Social Influence
To prepare for this discussion, please read Chapter 8 of your textbook (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Feenstra, 2013). In addition, read Milestones in the Psychological Analysis of Social Influence (Crano, 2000) and watch
Prudential: Everybody’s Doing It (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.(2013). Finally, review Instructor Guidance and Announcements. In this discussion, you will consider social influences on your own behavior. Be sure to use your own academic voice (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. and apply in-text citations (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. appropriately throughout your post.
- Consider your own social behavior and the various normative and informational social influences you encounter in everyday life. Then, complete the following activities.
- Appraise your behavior. For 24 hours, keep a log of every behavior in which you engage that is due to conformity or obedience.
- Select one of the following:
- Choose one mundane behavior from your log that is based on a social norm. Violate this norm. Be sure you are not breaking any rules or laws or putting yourself at risk in any way. Here is a link to a number of examples, but feel free to come up with your own (or google search for additional ideas): http://www.radford.edu/~jaspelme/social/examples_of_norm_violations.htm (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
- Spend 24 hours living “A Day of Nonconformity”, living each minute as uninfluenced as possible (without infringing on the rights of others). Strive to be your true, unfettered self.
- Examine your social influence log and your experience living a day of nonconformity/violating a social norm. Include the following in your summary:
- To what extent is your everyday behavior shaped by social influence?
- How do people react when you do not conform/obey? What factors influence people to follow?