social influence
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GC: n

S: UNICEF – http://www.unicef.org/cbsc/index_42352.html (last access: 23 April 2013); http://psychology.about.com/od/socialinfluence/ (last access: 2 September 2014).

N: 1. Social influence is the change in behavior that one person causes in another, intentionally or unintentionally, as a result of the way the changed person perceives themselves in relationship to the influencer, other people and society in general.
2. Three areas of social influence are conformity, compliance and obedience.

  • Conformity is changing how you behave to be more like others. This plays to belonging and esteem needs as we seek the approval and friendship of others. Conformity can run very deep, as we will even change our beliefs and values to be like those of our peers and admired superiors.
  • Compliance is where a person does something that they are asked to do by another. They may choose to comply or not to comply, although the thoughts of social reward and punishment may lead them to compliance when they really do not want to comply.
  • Obedience is different from compliance in that it is obeying an order from someone that you accept as an authority figure. In compliance, you have some choice. In obedience, you believe that you do not have a choice. Many military officers and commercial managers are interested only in obedience.

S: 1 & 2. http://changingminds.org/explanations/theories/social_influence.htm (last access: 23 August 2015)

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