Social Impact Theory Overview

Questions and Answers

Who proposed social impact theory?

Latane, 1981

What is social impact theory?

A model that conceives of influence from other people as being the result of social forces acting on individuals.

What are the 3 laws of behavior?

Social Force 2. Psychosocial Law 3. Divisions of Impact

Explain the 3 laws of behavior.

<ol> <li>Social Force creates pressure for behavioral change. 2. Psychosocial Law indicates the first source of influence has the most significant effect. 3. Divisions of Impact spread social force among individuals.</li> </ol> Signup and view all the answers

What is the diffusion of responsibility?

Being part of a large group reduces feelings of responsibility and may lead to decreased obedience. Signup and view all the answers

What is the light bulb effect?

The impact of adding light bulbs diminishes after the initial increase. Signup and view all the answers

What is the multiplier effect?

The higher the strength, immediacy, and number, the higher the social impact. Signup and view all the answers

Why is the theory significant?

It underlies Milgram's obedience study, expands on Social Identity Theory, illustrates features of Social Approach, and explains prejudice. Signup and view all the answers

Compare agency theory and social impact theory.

Agency Theory focuses on obedience as a learned behavior, while Social Impact Theory explains obedience in groups. Signup and view all the answers

What are the strengths of social impact theory?

Mathematical formula for objectivity, ability to predict behavior, applicable to everyday life, and observable in experiments. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Proposed by Bibb Latané in 1981.
Describes how social forces influence individual behavior, similar to physical forces affecting objects.
Conformity and obedience increase with strengthening factors: strength, immediacy, and number of influencers.

Three Laws of Behavior

Social Force: The pressure to change behavior; success leads to social impact. Influences include persuasion and threats.
- Formula: i = f(SIN) where S = Strength, I = Immediacy, N = Numbers.
- Strength: Credibility and authority of the influencer.
- Immediacy: Proximity and recency of the influence.
- Numbers: Greater number of influencers increases pressure.
Psychosocial Law: The initial source of influence has the most significant impact; subsequent sources exert less influence (referred to as the "light bulb effect").
Divisions of Impact: Social force gets dispersed among the target group. More targets result in less pressure on each individual, a concept known as diffusion of responsibility.

Key Concepts

Diffusion of Responsibility: Larger groups reduce individual accountability and likelihood of obeying orders.
Light Bulb Effect: The impact of adding additional sources of influence diminishes as more are added.
Multiplier Effect: Higher strength, immediacy, and number collectively lead to greater social impact.

Theoretical Significance

Underlies Milgram's obedience study, crucial for understanding social influence.
Expands on Social Identity Theory, introducing in-group and out-group dynamics.
Highlights the influence of social pressures on seemingly personal decisions.
Provides insights into prejudice and its reduction within social psychology.

Comparative Analysis

Agency Theory: Focuses on obedience; explains why we obey authority without exploring broader contexts.
Social Impact Theory: Addresses obedience within group dynamics and explains variability in obedience while overlooking individual situational differences.

Strengths of the Theory

Utilization of a mathematical equation lends objectivity and allows for valid predictions concerning social impact.
Model effectively predicts behavior under specific conditions; observable in real-life scenarios.
Experimental evidence supports the influence of strength, immediacy, and number on behavior.

Description

Explore the foundational concepts of Social Impact Theory proposed by Bibb Latané. This quiz delves into how social forces influence individual behavior and the key laws governing these interactions. Understand factors like strength, immediacy, and number of influencers that affect conformity and obedience.