social influences on behavior
TRANSCRIPT
Social InfluenceThe process by which the actions of an individual or
group affect the behavior of others.
Group: Two or more people who interact
with one another, perceive themselves as part of a group, and are
interdependent.
NormsGroups develop “norms”: expectations regarding what behavior
is appropriate within the group, and what behavior is not.
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Punk-rock Kids
NormsGroups develop “norms”: expectations regarding what behavior
is appropriate within the group, and what behavior is not.
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NormsGroups develop “norms”: expectations regarding what behavior
is appropriate within the group, and what behavior is not.
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NormsGroups develop “norms”: expectations regarding what behavior
is appropriate within the group, and what behavior is not.
Priso
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Cheerleaders
Worksheet #1Answer question in box #1. In general, what
happens when someone does not follow the norms of a group they are in?
??
??
Worksheet #2On your worksheet, make a list of groups that you belong to. (Yes, we all belong to many groups that
each have different behavioral norms!)
Georgi family
Friends from middle/high school
Friends from college
KIS Faculty
Period 8 Psych Period 3 PsychPeriod 1 English
Me + Sister
Types of Social Pressure
ConformityA change in behavior or attitudes
brought about by a desire to follow the beliefs or standards of other people.
ComplianceA type of social influence where an individual does what someone else
wants them to do, following his or her request or suggestion.
Obedience A change in behavior in response to the commands of others.
ConformityA change in behavior or attitudes brought about by a desire
to follow the beliefs or standards of other people.
If we do not conform to the behavior of the groups we are in, we may face
rejection, exclusion, or
loss of reputation.
What if your friends are having a costume party, but you decide to go without wearing one?
In school, you are expected to dress and behave in
certain ways. What happens when you don’t?
ConformityFacts about conformity:
• The more attractive a group appears to its members, the greater its ability to produce conformity.
• The lower a person’s rank or status is within a group, the easier it is for the group to modify that person’s behavior.
• Conformity is more likely in public situations.
• Fact vs. Opinion: it is easier to create conformity when asked to give an opinion on something.
• Groups that are unanimous create the greatest conformity pressures.
ComplianceBehavior that occurs in response to direct social
pressure. A type of social influence where an individual does what someone else wants them to do,
following his or her request or suggestion.
• Foot-in-the-Door Technique • Door-in-the-Face Technique • “That’s Not All” Technique • Not-so-free Sample Technique • Low-Ball Technique • Bait-and-Switch Technique
“door in the face”
(Worksheet #3)
ObedienceA change in behavior in response to the commands of others (following orders). Obedience usually only occurs in special relationships with authority figures
(such as a parent, teacher, or boss).
Worksheet #4We don’t follow the suggestions or
orders of all people equally.
1. What characteristics can you find in the people/groups that we are most willing to change our behavior for?
The Milgram Shock ExperimentIn 1963, Yale Psychologist Stanley Milgram created an
experiment to see if participants would follow orders even when the requested behavior went against their moral
beliefs or good judgment.
Fake Test Subject
Participant
Experimenter
(Administers shocks)
(Pretends to feel pain)
(Urges the participant to keep going)
A researcher asks the participant to administer electric shocks to a
test subject when he answers questions incorrectly. The test subject is an actor, who makes
noises of pain when he receives the shocks. The participant is
made to believe that each shock is stronger than the last one.
The Milgram Shock ExperimentRESULTS: All of Milgram’s original participants continued the
experiment to 300 volts of electricity. 65% of them administered the maximum voltage of 450, which was clearly labeled as life-threatening. Milgram concluded that ordinary
people are likely to follow orders given by an authority figure, even to the extent of killing an innocent human being.