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

2. Chapter 6
Conformity and Influence in Groups

3. Norms: expectations governing group members’ behavior
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?
Rosseli, F., Skelly, J. J., & Mackie, D. M. (1995). Processing rational and emotional messages: The cognitive and affective mediation of persuasion. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 31, 163–190.
Statistics Brain, Dec 7, 2013
Berger, A. A. (2011). Ads, fads, and consumer culture (4th ed.). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
Jones, J. P. (2004). Fables, fashions, and facts about advertising. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
S_L/Shutterstock.com

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

5. 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 2nd dissenter decreases conformity by 80%
Anatoliy Karlyuk/Shutterstock.com

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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 self- awareness can counter deindividuation

12. 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
RomarioIen/Shutterstock.com

13. 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