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Understanding Social Impact Theory
Jan 6, 2025
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Lecture Notes: Social Impact Theory
Introduction
Social Impact Theory
: An alternative theory to agency theory to explain obedience.
Important for understanding obedience in psychology, especially in scenarios and comparisons with agency theory.
Origins and Concepts
Proposed by Bibb Latané
in 1981.
Suggests influence from others acts as social forces on individuals, similar to physical forces on objects.
Predicts that conformity or obedience increases with:
Strength
: Importance of the influencing person or group.
Immediacy
: Proximity of the influencer.
Number
: Number of people in the influencing group.
Mathematical Model
Formula
: [ f = S \times I \times N ]
S
for Strength,
I
for Immediacy,
N
for Number.
Greater values in these factors lead to higher impact on obedience.
Key Concepts
Strength
: Influence depends on the status and authority of the influencer.
Immediacy
: Physical proximity enhances influence.
Number
: More people equals more influence up to a point (Psychosocial Law/Light Bulb Effect).
Additional members past a certain point make little difference.
Psychosocial Law (Light Bulb Effect)
Influence increases with more group members but levels off.
Demonstrated through a study with confederates looking up at a building, showing diminishing returns in influence.
Divisional Effects
Influence is divided among group members.
Smaller groups or individuals are more easily influenced than larger groups.
Supporting Studies
Milgram and Latané's Study (1969)
: Examined how confederates influenced passersby.
Found that influence levels off with increased numbers.
Milgram's Variation
: Showed decreased obedience with rebellious peers in the room.
Comparisons with Agency Theory
Agency Theory
: Milgram's theory explaining obedience as an evolutionary and social trait.
Describes obedience but not why it occurs in specific instances.
Social Impact Theory
:
Explains obedience and conformity with social forces.
Lacks explanation for individual differences in obedience.
Cannot account for people resisting influence in large groups.
Evaluation of Social Impact Theory
IMPACT Acronym
:
I
: Individuals are passive receivers.
M
: Ignores individual differences.
P
: Predicts behavior in unusual circumstances.
A
: Application of principles is observable in everyday behavior.
C
: Cannot predict outcomes in situations with equal opposing groups.
Applications
Useful in understanding behavior in settings like schools and workplaces.
Helps in strategizing to increase or decrease obedience.
Limitations
Does not explain outcomes with equal opposing groups, such as rival sports teams.
Fails to account for all situational or personality differences affecting obedience.
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