PERSUASION SOCIAL INFLUENCE COMPLIANCE GAINING Robert H Gass

PERSUASION SOCIAL INFLUENCE & COMPLIANCE GAINING Robert H. Gass & John S. Seiter

Chapter 6 Conformity and Influence in Groups

CONFORMITY Norms: expectations governing group members’ behavior – Norms may be formal, explicit § no cheating on tests – Norms may be informal, implicit § not picking your nose during class – Norms may not be apparent until violated § Is texting during class okay? S_L/Shutterstock. com

GROUP SIZE The larger the group, the more pressure to conform Social Impact Theory the 1 st person added has the most impact diminishing impact for each additional member Social Impact Model the 3 rd, 4 th members have the most impact ASDF_MEDIA/shutterstock. com

GROUP SIZE--continued Informational influence; wanting to be right Normative influence; wanting to be liked, accepted ▪ Expressing dissent – Difficult for a lone dissenter to hold out – A 2 nd dissenter decreases conformity by 80% Anatoliy Karlyuk/Shutterstock. com

CULTS AND INDOCTRINATION ▪ Stages of cult conversion – Softening up stage; unconditional positive regard, love-bombing – Compliance; extracting concessions, altering habits, clothing – Internalization; confession, guilt, shaming – Consolidation; dependence, loyalty tests

IDENTIFICATION AND CONFORMITY ▪ Burke’s concept of identification; shared meaning, shared goals ▪ Reference group; groups we respect, admire, identify with ▪ Ethnocentrism : assuming one’s own culture is the standard for judging other cultures ▪ Groupthink: tendency to engage in consensus seeking – Failure to question or challenge the group’s opinion – Need for someone to play devil’s advocate

COMMUNICATOR CHARACTERISTICS & CONFORMITY ▪ Sex and gender: females are socialized to get along ▪ Status: higher status individuals can violate norms more easily ▪ Peer pressure: teens value acceptance, fitting in ▪ Personality factors affect conformity – Need for control – High vs low self monitors ▪ Culture: individualistic vs collectivistic cultures

SOCIAL PROOF ▪ Social proof; relies on normative social influence ▪ Others’ behavior is used as a yardstick for how to behave ▪ Fads, trends, jumping on the bandwagon, etc. Ink Drop/Shutterstock. com

OSTRACISM ▪ Groups may shun or exclude deviant members ▪ Forms of ostracism – silent treatment – left out, uninvited – bullying ▪ Effects of ostracism – reduced self-esteem – resentment – reprisals Syda Productions/Shutterstock. com

DEINDIVIDUATION Deindividuation refers to a loss of self-awareness in groups – may remove disinhibitions – may encourage rule-breaking behavior ▪ vandalism ▪ soccer hooligans – may lead to mob psychology ▪ lynch mobs – Increasing private selfawareness can counter deindividuation

SOCIAL LOAFING Social loafing; reducing one’s effort when working in a group Explanations ₋ Collective effort model ₋ Free ride effect ₋ Sucker effect § To counter social loafing ₋Monitor individual performance ₋Set individual goals Romario. Ien/Shutterstock. com

RISKY SHIFT PHENOMENON Groups sometimes make risker decisions than individuals – group polarization: being in a group encourages people to take more extreme positions – social comparison theory: group members switch to riskier options to stand out – persuasive arguments theory: group members with extreme positions argue harder