Psyc 300 Ch7 Group Presentation

Ch. 7Social Influence

Group 2: Jessica, Molly, Desiree, Heather, Patrick

Social Influence

The area of social psychology that studies the ways in which people

influence the thoughts, feelings, and behavior of

other people

7.1 Persuasion:Of Hard Pushing,Soft Pedaling and You

Factors of Persuasion

Source Variables

•Credibility

•Likability

•Similarity

Message Variables

• One-sided vs. two-sided

arguments

•Repetition

Recipient Variables

•Intelligence

•Self-Confidence

•Mood

Persuasion

Elaboration Likelihood Model

Central Route involves careful consideration of the merits of the argument and of the evidence at hand

Peripheral Route involves persuasion by means of associating a persuasive message with cues that are peripheral to or to the side of the content or meaning of message

Elaboration Likelihood Model

High-Involvement Processing

Cognitive Responses

Belief & Attitude Change

Behavior Change

Low-Involvement Processing

Belief Change

Behavior Change

Attitude Change

Communication

(source, message, channel)

Attention & Comprehension

Central Route

Peripheral Route

The Persuasive Message

The more often we are exposed to a message the greater the likelihood we will evaluate it more favorably, but only up to a point.

Two-sided arguments

Emotional appeals

The Persuasive Message

The Persuasive Communicator

Characteristics:

Credibility

Likeability

Trustworthiness

Attractiveness

Similarity to their audiences

The Persuaded Audience

People with high self-esteem are more likely to resist social pressure then people with low self-esteem.

People who are anxious when interacting with others may be more easily persuaded than people who are more self-assured.

Study done by Schwartz and Gottman

Sales Ploys

The Foot-in-the-door Technique

Low-balling

Bait and Switch

Foot-In-The-Door

Low-Balling

Extremely attractive terms are offered to induce a person to make a commitment, after which the terms are revised.

Bait and Switch

The sales tactic of baiting customers with low priced but inferior merchandise and then switching them to a higher priced item of more acceptable quality.

7.2 Group Influences:Obedience, Conformity and Mob Behavior

Obedience to Authority

The Milgram Studies:

Why?

1. Propaganda

Used to dehumanize other groups

2. Socialization

We are socialized to obey authority figures

3. Lack of Social Comparison

Subjects did not have the opportunity to compare their ideas/feelings

Why?

4. Perception of legitimate authority Reputation of Yale may have been

overpowering

5. Foot-in-the-door Technique The further they went, the harder it was to stop

themselves

6. Inaccessibility of values Powerful emotions disrupt clear thinking

Why?

7. Buffers

The “learner” was in the other room

Conformity

Conform:

To change one’s attitudes or behaviors to adhere to social norms.

Social Norms:

Explicit or implicit rules that reflect social expectations and influence the ways people behave in social situations.

Conformity

Seven Line Judges Can’t Be Wrong, Can They? The Asch Study

Factors Influencing Conformity

Membership in a collectivist society

Desire to be liked by other members of the group

Low self-esteem

Social shyness

Lack of familiarity of the task

Also: group size and social support

Getting Mobbed: The Beast with Many Heads

The Lynching of Arthur Stevens

The Human Wave

Deindividuation The process by which group members

discontinue self-evaluation and adopt group norms and attitudes.

Diffusion of Responsibility The dilution or loss of individual responsibility

for behavior when members of a group act in unison.

7.3Altruism and Helping Behavior:Preventing the Social Fabric from Tearing

Altruism

Unselfish concern for the welfare of others.

The Bystander Effect

The tendency for bystanders to fail to act to help a person in need.

Bystander Intervention

Deciding to help… or not?

1. Recognize a need for help exists

2. Interpret the event as a clear emergency

3. Assume responsibility

4. Choose a way to help

5. Implement plan - Offer assistance

The Helper: Who Helps?

Other factors affecting helping behavior

Mood

Empathy

The Victim: Who is Helped?

Those we know

Those similar to us

Women vs. men

More baby-faced features

Race/ethnicity

Would You Help?

7.4 Becoming an Assertive Person:Winning Respect, Influencing People

Self Monitoring

Jot down brief descriptions of encounters that lead to negative feelings

The situation

What you felt and said/did

How others responded to your behavior

How you felt about the behavior afterward

Assertiveness

Assertive Behavior vs. Submissive or Aggressive Behavior

Confronting Irrational Beliefs: Do your own beliefs trigger unassertive or aggressive behaviors?

Women and Assertive Behavior: Problems caused by Early Socialization Messages

Assertiveness

Successfully Shy

Bernardo Carducci:

1. Minimizing self-consciousness

2. Relieving social pressure

3. Having something to say

4. Expanding your social network

5. Everybody benefits

Changing Irrational Beliefs

Modeling

Creating the new – Well, almost new –You

Behavioral Rehearsal:

Practice makes much better

Review

Social Influences:

Persuasion

Group Influences

Altruism and Helping Behaviors

Becoming and Assertive Person