Types of Social Influence to Know for Human Social Behavior I

Social influence shapes how we think and act in various situations. Understanding conformity, obedience, compliance, and other forms of influence helps us grasp human behavior in social contexts, revealing how group dynamics impact our decisions and actions.

1. Conformity

   • The act of changing one's behavior or beliefs to match those of others.
   • Often occurs in response to real or imagined group pressure.
   • Can be influenced by factors such as group size, unanimity, and the presence of a dissenter.

2. Obedience

   • A form of social influence where an individual follows direct commands from an authority figure.
   • Often studied through experiments, such as Milgram's shock experiments.
   • Can lead to actions that conflict with personal morals or ethics.

3. Compliance

   • A change in behavior in response to a direct request from another person.
   • Can occur even when the individual does not agree with the request.
   • Techniques to elicit compliance include foot-in-the-door and door-in-the-face strategies.

4. Social facilitation

   • The tendency for individuals to perform better on tasks in the presence of others.
   • More pronounced for simple or well-learned tasks.
   • Can lead to increased arousal and motivation when being observed.

5. Social loafing

   • The phenomenon where individuals exert less effort when working in a group compared to working alone.
   • Often occurs in larger groups where individual contributions are less identifiable.
   • Can be mitigated by increasing accountability and making tasks more engaging.

6. Groupthink

   • A mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a group leads to poor decision-making.
   • Members suppress dissenting viewpoints and prioritize consensus over critical analysis.
   • Can result in flawed outcomes and a lack of creativity.

7. Peer pressure

   • The influence exerted by a peer group to encourage conformity to group norms.
   • Can lead to both positive and negative behaviors, such as adopting healthy habits or engaging in risky activities.
   • Often stronger during adolescence due to the desire for acceptance.

8. Persuasion

   • The process of changing someone's beliefs, attitudes, or behaviors through communication.
   • Involves various techniques, including emotional appeals, logical arguments, and credibility of the source.
   • The effectiveness of persuasion can depend on the audience's motivation and ability to process information.

9. Normative influence

   • A type of social influence that leads individuals to conform to group norms to be accepted or liked.
   • Often results in public compliance without private acceptance of the group's beliefs.
   • Stronger in situations where social approval is highly valued.

10. Informational influence

    • Occurs when individuals conform because they believe others possess more accurate information.
    • Often leads to private acceptance of new beliefs or behaviors.
    • Common in ambiguous situations where individuals are uncertain about the correct response.