1. Introduction to Social Influence
Madiha Anas
Lecturer
Department of Applied Psychology
School of Social Sciences
Beaconhouse National University

2. Constructing Social Reality
What is a cult?
What is “mind control”?
What is the difference between
Subjective Reality
Objective Reality
What is “thought stopping”?
Technique to shut down critical thought

3. Documentary: Constructing Social Reality
Philip Zimbardo

4. How many times each day does someone try to influence you?
Most of us are on the receiving end of a large number of attempts at social influence
Efforts by others to change our attitudes, beliefs, perceptions, or behaviors
We are not passive targets
We try to influence all the time too

5. How many of you own something from one of these companies?

6. Social Influence: Conformity, Compliance, Obedience
Will you jump off the bridge too?

7. Social Influence Conformity  Compliance  Obedience 
changing behaviors to match the opinions or behaviors of others
Compliance 
changing behaviors under pressure from others
Obedience 
changing behaviors in response to direct order from authority

8. Goals of Social Influence
Choose correctly (competence)
Gain social approval
Maintain self-image

9. Gaining social approval
Similarity = Liking
Nonconformists often rejected – why?
Social Norms
Rules that tell us how we should or ought to act
Reciprocity  norm requiring that we repay others to the extent they have given to us
Ever felt uncomfortable when a stranger or acquaintance helped you (gave you something? a compliment?)

10. What influences our search for social approval?
Need for approval
May adopt group’s behavioral styles
Collectivism/Individualism
Rebelliousness
Not individualists, but competitors
Do the opposite of what others do
Ever had someone waiting to take your parking space?

11. What can we do to gain social approval?
Reciprocity
Attractiveness