Chapter 7: Social Influence
Dr. M. Davis-Brantley
Social Influence
Why we behave the way we choose to behave?
Social Norms, Social Conformity
Ex: Walking on the street in the nude
Social influence is the area of social psychology that studies the ways in which people influence the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of other people
Persuasion
How are individuals persuaded to alter their behaviors, thoughts, feelings, beliefs, etc…
Emotional Appeal a type of persuasive communication that influences behavior on the basis of feelings that are aroused instead of rational analysis of the issues
Ex: Clergymen to the congregation
Book Ex: Jonathan Edwards famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (Fear)
Fear of dying or aging in advertisements
Persuasion
Two primary ways to use persuasion to get others to change their behaviors or beliefs
Central Route is a route of persuasion that stimulates thoughtful consideration of the arguments and the evidence
Peripheral Route is a route to persuading others that associates objects with positive or negative cues
Ex: Advertising—Lebron James & Thirst (Sprite) All beef patties, special sauce, special cheese, pickles, onions, on a sesame seed bun (Big Mac)
Persuasion
Effects of familiarity and repetition
Researchers found that repeated exposure to images, people, etc… enhances their appeal
The more complex the stimuli, the more likely it is that frequent exposure will have favorable effects
Persuasive Communication
Who do we trust and why?
Persuasive communicators are characterized by expertise, trustworthiness, attractiveness, or similarity to their audiences
Ex: Doctors, athletes, models, etc…
Persuasive Communication
What happens when we hear something that conflicts with our beliefs?
Selective avoidance is when one diverts her/his attention from information that is inconsistent with one’s attitudes
Selective exposure is deliberately seeking and attending to information that is consistent with one’s attitude
Persuasive Techniques
Good mood—important because we are less likely to examine information carefully when we are feeling good
Foot-in-the-door technique a method used for inducing compliance in which a small request is followed by a larger request
Telemarketers “Just a few minutes”
Low-balling a method in which extremely attractive terms are offered to induce a person to make a commitment. Once a commitment is made, the terms are revised
Obedience and Authority
Why are soldiers able to follow orders without question even to the point where they can kill others?
Psychologist Stanley Milgram (Yale, 1963) attempted to find out
Milgram Experiment (1963)
Study on the effects of punishment on learning
Enlisted 40 men aged 20-50 years old
Teachers, engineers, laborers, etc…
Thought they were participating in a study on learning and memory
Milgram Experiment (1963)
Each experiment was composed of a “teacher” and a “learner”
The “learner” was strapped into a chair as part of the experiment and often would object
The teacher (participant) would enter another area of the room where they wouldn’t be able to see the learner
In this room was an “Aggression Machine” with sophisticated gadgets and turn knobs marked with 15 to 450 volts
Labels described 28 of 30 knobs from “Slight Shock” to “Danger: Severe Shock”
The last 2 levers were simply labeled “XXX”
So that the teacher would know how the electric shock felt, the scientist would give the participant (teacher) a sample 45 volt shock
Milgram Experiment (1963)
The “Aggression Machine” was used to punish the learner if he did not complete the task properly
The learner’s task was to learn a pair of words
The teacher would read pairs of words
After hearing the list once, the learner would have to produce the word that was paired with the stimulus word
He would do so by pressing a switch that would signify his choice from a list of four alternatives
If the answer was correct, the learner could move on to the next task
If the answer was incorrect, the teacher would administer a shock to the learner

Milgram Experiment (1963)
The teacher was told that the shocks would not cause any “permanent tissue damage”, although it would be extremely painful
The learner would answer questions correctly initially; however, when they would get some wrong the teacher would administer mild shock with mild concern
The learner would continue to make mistakes and would continue to be shocked at increased levels
The teacher would look to the experimenter and the experimenter would tell the participant to continue on and inform them that the experiment requires them to move on
At 300 volts the learner would pound and yell and the teacher was told to continue
At some point the learner would stop answering and just scream and the teacher was told to continue
Milgram Experiment (1963)
Milgram found that although the participants were disconcerted he discovered that most of them would continue to comply and go beyond 300 volts
Only 5 men refused to continue on
Milgram was able to replicate the experiment with college students and women
FYI the teachers did not actually shock a learner it was completely simulated and the learner was just a confederate (researcher)
Milgram Experiment (1963)
Why was this able to happen?
Propaganda where people to be victimized are often degraded as being subhuman (Nazi)
Socialization-people are socialized from early childhood to obey authority figures
Lack of Social Comparison-inability to compare yourself to the victim
Perception of Legitimate Authority-influence of the reputation and authority of the setting
Foot-in-the-door technique-once the person started participating, may have found it progressively difficult to pull out of the situation
Conformity
To Conform is to change one’s attitudes or behaviors to adhere to social norms
Social Norms are explicit and implicit rules that reflect social expectations and influence the ways people behave in social situations
Explicit rules include those that are often turned into rules and laws such as whispering in a library
Implicit rules are those that are unspoken such as facing the front of the elevator after we enter it and being “fashionably late” to a party
Conformity: Asch Study
Solomon Asch (1952) studied conformity
Recruited individuals who thought they were participating in a study of visual discrimination
Subjects were placed in a room with 7 other subjects
There are 2 cards with lines on them
Chart A: One Line
Chart B: Three Lines (one of equal length to the line on Chart A)
75% of participants agreed with the majorities wrong answer at least once

Factors that influence conformity
Belonging to collectivist rather than an individualistic society
Desire to be liked by other members of the group
Low self-esteem
Social shyness
Lack of familiarity with the task
Deindividuation
The process by which group members may discontinue self-evaluation and adopt group norms and attitudes
Factors that lead to deindividuation include;
Anonymity, diffusion of responsibility, arousal due to noise and crowding, and focus on emerging group norms rather than own values
Ex: Angry Mobs
Altruism and Helping Behavior
Altruism is the unselfish concern for the welfare of others
Exist among all animals and most humans
Humans have been known to sacrifice their well-being for the survival of others (children)
Primates have been known to suicidally attack a leopard to give the others the opportunity to escape
On the other hand: Bystander Effect is the tendency to stand by and do nothing when others are in need
Ex: Kitty Genovese
Altruism and Helping Behavior
What determines likelihood we will help those in need?
Good mood
Empathy—those who feel the distress of others or feel concern for them
If there is the belief that an emergency exists
Responsibility

Green apples design template
Chapter 7: Social Influence
Dr. M. Davis-Brantley
Social Influence
Why we behave the way we choose to behave?
Social Norms, Social Conformity
Ex: Walking on the street in the nude
Social influence is the area of social psychology that studies the ways in which people influence the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of other people
Persuasion
How are i

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