Discover the foundations of social influence, exploring how individuals' thoughts, feelings, and behaviours are shaped by others. Learn about conformity, where people adjust their behaviour to align with group norms; obedience, where authority figures influence actions; and minority influence, where a smaller group can create significant social change. Understanding these concepts reveals the power of social dynamics in everyday life.

Explore the types of conformity in social psychology, including internalisation, where beliefs change both publicly and privately; identification, where individuals conform to fit into a group they value; and compliance, where behaviour changes publicly but not privately. Understanding these distinctions helps explain how and why people conform in different social situations.

Discover the explanations for conformity, including informational social influence (ISI), where individuals conform because they believe others have more knowledge, and normative social influence (NSI), where people conform to fit in and avoid social rejection. Understanding these processes sheds light on how group dynamics shape behaviour.

Explore the variables affecting conformity, as demonstrated by Asch’s research, including group size, where larger groups increase conformity up to a point; unanimity, where the presence of a dissenting confederate reduces conformity; and task difficulty, where increased difficulty leads to higher conformity due to informational social influence. Understanding these factors helps explain when and why people conform.

Explore Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment, a groundbreaking study on conforming to social roles. This controversial experiment demonstrated how individuals adapt to assigned roles of prisoners and guards, leading to extreme behavioural changes. The findings highlight the power of situational influences in shaping behaviour and the dangers of unchecked authority.

A BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO MILGRAM’S OBEDIENCE STUDY

Delve into Stanley Milgram’s controlled observation on obedience, designed to investigate how far individuals would go in following orders from an authority figure. Learn about agency theory, which explains obedience through the shift between the autonomous and agentic states. Explore key variations in his research, including the role of proximity, location, and uniform, and consider the ethical criticisms and real-world implications of his findings on obedience to unjust authority.

THE DISPOSITIONAL EXPLANATION FOR OBEDIENCE: THE AUTHORITARIAN PERSONALITY

Adorno's Authoritarian Personality theory offers a dispositional explanation for obedience, suggesting that certain personality traits make individuals more likely to obey authority. Developed through the F-Scale (Fascism Scale), this psychodynamic perspective argues that strict upbringing and harsh parenting lead to repressed hostility, which is later displaced onto weaker groups. Discover how this theory contrasts with situational explanations of obedience and its implications for understanding societal authoritarian tendencies.

EXPLANATIONS OF RESISTANCE TO SOCIAL INFLUENCE: SOCIAL SUPPORT AND LOCUS OF CONTROL

Why do some individuals resist conformity and obedience, even when pressured by authority or the majority? Social support provides an ally, making it easier to stand against group pressure. Locus of control (Rotter, 1966) also plays a role—those with an internal locus of control believe they control their fate and are more likely to resist social influence, while those with an external locus of control feel controlled by external forces and are more likely to conform or obey. Explore the psychology behind resistance and real-world applications of these theories.

Minority influence plays a crucial role in shaping societal change by challenging the status quo. For a minority to be persuasive, they must demonstrate consistency, commitment, and flexibility. Research by Moscovici (1969) highlights how a consistent minority can sway the majority over time, leading to deep-rooted attitude changes. This process is key in historical movements, from civil rights to environmental activism, where small groups have successfully influenced mainstream beliefs.

Social influence processes are central to social change, where minority groups challenge dominant norms and shift societal attitudes over time. Minority influence, as demonstrated by Moscovici (1969), shows that a consistent and committed minority can gradually persuade the majority. Social cryptoamnesia occurs when people adopt new views but forget their origins, while the snowball effect describes how small changes gain momentum until they become widespread. Real-world examples include civil rights movements and shifts in attitudes toward climate change, highlighting the power of conformity, obedience, and minority influence in transforming society.

This section contains questions to test your understanding of social influence, including conformity, obedience, and minority influence.