SOCIAL INFLUENCE (Psych 201 - Chapter 9 - Spring 2014)

This Week’s PlaylistArtist Song Title/Psych Concept

1. Jimmy Eat World The Authority Song (Obedience)

2. The Rolling Stones Under My Thumb (Obedience/Authority)

3. Green Day American Idiot (Unconformity)

4. Malvina Reynolds

Little Boxes (Conformity)

5. Justin Bieber U Smile (Emotional Mimicry)

6. Pink Floyd Another Brick In The Wall (Conformity)

7. The Beatles Hello, Goodbye (Reactance Theory)

Chapter 9:Social InfluenceMelanie B. Tannenbaum, M.A.

Psych 201 Spring 2014

Social Influence

• What is Social Influence?

• The collection of ways that people impact one another. !

• Changes in attitudes, beliefs, feelings, or behaviors resulting from the real or imagined presence of others.

Social Influence

• Conformity

• Compliance

• Obedience

Social Influence

• Conformity • Changing behavior in response to real

or imagined pressure from others

!• Compliance

• Changing behavior by responding favorably to an explicit request, possibly from a superior

(but not necessarily)

!• Obedience

• Responding to an explicit request from someone who has power over you

Social Influence

• Obedience • Do as others command

• Compliance • Do as others want

• Conformity • Do as others do

Strength of social influence

Conformity

Automatic Mimicry• Conformity can be automatic (or unconscious), like in the

case of automatic mimicry

• Examples: • Yawning when others yawn • Laughing when others laugh

• People with an empathic orientation or those with a high need to affiliate are more likely to automatically mimic others!

Automatic Mimicry

Conformity• Conformity can also be conscious, including changing

one’s behavior or beliefs in response to real or imagined pressure from others.

• Examples: • Wearing casual clothing to class (not suits & ties) • Lining up when boarding at the airport

• Videos!!

Conformity Videos!!Elevator example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuvGh_n3I_M !Japanese prank example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3ZjG3TMkx4 !Gendered door example https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySU-5PcMZEs !Picketing against everything with nothing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Njz9TrLjz5k&NR=1

Two Main Types of Conformity

• 1. Informational Social Influence • Other people can be useful sources of information

about what is appropriate in a given situation !!

• 2. Normative Social Influence • Sometimes we want to be accepted by others, so we do

what they do because going against them would cause conflict, disapproval, or judgment

Informational Social Influence!

• Sometimes, situations are ambiguous.

• You need to look to others to figure out the best way to act in an unclear situation.

Informational Social Influence• Sherif (1936)

• Participants were in a dark room • A point of light was shown on the wall • Asked: How far did the light move?

• In reality, it doesn’t move at all, but the situation is ambiguous. • Autokinetic Illusion: A point of light will appear to move in a dark room.

• This is an ambiguous, difficult task!

• Participants first reported how far they thought the light moved while they were alone, and then made their judgments around other judging participants.

• Participants can easily doubt their own judgment (“Was it really 1 inch, or was it 2?? I don’t know!”)

Informational Social Influence• Sherif (1936)

• People’s judgments converged over time!

• Individual judgments converged towards a group norm

• Ambiguous situation = People used other answers as a source of help/information.

Informational Social Influence!

• Based on the desire to be correct (or accurate). • We can use other people’s knowledge as a source of info.

• When is informational social influence more likely? • Situation is ambiguous/difficult. • These are the situations when we feel low in knowledge/

competence about the topic, so we need help.

Informational Social Influence

Normative Social Influence• Peer Pressure!

• This is when you use others’ behavior/comments as a guide for how to fit in and avoid disapproval.

• Guides behavior to avoid social punishment

Normative Social Influence

• This is conformity based on the desire to be liked or socially accepted when the situation is clear/unambiguous but one’s own beliefs conflict with those of the group.

Normative Social Influence• Line Judgment Study (Asch, 1956)

• Very easy (Judge whether two lines are the same length) • One true participant in a group of confederates !

• After a couple of rounds, the confederates start to give an (obviously) wrong answer

Normative Social Influence• Overall, participants conformed on 1/3 of the

“critical trials,” and 75% of participants conformed at least once!

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRh5qy09nNw

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYIh4MkcfJA

Informational vs. Normative• Sherif: Informational Social Influence

• Difficult task; unsure of answer • Ambiguous • Actually use others’ responses to form an opinion • Actually believe what others say & internalize it

• Asch: Normative Social Influence • Clear/easy task; sure of answer • Not ambiguous • Own beliefs clearly conflict with those of the group • Conform on the outside, but not on the inside

Informational vs. Normative• Very rare to find a situation in which only one is at work.

• However, sometimes one is more important.

Informational vs. Normative• Informational influence leads to internalization (private acceptance) of

the majority opinion/behavior • You actually change your attitude/belief

• Normative influence leads to temporary public compliance with the majority opinion/behavior • Your attitude remains the same, you just behave inconsistently with your

attitude for the moment

Informational vs. NormativeInformational Influence often leads to private acceptance.

!Normative Influence has a greater influence on public compliance

than on private acceptance.

Informational vs. Normative

You don’t really like Red Lobster; you’d rather eat at Golden Harbor. However, all of your friends love Red Lobster and want to go there for dinner, so you agree, even though in your head Golden Harbor still remains your preference.

Is this…

A. Private Acceptance?

B. Public Compliance?

Informational vs. Normative

You have never eaten at Red Lobster or Golden Harbor before, so you don’t know anything about how much you’d like either of them. Your friends all love Red Lobster, and they say that Golden Harbor isn’t great. When deciding on dinner plans, you agree to go with them to Red Lobster because you decide it must be better.

Is this…

A. Private Acceptance?

B. Public Compliance?

What factors influence conformity?• Group Size: Larger groups have more informational

and normative social influence.

• However, three people in a group are enough to elicit conformity!

• After about 3-4 people, the effect of group size levels off.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA8z7f7a2Pk

• What constitutes “conformity” in the beginning of this video? What constitutes “conformity” at the end?

What factors influence conformity?

• Group Size: Larger groups have more informational and normative social influence.

• Unanimity: If there is a break in unanimity, even if it is not in line with the person’s private belief, it is enough to reduce conformity.

• If there are other dissenters, it becomes easier to dissent, even if you are dissenting in different ways.

• Expertise & Status: Expert opinions carry more weight, and the disapproval of high-status people hurts more.

• High-status people (like celebrities, authority figures, etc.) most likely to lead to normative social influence.

• Culture: Interdependent (collectivist) groups and females tend to conform more (focus on social relationships).

• Construal of Disagreement (Ross et al., 1976) • If there is a good reason for the majority view to differ

from yours, you don’t feel pressure to conform. • Example: If others have an incentive for taking their stance.

Test Your Knowledge• Henry goes to see the movie Need For Speed with his

friends, even though he thinks it looks awful and he’d rather go see Frozen.

• Henry is demonstrating… • A. Automatic Mimicry • B. Conformity: Normative Social Influence • C. Conformity: Informational Social Influence • D. Obedience to Authority

Test Your Knowledge• Henry has not heard any information about any

movies that are out right now. He goes to see the movie Need For Speed with his friends, because he trusts their judgment.

• Henry is demonstrating… • A. Automatic Mimicry • B. Conformity: Normative Social Influence • C. Conformity: Informational Social Influence • D. Obedience to Authority

Conformity: Summary• Conformity can happen automatically (mimicry)

• Two types of intentional conformity • Informational

• Ambiguous situation • Use others as a source of information

• Normative • Clear situation • Do what others do to avoid social judgment/criticism • Leads to public compliance, but not private acceptance

• There are many factors that influence the probability of conformity

Compliance

Compliance• Compliance occurs when we are influenced via a direct attempt

by someone without authority/power over us.

• The authority/power of the requester is what differentiates obedience and compliance.

• Three main types • Reason-Based • Emotion-Based • Norm-Based

Reason-Based• 1. Reciprocal Concessions

• AKA “Door-In-The-Face” • Requesting a very large favor that you know the target

will decline, and then following it up with a more modest request for what you really want

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqvYJ23AAqI !

• NOTE: It has to be the REQUESTER who makes a concession! You can’t just follow up someone else’s big request with a separate smaller request. You have to seem like you are sacrificing something.

Door-In-The-Face• Cialdini et al. (1975)

• Condition 1: Chaperone a group of juvenile delinquents on a zoo day trip? • Condition 2: Counsel juvenile delinquents 2 hours/week for 2 years?

followed by Chaperone a group of juvenile delinquents on a zoo day trip?

• Percent who agreed to chaperone: 17% vs. 50%

• The requester makes a concession, so you feel obligated to make a concession as well (from “no” to “yes”)

• 2. Foot-In-The-Door Technique • Make a small, initial request that virtually everyone

would agree to, and then follow it up with a larger request for what you really want

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJdhGr5lVg4

Reason-Based

Foot-In-The-Door• Freedman & Fraser (1966)

• Condition 1: “Will you display this large sign in your yard?”

• Condition 1: “Will you display this large sign in your yard?” • Condition 2: “Will you display this small sign in your window?”

followed by “Will you display this large sign in your yard?”

• Percent who agreed to the large sign: 17% vs. 76%

• Committing to the first act causes a change in your self-schema via self-perception • “If I agreed to the first one, then I must be the kind of

person who supports this cause.”

• 3. That’s-Not-All Technique • Adding something to an original offer • http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=i5Ms_5WBhZo&feature=relmfu

Reason-Based

That’s-Not-All Technique• Burger (1986)

• Sold desserts at Santa Clara U. arts fair for the Psych Club • Condition 1: 1 cupcake + 2 cookies, $0.75 • Condition 2: 1 cupcake for $0.75... “and we’ll throw in 2 cookies!”

• Percent who purchased: 40% vs. 73%

• The add-on feels like a gift • This elicits the norm of reciprocity • “If you are offering to give me something extra, I

should offer something in return...like buying.”

Reason-Based• 4. “Even A Penny Helps” Technique

• By legitimizing tiny contributions, you do two things: • You invalidate the thought that someone “can’t really

afford to give” • You make people feel OK about giving what they can

(someone may want to donate a little, but be too embarrassed to be seen giving such a small amount).

• This technique increases the percent of people who donate money to charities, but doesn’t lower the amount that is typically given. • This suggests that the technique mainly works due to Reason A

What Is This?

• A. Foot-In-The-Door

• B. Door-In-The-Face

• C. Even-A-Penny-Helps

• D. That’s-Not-All

Emotion-Based• 1. Positive Mood

• Increases compliance

• Isen et al. (1976) • Participants got a phone call from someone who “spent

my last dime on this misdialed phone call” and requested that the participant “dial the intended number and relay a message”

• Condition 1: Simply received the phone call • Condition 2: 20 minutes before the call, participant

received a small gift

• Percent who made the call: 10% vs. up to 100%

Emotion-Based

Positive Mood & Compliance• Why does positive mood increase compliance?

• 1. Construal • If you’re happy and you feel good, you assume other

people’s intentions are good • Forgas & East (2008)

• Participants watched a happy, neutral, or sad film clip • Watched a deceptive or truthful interview of an individual

who denied committing a theft • Results

• Positive mood increased trust, decreased lie detection • Negative mood decreased trust, increased lie detection

Positive Mood & Compliance• Why does positive mood increase compliance?

• 2. Positive Mood Maintenance • Saying no to a request is awkward and creates negative affect • To stay feeling good, you have to comply

• Isen & Levin (1972) • Participants given a cookie (positive mood) or not (neutral mood) • Asked if they would serve as a confederate for a quick experiment

• ½ told their role was to help the “real” participant • ½ told their role was to harm the “real” participant

• Result: Positive mood increased compliance only when the task involved helping someone else, not hindering them.

Emotion-Based• 2. Negative Mood

• Increases compliance...specifically guilt

• Harris et al. (1975) • Asked Catholics to donate money to March of Dimes

• Condition 1: Asked while walking into confession • Condition 2: Asked while walking out of confession

Negative Emotions & Compliance

• More donations before confession than afterward

• Before, they were probably feeling more guilty

Negative Emotions & Compliance

• Negative State Relief Hypothesis • Negative moods increase compliance because doing

something for someone else helps to make you feel better

Reactance• When your freedom is threatened, you experience

negative arousal and try to re-assert your freedom by engaging in the forbidden behavior.

• Sort of like “acting out.”

• Think back to fear appeals.

• Why might fear appeals encourage reactance?

Norm-Based!

• Descriptive Norms • Objective, factual description of what most people do • Example: “Most people sleep less than 8 hours per night.”

• Prescriptive Norms • What most people should do according to some rule or tradition • Example: “People should sleep more than 8 hours per night.”

Norm-Based• By providing information about how other people typically

behave, you can elicit conformity • Descriptive norms usually work via informational influence • Prescriptive norms usually work via normative influence

• However, they are less likely to work than descriptive norms

• Descriptive = What People Do

• Prescriptive = What People Should Do

Norm-Based• Schultz et al. (2007)

• CA homeowners received messages about how much electricity they used in previous weeks and how much the average use was in their neighborhood

• Result: People who consumed more than average started using less; people who consumed less than average started using more

• To counteract the negative effect, the info was accompanied by a smiley or frowny face to indicate approval or disapproval

Norm-Based

“Opower's Energy Reports incorporate the behavioral science techniques of Robert Cialdini, Opower's chief scientist and the author of Influence, a 1984 book on

persuasion. The reports include targeted tips that seek to motivate customers to lower their energy consumption to the "normal" neighborhood rate.

https://twitter.com/Opower

http://www.opower.com/

In November 2013, Opower was named the #1 fastest growing tech company in the DC region, and #20 in

the US, by Deloitte.

“President Barack Obama visited Opower headquarters in Arlington on March 5, 2010. He

touted the company as an economic "success story" amid a troubled economy and as a "great emblem"

for clean-energy jobs.”

Norm-Based• Goldstein et al. (2006)

• Placed small cards in hotel rooms asking guests to reuse their towels • Normative information on the cards was manipulated

!• Condition 1: No normative information

• Condition 2: “Majority of past guests have reused their towels.”

• Condition 3: “Majority of past guests who stayed in this room reused towels.”

!• Results: The stronger the norm info, the more compliance.

!• Reuse Rates: Majority in this room > Majority > No norm

Norm-Based• Cialdini et al. (2006)

• Placed signs in Petrified Forest National Park (AZ) to stop people from taking petrified wood with them

• Different signs • Sign 1: “Many past visitors have removed the petrified wood

from the park, changing the state of the Petrified Forest. Please help stop this problem.” !

• Sign 2: “The majority of past visitors have left the petrified wood in the park, preserving the natural state of the Petrified Forest.”

Norm-Based• Results: Theft was 4x lower for Sign #2 than Sign #1!

• When trying to change norms, people often highlight how common it is for people to do the wrong thing...

• ...but this encourages people to continue doing the wrong thing!!

• People are very responsive to descriptive norms.

Compliance: Summary• Reason-Based Approaches

• Door-In-The-Face (Reciprocal Concessions) • Foot-In-The-Door • That’s-Not-All • Even-A-Penny-Helps

!• Emotion-Based Approaches

• Positive & negative moods both increase compliance • Reactance

!• Norm-Based Approaches

• Descriptive Norms • Prescriptive Norms

Obedience

The Milgram Experiments• Experiment was described as a “study on learning”

• Participants were told that they were randomly assigned to be the “teacher,” and that they would be delivering punishments (electric shocks) to the “learner” whenever he/she answered a question incorrectly.

• In reality, the “learner” was a confederate who never received any shocks.

The Milgram Experiments

I am shocked!!!!!

The Milgram Experiments• Shock level began at 15 volts and increased to a maximum

of 450 volts

• For each incorrect response, the shock level went up 15 more volts

• During the experiment, the confederate begins to scream in pain, says his heart hurts, and demands to be let out

• Towards the end, he/she stops making any noises

• Whenever the participant wants to stop, the experimenter says vague things like “the experiment requires you to continue” or “There is no permanent tissue damage. Please continue.”

• Milgram didn’t believe that many would go all the way

• A panel of expert psychiatrists predicted that no more than 1% of subjects would continue to 450V

• 66% of participants completed the experiment and delivered the maximum shock of 450V!

• Replication of Milgram:

!• Link 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcvSNg0HZwk

!• Link 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzTuz0mNlwU

!• Link 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmFCoo-cU3Y

• Milgram conducted many variations on the original study, manipulating factors that he thought might lead to a decrease in conformity rates. • Proximity to victim • Proximity to authority • Legitimacy of experiment • Location of experiment

• Overall, he ran 1000+ subjects across his experiments

• Proximity To Victim • As the “learner” becomes more salient, conformity decreases

• Proximity To Authority • As the “authority” becomes less salient, conformity decreases • “Absent” = Authority gives orders over the phone

• How do you make it easier for participants to disobey? • Make the victim closer (more salient) • Make the authority further away (less salient) !

• Making it easier to disobey is more effective than increasing desire to disobey

Core theme of social psychology:

The power of the situation!

Why was this ideal for obedience?• 1. Released From Responsibility

• Experimenter claims responsibility for outcome

• 2. Step-by-Step Procedure • Shock only goes up 15V each time • “Slippery Slope”

• 3. Lack Of Practice Disobeying Authority • Most participants tried to end the experiment at some point,

but weren’t effective • Most people don’t have practice being bold against authority

• Important to note...

• Almost all of the participants pointed out that the learner was suffering.

• Many participants did say, out loud, that they refused to continue.

• Humans are not awful, I promise!

• A final word on Milgram, from your textbook...

• “This distinction [between failing to stop the experiment and not wanting to stop] is critical. Most of us have had the experience of having good intentions but being unable to translate those intentions into effective action. We wanted to speak up more forcefully and effectively against racist or sexist remarks, but we were too slow to respond or the words didn’t come out right. Or we have wanted to reach out to those who are ignored at social gatherings but were distracted by all that was going on and our own social needs. Most of us can relate to being good-hearted but ineffective, but not to being uncaring.”

Obedience: Summary• Milgram experiments

• People obey authority, even when they don’t want to

Chapter 9 Summary• Conformity

• Changing behavior in response to explicit/implicit pressure • Informational (Sherif) & Normative (Asch)

• Obedience • Submitting to demands from a more powerful person • Milgram experiments

• Compliance • Responding favorably to explicit requests from others • Reason-Based, Emotion-Based, and Norm-Based

Top 10 Things To Know

• Conformity vs. Compliance vs. Obedience

• Autokinetic Effect • Know the Sherif study!

• Foot-In-The-Door vs. Door-In-The-Face vs. That’s-Not-All

• Informational vs. Normative Social Influence

• What are the different factors that influence conformity?

• Public Compliance vs. Private Acceptance

• Mood & Compliance

• Descriptive vs. Prescriptive Norms

• Reactance Theory

• Milgram Experiments • What do they say about

increasing/decreasing obedience? • What do they have in common

with the foot-in-the-door technique?

SOCIAL INFLUENCE (Psych 201 - Chapter 9 - Spring 2014)

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