Chapter Introduction
| CHAPTER | 7 |
7. Social Influence
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TOPIC OVERVIEW
Learning From Others
Social Learning Theory
Social Priming
Social Contagion
The Social Construction of Reality
Culturally Defined Social Situations
Culturally Defined Social Roles
Conformity
Asch Conformity Studies
What the Asch Conformity Studies Teach Us About Why People Conform
What Personality and Situational Variables Influence Conformity?
Neural Processes Associated With Conformity
Minority Influence
How Minorities Exert Their Influence
Application: How Minorities Can Be More Influential
Compliance: The Art and Science of Getting What You Want
SOCIAL PSYCH AT THE MOVIES 12 Angry Men Self-
perception and Commitment Reciprocity
Social Proof
Scarcity
Mindlessness
Obedience to Authority
Other Variables That Play a Role in Obedience
Anticipating Your Questions
Why Do We Obey?
The Role of Charisma in the Rise to Power
SOCIAL PSYCH OUT IN THE WORLD Death in the Voting Booth Application: Historical Perspectives
Over the next three chapters, we’re going to focus specifically on social influence, the effects of other people on an individual’s beliefs, attitudes, values, or behavior. In our coverage of topics such as culture, social cognition, and the development and functioning of the self, we noted many ways in which we humans are profoundly influenced by the individuals and groups around us. Our views of ourselves, our world, and other people are shaped initially by our parents and soon after by other relatives, peers, and the mass media. In a sense, the adult human is largely a product of social influences; however, we are never finished products, and we are subject to social influence throughout the life span.
Social influence
The effects of other people on an individual’s beliefs, attitudes, values, or behavior.
In these chapters on social influence, we will delve into theories and research that specifically address how the presence, actions, and attitudes of others affect the individual’s thoughts and behavior. Sometimes people influence us intentionally; other times they do so inadvertently. This chapter begins with some very basic and pervasive ways in which people learn specific behaviors and views of the world from others. Then we will focus on the formation of social norms and conformity. Conformity involves altering one’s attitudes or behavior in response to the attitudes, beliefs, and behavior of other people. Generally, conformity concerns how a single individual bends beliefs or behavior to fit a majority view. But sometimes a single individual ends up influencing the majority instead, so we will discuss minority Influence as well. After that, we will describe research on compliance techniques, which are strategies one uses to get others to do what one wants them to do. Even more influential than these strategies are commands from authority figures. This rather unsubtle form of social influence compels obedience: following the explicit commands of an authority figure. Some individuals are particularly likely to emerge as authority figures under conditions of psychological threat. Thus, we will conclude the chapter with a consideration of the appeal of charismatic leaders.
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