Social Influence Lesson 4

Starter Answer the two scenario questions on page 10 of your booklets about why people conform How often do people look at their friends when they vote for something with their hands up? Would you trust someone else's answer more than your own when you haven't revised very hard for a test?

Fill in the blanks Use the textbook (page 166-167) to fill in the blanks about normative and informational social influence You should also make notes about the findings from the studies mentioned in your booklets

Normative Social Influence Informational Social Influence

Normative Social Influence Why do people conform? Evaluation Normative Social Influence Going along with the majority as you want to fit in and be liked (you don’t really accept their view). This is otherwise known as compliance. This is due to the human need to be accepted and fear of rejection. Garandeau and Cillessen (2006) have shown how groups which have low quality interpersonal friendships are easily manipulated by a bully to victimise another child, thus creating a common goal and pressure to comply. Normative social influence has been used to change attitudes in hotel guests towards reusing towels. Schultz et al. (2008) gathered data from 132 hotels and 794 rooms of guests staying for one week. Some rooms were given a door hanger telling them the benefits of reusing towels (control group). One group had the same environmental message and were informed “75% of guests reuse their towel every day” (experimental group). Those guests with the NSI message reduced towel usage by 25%!

Informational Social Influence Why do people conform? Evaluation Informational Social Influence Going along with the others because they believe the majority to be right. We don’t just comply publicly, but change our view privately too. This is otherwise known as internalisation. Wittenbrink and Henly (1996) found that when individuals were given negative comparison information about African Americans (which they were told was the view of the majority) they later reported more negative views about a black target individual. Fein et al (2007) supported ISI in political opinion. Participants saw what they thought were others’ reactions to a US presidential candidate debate. This produced large shifts in participants’ judgements of the candidate's performance showing how ISI can shape opinion. ISI can be used to explain some strange behaviours. Jones et al (2000) studied a case of mass psychogenic illness in a Tennessee school in 1998. A teacher noticed a petrol-like smell in her classroom, she then complained of headache, nausea and dizziness. The school was evacuated. 80 students and 19 staff were treated at the local hospital. An exhaustive investigation was conducted for this ‘illness’ but no cause was ever found. This would be a case of inappropriate informational influence.

Normative or Informational? Mark has just started a new job. At lunchtime, some of his colleagues started talking about immigrants to this country, expressing the view that they were lazy scroungers and didn’t deserve to be here. Mark’s parents were immigrants and he disagreed with what his colleagues were saying, but he didn’t say anything to them. He just kept quiet and nodded occasionally.

Normative or Informational? Jenny is in her first year at university. When she first arrived she became friends with a group of women who had been at school together. They were all vegetarian and very concerned with animal rights. Midway through the year, Jenny is also becoming concerned with issues like scientific testing on animals. Additionally, she now only eats free-range meat and is thinking of stopping eating meat altogether.

Normative or Informational? It is Surita’s first day in her new teaching job. Her placement schools were each very different in how the staff interacted with the pupils. One was very formal, the other more relaxed. Surita isn’t sure about her new school so, when everyone is going into assembly, she watches her colleagues carefully to see how they interact with the children. They all seem to be smiling and talking to the pupils in a welcoming manner, so Surita decides that she will behave similarly.

Practice Questions Josie, Hana and Caitlyn have just started new jobs and all three are keen to do well. Josie laughs a lot at the jokes her colleagues tell, even though she does not always find them very funny. Hana observes her colleagues closely and makes sure that she completes the work in the same way that they do, so that she does not make any mistakes. Caitlyn prefers to learn through trial and error. She believes that by trying and by making mistakes, she will really understand what she is doing. Which girl’s behaviour is being influenced by normative social influence and which girl’s behaviour is being influenced by informational social influence? Justify both choices. (6 marks)

Mark Scheme

Practice Questions Outline and evaluate explanations of conformity. (8 marks)

AO1 Knowledge and understanding Mark Scheme AO1 Knowledge and understanding AO2 Application of knowledge and understanding 4 marks Accurate and reasonably detailed Accurate and reasonably detailed answer that demonstrates knowledge and understanding of explanations of conformity. There is appropriate selection of material to address the question. 4 marks Effective evaluation Effective use of material to address the question and provide informed commentary. Effective evaluation of explanations 3 marks Less detailed but generally accurate Less detailed but generally accurate explanation that demonstrates relevant knowledge and understanding. Partial performance: only one explanation but in detail. 3 marks Reasonable evaluation Material is not always used effectively but produces a reasonable commentary. Reasonable evaluation of explanations. Partial performance; if only one explanation is evaluated then the evaluation is effective. 2 marks Basic Basic explanation that demonstrates some relevant knowledge and understanding but lacks detail and may be muddled. Partial performance: only one explanation; less detailed but generally accurate. 2 marks Basic evaluation The use of material provides only a basic commentary. Basic evaluation of explanations. Superficial consideration of a restricted range of issues and/or evidence. Partial performance; if only one explanation is evaluated then the evaluation is reasonable. 1 mark Very brief/flawed or inappropriate Very brief or flawed explanation demonstrating very little knowledge. Selection and presentation of information is largely or wholly inappropriate. 1 mark Rudimentary evaluation The use of material provides only a rudimentary commentary. Evaluation of research is just discernible or absent. 0 marks No creditworthy material.