AS Level Psychology Notes: Social Influence
1. Introduction to Social Influence
Social influence refers to the ways in which individuals change their behavior to meet the
demands of a social environment. It encompasses conformity, obedience, and minority
influence, among others.
2. Conformity
Definition
Conformity is a type of social influence where individuals adjust their behavior or beliefs to
align with group norms.
Types of Conformity (Kelman, 1958)
1. Compliance:
• Publicly agreeing with the group while privately disagreeing.
• Temporary and shallow.
• Example: Laughing at a joke you don’t find funny because everyone else is
laughing.
2. Identification:
• Adopting the behavior of a group because you value membership.
• Example: Dressing similarly to your peers.
3. Internalization:
• Genuinely adopting the group’s beliefs or behavior.
• Permanent and deep.
• Example: Changing your religious or political views after discussions.
Explanations for Conformity (Deutsch and Gerard, 1955)
1. Normative Social Influence (NSI):
• Conforming to be liked or accepted by the group.
• Example: Wearing fashionable clothes to fit in.
2. Informational Social Influence (ISI):
• Conforming because you believe others have more knowledge.
• Example: Agreeing with the majority in a quiz because they seem confident.
3. Studies on Conformity
Asch’s Line Experiment (1951)
• Aim: Investigate conformity in unambiguous situations.
• Method:
• Participants were shown lines of different lengths and had to match them to a
target line.
• Confederates (actors) gave incorrect answers.
• Results:
• 75% conformed at least once.
• Participants conformed 32% of the time on average.
• Conclusion:
• People conform to avoid social rejection (NSI).
Criticisms of Asch’s Study
1. Lacks ecological validity: Artificial task and setting.
2. Ethical issues: Deception about the true nature of the study.
3. Cultural bias: Conducted in the 1950s USA, a time of high conformity.
4. Obedience
Definition
Obedience is following a direct order from an authority figure.
Milgram’s Obedience Study (1963)
• Aim: Investigate obedience to authority.
• Method:
• Participants were instructed to give electric shocks to a “learner” (actor) for
incorrect answers.
• Shocks increased in intensity.
• Results:
• 65% administered the maximum shock of 450V.
• Participants showed signs of distress but continued.
• Conclusion:
• Ordinary people are likely to obey authority figures, even if it causes harm to
others.
Factors Affecting Obedience
1. Proximity:
• Obedience decreases when the authority figure is farther away.
2. Location:
• Prestige of the setting influences obedience.
• Example: Milgram found lower obedience in a run-down office compared to a
university.
3. Uniform:
• Authority figures in uniform elicit higher obedience.
Criticisms of Milgram’s Study
1. Ethical concerns:
• Deception: Participants believed they were harming someone.
• Psychological harm: Participants experienced stress and guilt.
2. Lack of ecological validity: Lab setting is artificial.
5. Minority Influence
Definition
Minority influence occurs when a smaller group persuades the majority to adopt their views.
Moscovici’s Study (1969)
• Aim: Investigate the effect of a consistent minority on the majority.
• Method:
• Participants viewed slides of blue shades.
• Confederates consistently called the slides green.
• Results:
• 8% of participants conformed to the minority.
• Conclusion:
• Consistency is key for minority influence.
Factors That Enhance Minority Influence
1. Consistency:
• Repeatedly presenting the same view strengthens influence.
2. Commitment:
• Demonstrating dedication, such as personal sacrifice, gains attention.
3. Flexibility:
• Being adaptable and reasonable rather than rigid.
6. Social Change
Definition
Social change refers to significant shifts in societal norms and values over time, often driven
by minority influence.
Steps in Social Change
1. Drawing attention: Highlighting the issue (e.g., protests).
2. Consistency: Repeatedly presenting the same argument.
3. Deeper processing: Encouraging the majority to think critically about the
issue.
4. Augmentation principle: Sacrificing for the cause demonstrates commitment.
5. Snowball effect: Minority influence grows until it becomes the majority view.
6. Social cryptomnesia: Society forgets how the change occurred but adopts the
new norm.
Example of Social Change: Civil Rights Movement
• Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. used consistent, non-violent protests to
draw attention to racial inequality.
7. Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment (1971)
Aim
To investigate how individuals conform to social roles in a simulated prison environment.
Method
• Participants were randomly assigned roles of prisoners or guards.
• A mock prison was created in Stanford University’s basement.
Results
• Guards became abusive, enforcing harsh punishments.
• Prisoners showed signs of stress and anxiety.
• The experiment was terminated after 6 days instead of 2 weeks.
Conclusion
• People quickly conform to social roles, especially if they align with societal
expectations.
Criticisms
1. Ethical issues:
• Lack of informed consent about the psychological risks.
• Participants experienced harm.
2. Demand characteristics:
• Participants may have acted in ways they thought were expected.
8. Comparing Conformity and Obedience
Aspect Conformity Obedience
Definition Changing behavior to align Following direct orders from
with a group authority
Reason Need for acceptance (NSI) Respect for authority figures
or accuracy (ISI)
Example Dressing like friends Following a teacher’s
instructions
Summary
Social influence plays a crucial role in shaping behavior, whether through conformity,
obedience, or minority influence. Key studies like those of Asch, Milgram, and Zimbardo
highlight the power of social forces, while theories of minority influence and social change
demonstrate how society evolves. Understanding these concepts helps explain both
everyday interactions and large-scale societal transformations.
