Nomative & Informational Influence

Social Psychology

1. Normative &
Informational Influence

2. Warm-Up:
While you watch the upcoming video,
answer the following question:
WHY do the test subjects stand up?
Come up with as many reasons as you
can think of.

3. Video

4. 2 Types of Conforming
Influences:
Going along with the group
so they will like you.
Sometimes you change your
actions to match the group
even though you do not
agree with them.
Going along with the group
because you think they
know more than you do. You
change your own beliefs or
attitudes because you think
that the group is right.
Normative
Influence
Informational
Influence

5. 2 Types of Conforming
Influences:
Normative
Influence
Informational
Influence
Example:
Your friends tell you
that your favorite pair
of shoes are not
fashionable anymore.
You had no idea, so
thank them for letting
you know!
Example:
Your friends tell you that
your favorite pair of shoes
are not fashionable
anymore. Even though you
still like them, you stop
wearing the shoes so the
group thinks you are cool.

6. Normative Influence
Going along with the group
so they will like you.
Sometimes you change your
actions to match the group
even though you do not
agree with them.
Example:
Your friends found a
new band that they
like. You don’t like this
band, but you say that
you do and listen to
the music to please
your friends.
Desire for belonging often
causes normative influence.
We don’t like the feeling of
being different or isolated
from others:
“When I saw
everybody
stand up I felt
like I needed
to join them,
otherwise I’m
excluded.”

7. Normative Influence: When does it happen?
1.When the group size is 3 or more.
2.When the group members are important
(when they are family, friends, or people we
love, respect, or admire).
3.When we have low-self esteem or fear of
rejection/isolation.
4.When the group seems to unanimously
agree.

8. Going along with the group
because you think they
know more than you do. You
change your own beliefs or
attitudes because you think
that the group is right.
Example:
It’s your first day at a
new school and you
don’t know all the
rules yet. No one here
runs in the halls, so
you don’t run either.
Informational Influence
In some situations, we are
uncertain about how to think
or act. We use the behavior
of others to help us figure
out what is going on in the
situation. We conform
because we see others as a
source of information.
“Why are you
standing up?”

9. Informational Influence: When does it happen?
1.When we think other people are experts.
2.When we feel unsure about something or
the answers are unclear.
??

10. In group 2, researchers
showed test subjects
the picture of a criminal
for 30 seconds.
In group 1, researchers
showed test subjects
the picture of a criminal
for 5 seconds.
Informational Influence: When does it happen?
Experiment Hypothesis: “If test subjects feel
uncertain, they will be more susceptible to
informational group influence.”

11. Informational Influence: When does it happen?
Researchers made a police line-up where the suspects looked very
similar. A group of actors took turns choosing the wrong criminal, and
then the researchers asked the test subject which one was the
criminal. Test subjects in group 1 followed the group and chose the
wrong answer more often then test subjects in group 2.

12. Informational Influence: When does it happen?
When we feel unsure about something.
When the answers are unclear.
The longer the test subjects got to see the picture of the criminal, the
less likely they were to follow the group and choose the wrong answer.
Thus, uncertainty causes people to rely on others for information.

13. Video

14. Elevator Experiment
1.The subject says, “I was confused because
normally people face the door when they stand
in an elevator, but I turned around because
everyone else was doing it, and I didn’t want to
go against them. I didn’t want to draw attention
to myself.” …What type of social influence is it?
Normative Social Influence
- or -
Informational Social Influence?

15. Elevator Experiment
2.The subject says, “When I got in the elevator I
wondered why everyone was facing backwards.
I’ve never been in this building before, so I
thought we might be in one of those elevators
with doors on both sides, so I faced the same
direction as everyone else.” …What type of social
influence is it?
Normative Social Influence
- or -
Informational Social Influence?

16. What Type of Influence?
You go to a play and really hate it,
but at the end, everyone in the
crowd gives a loud standing
ovation. You stand up and clap too.

17. What Type of Influence?
Even though
it’s
impractical,
plastic bag
tops are the
most popular
new fashion
trend this
year. You
wear one
because you
want to be as
cool as
everyone else.

18. What Type of Influence?
There are lots of restaurants on Main Street,
but only one has a giant line waiting outside.
You decide to go to the restaurant with the
long line because it must have the best food.

19. RESPOND
1.Describe a time when you changed your opinion,
attitude, or behavior because of normative
social influence.
2.Describe a time when you changed your opinion,
attitude, or behavior because of informational
social influence.