Social Influence Chapter 7

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Social Influence Chapter 7

• How do group members influence one anothers
  opinions

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Overview

• Group Polarization
• Risky Shift
• Cautious Shift
• General Social Influence Theories
• No Social Influence (social decision schemes)
• Opinion Expression (social comparison)
• New Information (persuasive arguments)
• Opinion Expression and New Information
• Structurational Theory (group discussion)
• The Valence Model
• Universal Social Influence Theory
• Threshold Levels
• General Propositions Conclusions

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Critical Background Information

• Focus shifts from group structure (e.g. power
  conformity deviance) to process (social
  influence and group interaction).
• Natural (bona fide) groups vs. contrived (zero
  history) groups
• Effects of Social Influence how do individual
  opinions somehow become transformed into one
  group decision

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Social Influence Defined

• Social influence is the process by which group
  members influence one anothers opinions.
• Researchers posit that the process of social
  influence is part of the overall process that a
  group uses to formulate a decision based on the
  members opinions.
• Choice dilemmas involve two options
• Attractive Outcome only some probability of
  success (risky choice).
• Less Attractive Outcome will definitely succeed
  (safe or cautious choice).

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Group Polarization

• Prediscussional Opinions impact on Possible
  Outcomes (Decisions)
• All members have the same opinion.
• Some group members tend toward risk and some tend
  toward caution.
• All group members are on one side either risk or
  caution.
• Risky Shift eventual decision is riskier than
  the mathematical average would predict.
• Cautious Shift when groups make more cautious
  decisions than individuals.

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Risky Shifts Explained

• Diffusion of Responsibility
• Dont worry about possible negative consequences
  because group can diffuse responsibility for the
  decision.
• Familiarization
• Anxiety about possible consequences of a risky
  decision decreases as people become familiar with
  choice dilemma.
• Leadership Theories
• Focus is on how specific members influence groups
  (power conformity deviance)
• Value Theory
• Individuals take more chances in the presence of
  others than they would take alone.

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Group Polarization

• Are group decisions usually more extreme than the
  individual members prediscussion judgments
• The study of group polarization can lead to a
  general theory of social influence in groups.
• Choice dilemmas help scholars examine and
  theorize about group polarization and group
  polarization helps them look at social influence.

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General Social Influence Theories

• No Social Influence (social decision schemes)
• Opinion Expression (social comparison)
• New Information (persuasive arguments)
• Opinion Expression and New Information
• Structurational Theory (group discussion)

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1 - Group Decisions WITHOUT Social Influence

• Social influence is NOT important in group
  decision making.
• Groups come to their decisions by combining
  prediscussional opinions.
• Conclusions are based solely on an arithmetic
  average.
• SOCIAL DECISION SCHEMES rules that groups use
  to combine individual members decisions into a
  group decision
• Majority Model
• NOT a good explanation of the process by which
  groups make decisions!

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2 - Social Influence from Opinion Expression

• Social influence happens when group members
  listen to one another express opinions about the
  available options.
• Social influence occurs because people want to
  agree with the majority.
• Learning about other peoples opinions is enough
  to bring about social influence.
• Deliberation is important.
• Social comparison approach valence of risk
• Viable but INCOMPLETE (does not explain WHY the
  group polarization effect occurs.

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3 Social Influence From New Information

• Social influence is important in the
  decision-making process.
• Group members talk about their opinions during
  meetings and establish advantages and
  disadvantages of each option.
• Group uses the members new opinions to help it
  decide on the best option.
• Group members REQUIRE new information before
  social influence can occur.
• Persuasive Arguments Approach
• Hidden Profile Effect risky arguments remain
  hidden.

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4 Social Influence from Opinion Expression AND
New Information

• Combined Social Comparison / Persuasive Arguments
  
• BOTH opinion expression and new information can
  affect the opinions of group members.
• Social influence is a result of two aspects of
  group interaction
• Social comparison process that leads to biased
  group discussion.
• New (but often biased) information that group
  members learn from one another when they discuss
  the options.
• What members think BEFORE group discussion is
  importantearly opinions and arguments predict a
  groups decision.
• Input-Process-Output Model of Group Discussion
• Social comparison theory combines with persuasive
  arguments theory to account for group
  polarization.
• Good SUPPORTING EVIDENCE to Support Proposal
• Ability to explain social influence in general.

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5 Social Influence from GROUP DISCUSSION

• Group discussion itself has a larger role in the
  influence process
• Structurational Theory
• When people come into groups they already have
  opinions about what they like best.
• What HAPPENS during group discussion is of utmost
  importance.
• Members initial opinions may relate only
  slightly to their final opinions.
• FOCUS on CONTENT of group discussion (not on
  prediscussional opinions) to predict outcomes
• Cannot explain why participants bring up new
  arguments any better than persuasive arguments
  theory.
• Should group discussion be given such a large
  role in the social influence process

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The Valence Model

• All proposals in groups have levels of
  acceptability which group discussion both
  governs and reflects.
• Positive and Negative Evaluations of Ideas
• Thresholds of Acceptability

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Social Influence Conclusions

• No single theory about group polarization is
  absolutely successful.
• Valid theories regarding group decision making
  must account for two (2) propositions
• Individual opinions are most important group
  decisions are primarily a result of the opinions
  of group members.
• Individual opinions CHANGE as a result of group
  discussion (social learning).

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Summary

• Group Polarization
• Risky Shift
• Cautious Shift
• General Social Influence Theories
• No Social Influence (social decision schemes)
• Opinion Expression (social comparison)
• New Information (persuasive arguments)
• Opinion Expression and New Information
• Structurational Theory (group discussion)
• The Valence Model
• Universal Social Influence Theory
• Threshold Levels
• General Propositions Conclusions

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Coming Soon

• GROUP DECISION MAKING
• The study of GROUP PROCESS
• GROUP STRUCTURE