Social Influence and Manipulation Tactics

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Questions and Answers

What does social influence primarily affect in individuals?

Group dynamics and social hierarchies

Only behaviors and actions

Attitudes, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors (correct)

Only thoughts and feelings

What is the primary characteristic of conformity?

Change in behavior due to personal choice

Change in behavior due to internal beliefs

Change in behavior due to authority figures

Change in behavior due to actual or imagined influence of others (correct)

In the Elaboration Likelihood Model, what is required for the central route of processing?

Acceptance of social norms without question

Sufficient information and time to consider options (correct)

Immediate emotional responses

Quick decisions based on heuristics

Which scenario best illustrates the peripheral route of persuasion?

Someone accepting a product recommendation based solely on a celebrity endorsement Signup and view all the answers

What outcome is likely when using the peripheral route to persuasion?

Temporary attitude change with low durability Signup and view all the answers

What is the main tactic of manipulation that involves deference to experts and authority figures?

Authority Signup and view all the answers

What effect does scarcity have in terms of perceived value?

Increases desirability Signup and view all the answers

In the context of reciprocity, how did participants respond after receiving a free Coke, according to Regan's study?

They bought more raffle tickets Signup and view all the answers

Which cultural context tends to experience higher feelings of indebtedness in response to favors?

Collectivist cultures Signup and view all the answers

What describes the 'door in the face' tactic in sales?

Providing a large request followed by a concession Signup and view all the answers

What effect does reciprocity via concessions aim to achieve?

To create a sense of owing a favor Signup and view all the answers

Why do people often comply automatically when they are familiar with a stimulus?

Heuristics take over their decision-making Signup and view all the answers

Which statement accurately describes how authority figures can manipulate individuals?

They can manipulate even when not real authorities Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary effect of sharing a birthday on compliance?

It increases the likelihood of compliance. Signup and view all the answers

What does the Chameleon Effect refer to in social interactions?

Unconscious mimicry of another's behaviors. Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential outcome of the Echo Effect?

A larger donation from the person being mimicked. Signup and view all the answers

Which personality trait is less affected by consistency and commitment?

Openness Signup and view all the answers

What is the first step in the Foot-in-the-Door tactic?

Asking for compliance with a small request. Signup and view all the answers

Why is consistency valued in human interactions?

It simplifies social expectations and reduces effort. Signup and view all the answers

What effect do similarities in dress style have on social participation?

They increase willingness to engage in activities like signing a petition. Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the low-ball tactic in marketing?

To attract customers with a good initial value before adding hidden costs Signup and view all the answers

What is one way consistency in actions impacts individuals?

It builds trust and predictability in relationships. Signup and view all the answers

What typically follows the bait and switch tactic?

The customer is offered a more expensive product instead Signup and view all the answers

How does social validation affect behavior according to the concepts presented?

It leads individuals to replicate others' actions when feeling uncertain Signup and view all the answers

In what scenario are collectivist personalities more influenced by social validation?

In group-oriented environments Signup and view all the answers

What is a key predictor of compliance according to the content provided?

Personal style, regardless of cultural influences Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of offering a larger favor before a smaller one?

It increases the likelihood of agreeing to the smaller favor. Signup and view all the answers

How can repeated exposure influence our feelings towards someone?

It increases our liking due to familiarity. Signup and view all the answers

What is one assumption made about physically attractive individuals?

They are likely to be regarded as experts. Signup and view all the answers

What is a factor that contributes to liking someone related to cooperation?

Working together increases positive feelings. Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'halo effect' in the context of physical attractiveness?

Believing attractive people have many other positive traits. Signup and view all the answers

Which heuristic helps people develop a preference for individuals with whom they share similarities?

The conditioning effect. Signup and view all the answers

How does physical attractiveness influence perceptions in advertising?

It correlates positively with trustworthiness. Signup and view all the answers

What is likely to happen when two people are similar in various social variables?

They are more likely to develop an instant bond. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Social influence is the effect that others have on our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
Conformity is the change in behavior due to the influence of others.
Obedience is the change in behavior due to direct orders from an authority figure.

Elaboration Likelihood Model

The Elaboration Likelihood Model explains how we process social influence using two routes: central and peripheral.
The central route requires careful consideration, motivation, and the ability to evaluate information.
- This leads to lasting attitude changes and more predictable behavior.
The peripheral route relies on heuristics (mental shortcuts) and automatic responses.
- It leads to less durable attitude changes.

Langer et al. (1978) - showed that people respond automatically to the word "because" regardless of the excuse given.

Tactics of Manipulation

All manipulation tactics rely on heuristics.
They influence attitudes by manipulating the mental shortcuts people use.

Authority

We defer to experts and authority figures to help us make decisions.
This is especially true when situations are ambiguous or we lack information.
People don't need to be real authorities to be seen as experts.

Scarcity

Rare items are perceived as more valuable.
Limited availability increases desirability, driving demand.
Phrases like "closing down sales" exploit scarcity, creating a sense of urgency.

Reciprocity

We feel compelled to repay others for gifts or favors.
Regan (1971) - found people bought more raffle tickets when they received a free Coke.
We repay favors, even to strangers, and often with a higher value than the original favor.

Collectivism vs Individualism

Hitokoto (2016) - found that collectivist cultures have stronger feelings of indebtedness than individualistic cultures.

Reciprocity vs Concessions

The door-in-the-face tactic involves a large request followed by a rejection.
- This then leads to a small request, which you are more likely to accept.
Cialdini et al. (1975) - showed this tactic was used in a study asking people to chaperone juvenile delinquents at a zoo.
The concession technique involves offering you a smaller favor instead of the larger one you initially requested.
- This makes you more likely to agree to the smaller favor.
Miller et al. (1976) - found that people are more likely to comply with the smaller request after being offered a larger one.

Liking

People are more likely to comply with those they like.
Regan (1971)- showed that liking someone leads to higher compliance rates.

Four Liking Heuristics

Contact and Cooperation - We like people we interact with more.
Conditioning and Association - We associate positive things with the people or objects we like.
Physical Attractiveness - We tend to view attractive people more favorably.
Similarity - We are drawn to people who share our characteristics.

Halo Effect

We assume that physically attractive people have other desirable qualities.
This leads to biases in our views of their intelligence, kindness, and social skills.
Clifford & Walster (1973) - found more attractive children were rated as brighter and more successful in school.

Conditioning and Association

Attractiveness can be associated with expertise and trustworthiness.
Praxmarer (2011) - discovered this correlation, finding that more attractive people in ads are believed more often.

Similarity

Heider (1958) - proposed that similar people tend to be attracted to one another.
Shared characteristics create a bond, making us more inclined to like someone.
Burger et al. (2004) - found that people with the same birthday were more likely to comply with a request.
Jiang et al. (2010) - confirmed that similarities improve positive attitudes.

Chameleon Effect

We unconsciously mimic others' body language, expressions, and speech patterns.
This helps build rapport and smooth social interactions.
Chartrand & Bargh (1999) - demonstrated that we mimic others without realizing it.

Echo Effect

Copying someone's speech patterns or paraphrasing their words can increase liking and compliance.
Van Barren et al. (2003) - found that echoing someone's speech can lead to larger donations.

Consistency and Commitment

People strive to be consistent in their actions, statements, and beliefs.
We value consistency and try to avoid appearing inconsistent.

Foot-in-the-door Tactic

A small request is made, followed by a larger request.
This is a powerful way to exploit our desire for consistency.
Freedman & Fraser (1966) - found that agreeing to a smaller request makes you more likely to agree to a larger one.

Low-Ball Tactic

A product is initially advertised at a low price.
However, hidden extras, not mentioned initially, increase the price.

Bait-and-Switch Tactic

A product is offered at a good price, but then becomes unavailable.
The consumer is then pressured to buy a more expensive or inferior substitute.

We look to others for cues about how to think, feel, and behave.
We are more likely to engage in behaviors if we see others doing them.
This is responsible for the bystander effect.
Guadagno et al. (2013) - showed social validation can increase tipping amounts.

Social validation effects are stronger when the person performing the behavior is similar to us.

Cultural Differences

Collectivist cultures emphasize group harmony and conformity.
Individualistic cultures value independence and self-reliance.

Collectivism vs Individualism and Influence

Collectivists are more likely to comply with social validation.
Individualists are more likely to comply based on their own past commitment or consistency.
Regardless of culture, personal personality style is a bigger predictor of compliance than culture alone.

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Description

This quiz explores the concepts of social influence, including conformity and obedience, as well as the Elaboration Likelihood Model. Understand how these theories explain behavior changes and the tactics used for manipulation. Dive into the psychological mechanisms behind influence and attitude change.