17.3 Social Influence on Cognitive Processes

Social norms shape our behavior through descriptive and injunctive norms, leading to conformity. Experiments like Asch's line judgment tasks reveal how group influence can alter perception, distort memory, and change attitudes, sometimes resulting in public compliance without private acceptance.

Groupthink and social loafing can hinder effective decision-making and productivity in groups. Meanwhile, minority influence can spark change, as seen in social movements. Social comparison theory explains how we evaluate ourselves by comparing to others, affecting self-esteem and attitude formation.

Social Influence and Group Dynamics

Influence of social norms

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• Social norms shape behavior through descriptive norms (common actions) and injunctive norms (expected actions)
• Conformity arises from informational influence (trusting others' knowledge) and normative influence (seeking acceptance)
• Asch's conformity experiments used line judgment tasks revealed factors affecting conformity (group size, unanimity)
• Conformity alters perception, distorts memory, and changes attitudes (misremembering event details)
• Behavioral consequences include public compliance without private acceptance (pretending to enjoy unpopular music)
• Pluralistic ignorance occurs when individuals falsely believe their private attitudes differ from the majority (college drinking culture)

Groupthink and social loafing

• Groupthink prioritizes harmony over critical thinking leads to poor decision-making (Bay of Pigs invasion)
• Janis's symptoms include illusion of invulnerability, collective rationalization, belief in inherent morality
• Groupthink results in incomplete alternative surveys, poor information searches, failure to examine risks
• Social loafing reduces individual effort in groups demonstrated by Ringelmann effect (rope-pulling experiment)
• Factors influencing social loafing: group size, task difficulty, individual identifiability
• Impact on group productivity and decision quality can be significant (brainstorming sessions, team projects)

Minority influence on groups

• Minority influence occurs when small groups affect majority beliefs or behaviors (environmental movements)
• Moscovici's blue-green slides experiment demonstrated minority influence on color perception
• Effective minority influence requires consistency in arguments, flexibility in approach, timing of dissent
• Conversion theory distinguishes between direct vs. indirect influence and latent vs. manifest change
• Social cryptomnesia leads to forgetting the source of minority-introduced ideas (technological innovations)
• Applications evident in social movements and innovation (civil rights movement, startup companies)

Role of social comparison

• Festinger's social comparison theory includes upward, downward, and lateral comparisons
• Self-evaluation maintenance model involves reflection process (basking in reflected glory) and comparison process
• Social comparison occurs in various domains abilities, opinions, emotions
• Effects on self-esteem and self-concept through assimilation effect (feeling similar) and contrast effect (feeling different)
• Influences attitude formation and change via reference groups and opinion leaders
• Social media intensifies constant comparison impacting mental health (Instagram, Facebook)
• Filter bubbles and echo chambers reinforce existing beliefs and attitudes (political polarization online)