willing to manner (best)
comply w/ requests for behaviors 2. Self-promotion – informing others
that are consistent with the about our past accomplishments or
position/ action than w requests positive characteristics
inconsistent w it 3. Other techniques
Scarcity a. Improving own appearance
- We value and try to secure b. Emitting positive nonverbal
outcomes or objects that are cues
scarce or decreasing in availability c. Doing small favors for
- We are more likely to comply w target people
requests that focus on scarcity Incidental similarity
Reciprocity - Calling attention to small and
- Utang na loob slightly surprising similarities
- We are more willing to comply w/ a between them & ourselves (e.g.
request from someone who has having the same name)
previously provided us w a favor or - Enhance liking by creating a
concession feeling of affiliation w/ requester =
 increases tendency to comply w Tactics based on Reciprocity
request
Door-in-the-face Technique
- A procedure for gaining
Tactics based on commitment/
compliance in which requesters
consistency begin with a large request and
Foot-in-the-door-technique then, when this is refused, retreat
- Small request thats difficult to to a smaller one (the one they
refuse followed by a larger request actually desired all along)
that is actually desired That’s-not-all Technique
- Once we have said yes to small - A technique for gaining compliance
request, we are more likely to say in which requesters offer additional
yes to subsequent larger requests benefits to target people before
- Refusing would be they have decided whether to
inconsistent w/ our previous comply with or reject specific
behavior requests
Lowball procedure - People on the receiving end of this
- Often used by car sales person approach view the “extra” thrown in
- A persuasion technique that uses a by the other side as an added
very attractive initial offer to concession, and so feel obligated
commit a potential customer into it, to make a concession them-
and then making the offer less selves.
favorable (e.g., increase the price
of the product or service) Tactics based on Scarcity
- Initial commitment makes it more Deadline Technique
difficult for people to say no even
though the conditions which led - A technique for increasing
them to say yes have changed compliance in which targeted
people are told that they have only
The Lure Effect
limited time to take advantage of
- A technique for gaining compliance some offer or to obtain some item
in which individuals are first asked - E.g. end of season sales
to do something they find
appealing and then, once they
agree, are asked to do something
Do compliance tactics work?
they dislike - We underestimate the
- Once individuals have agreed to a effectiveness of compliance tactics
request for doing something they because:
would enjoy, they feel committed to - People making requests
agreeing to a request for doing focus on the costs of saying
something they do not expect to yes (time and discomfort it
enjoy will cause if they agree)
- Like bait and switch, related to - People on the receiving
lowball procedure side of requests focus on
social costs of saying no
(puts you in a negative
light: selfish, rude, etc) –
deters people from refusing
 - Those requesting/ seeking more others to perform some
compliance overlok this action(s)
- Less frequent than compliance or
conformity
- People try to exert this type of
influence in less obvious ways

Obedience in the Laboratory

Stanley Milgram’s Shock
Leadership and Follower Experiment
Compliance - people readily obey orders from a
Two major forms of strategies relatively powerless source of
leaders use to gain compliance authority
- Ordinary people are willing to harm
1. Dominance
an innocent stranger if ordered to
a. Evokes fear through
do so by someone of authority
intimidation or coercion
- Pressures to obey in certain
b. Perceived resource scarcity
situations are difficult to resist =
in environment = willing to
people yield to the orders and
elect more dominant
harm others
leaders & comply w
demands
c. They believe dominant Why destructive obedience
leaders are more effective occurs
in resorting social order and
- People in authority relieve those
eliminating scarcity
who obey of the responsibility of
2. Prestige
their own actions
a. Gain voluntary compliance
- “I was only carrying out
through appearing
orders”
competent, likable,
- Implicit transfer of
admirable
responsibility
b. friendship/liking – followers
- Person in charge (yung
are motivated to affiliate w
nagutos) is at fault
a nice competent leader =
- People in authority often possess
more compliance w
visible badges/ signs of their status
demands
- Reminds people of the
c. Reciprocity – prestigious
social norm: obey those in
leaders are more likely to
charge
provide services for the
- Most people find it ahrd to
people = followers grant
disobey
prestige and voluntary
- Gradual escalation of orders
comply in return
- Initial commands are mild
- Later orders become
OBEDIENCE dangerous/ objectionable
- Foot-in-the-door technique
- form of social influence in which
- Events involving destructive
one person simply orders one or
obedience move quickly
 - Fast pace of events = little - emotional contagion – The spread
time for systematic thought of emotion from one person to
- Automatic obedience another person who observes this
emotion
Resisting the effects of - When we observe emotions in
others, we tend to physically match
destructive obedience their feelings automatically [does
- Reminder that u are responsible not always happen]
for the harm u produce, not the - Happens to ingroups or
ones in command those similar to us
- Provide a clear indication that - Not automatic mimicry, cognition is
beyond a certain point, total involved
submission to destructive - Schadenfreude – taking pleasure
commands is inappropriate in others’ misfortunes or
- Expose people to actions of disappointments
disobedient models – - Interpret others reactions to know
people who refuse to obe how we should feel
an authority figure’s - Countercontagion – emotions
commands different and even opposite to
- Can reduce unquestioning theirs
obedience - Occurs when those people
- Question the expertise and are dissimilar to us
motives of authority figures - Neural mechanism involving
- Identification with the reactions to others emotions –
authority’s cause is crucial mirror neurons
in obedience - Neurons respond strongly
- Knowing about the power of when we observe anothers
authority figures to command actions or expression of
obedience may be helpful emotions
- Enhance their resolve to
resist authority Symbolic social influence
- Exposure to disturbing
findings also have positive - Social influence resulting from the
social value mental representation of others or
our relationships with them
- Psychological presence of others
UNINTENTIONAL SOCIAL in our thoughts influence our
INFLUENCE behavior and thoughts
- we can be strongly influenced by
- Instances in which other persons other people when they are not
change our behavior without physically present as long as they
intending to do so are psychologically present
Two mechanisms involved
Emotional contagion 1. Extent to which other people are
- Social contagion – moods spread present in our thoughts
from one person to another (consciosuly or not) triggers
- Moods can be “catching” relational schemas (mental rep. of
 people w/ whom we have
relationships w)
SOCIAL FUNCTIONS
a. Triggering relational
schemas may also activate
OF GROUP RITUALS
goals related to them - Rituals – socially stipulated group
b. Affects our thoughts about conventions that lack clear
ourselves, our behaviour, physical causal mechanisms,
and our evaluations of focusing on the process rather
others than outcomes
c. Ex. if the goal of helping - study of rituals has been limited
others is triggered, then we due to the separation of
may become more helpful. psychology from anthropology and
If the goal of being the complexity of ritual practices.
physically attractive is acti-
vated, we may refuse that Functions of Rituals
delicious dessert when it is
offered. - rituals serve four core functions
2. Psychological presence of others essential for solving adaptive
may trigger goals with which that problems associated with group
person is associated (goals they living:
want us to achieve) 1. Identifying Group Members
a. Can affect performance & a. Rituals help individuals
commitment to various recognize in-group
tasks members through shared
b. For instance, if we have actions, facilitating trust and
thoughts about our father, cooperation.
we know that he wants us b. Phenotypic similarity
to do well in school, our (observable traits) acts as a
commitment to this goal proxy for group
may be increased and we membership, enhancing
may work harder to attain it social cohesion.
2. Demonstrating Commitment to
in-group values
Modeling a. Costly rituals signal an
- Modeling or observational learning individual's commitment to
– refers to situations which we group values, fostering trust
learn from observing others and do among members
what they did b. Engaging in such rituals is
- Aka imitation (negative seen as a reliable indicator
connotation) of loyalty, which is crucial
- modeling can produce either for maintaining cooperation.
beneficial or harmful effects, 3. Facilitating Cooperation with
depending on the actions on the coalitions
part of others that individuals a. rituals enhance cooperative
observe behavior by signaling
commitment to in-group
values, which increases
 trust during collaborative
efforts
b. Evidence suggests that
individuals who participate
in rituals are more likely to
cooperate
4. Increasing group cohesion
a. Shared ritual experiences
foster a sense of belonging
and reduce conflicts within
groups
b. The collective nature of
rituals helps maintain group
unity over time, even
among nonkin

Future Research Directions

- The authors highlight the need for
further exploration into how
different types of rituals (euphoric
vs. dysphoric) affect social
cohesion and cooperation
- There is a call for research on how
children learn and participate in
rituals, as this can provide insights
into the development of social
cognition and group dynamics.
- Rituals are posited as
psychologically prepared behaviors
that facilitate social group
dynamics by addressing
challenges related to cooperation
and cohesion