The social influence occurs when a person’s emotions, opinions or behaviors are affected by others. Social influence takes many forms and can be seen in conformity, socialization, peer pressure, obedience, leadership, persuasion, sales and marketing. In 1958, Harvard psychologist Herbert Kelman identified three broad varieties of social influence.
The social influence
When faced with a persuasive message, the recipient can:
- Process the message rationally.
- Get carried away by heuristics.
For some authors like Allport, the social influence It is the central object of study of Social Psychology. Allport defines the study of social influence: An attempt to understand and explain the way in which the thoughts, feelings and behaviors of individuals are influenced by the real, imagined or implied presence of others. People intervene, sometimes as an influential agent, and other times as a target that receives the influence of other human beings. Influence is not always deliberate or explicit.
INTENTIONAL SOCIAL INFLUENCE OR PERSUASION
Through the processes of influence and persuasion, our affects, beliefs, attitudes, intentions and behaviors are shaped. The intention to influence is always aimed at achieving a change in the behavior of others, individuals or groups. Sometimes the goal is to achieve a specific behavior (to have breakfast prepared); other times, the aim is to influence attitudes (announcement of nature). Influence attempts can occur: In face-to-face processes. Through the media.
TYPOLOGIES IN THE STUDY OF INFLUENCE
DEPENDING ON THE OBJECTIVE of the agent of influence: a) Achieve a specific behavior in the receiver. b) Get him to change his attitudes to produce, in the long run, behavioral change. DEPENDING ON THE SCENARIO in which it takes place:
- Direct or face-to-face interpersonal communication: The interaction is bidirectional and dialectical. The agent of influence and his target intervene at the same time. The target of influence participates by imposing his own position.
- Direct communication aimed at an audience: One-way and little reciprocal interaction (rally). The target of influence can be expressed through reactions (applause, boos), but its influence on the agent of influence is less.
- Mass communication: There is no direct contact between the communicator and the audience. The influence is unidirectional.
The target can only influence by accepting or rejecting the medium of communication. Social psychology analyzes the psychological processes involved in interpersonal influence and the most effective influence tactics. It helps to better understand why people behave in certain ways, to defend oneself against manipulation and to gain experts in influence techniques.
Influence techniques
People use tactics when we want to influence.
ROBERT CIALDINI systematized all the observed influence techniques in relation to a series of psychological principles. Psychological principles are understood as basic and fundamental characteristics of the human being from which many social behaviors are derived, or that serve as a guide to act in different interaction situations. Since they are useful in interaction processes, it is easy for them to work when trying to trigger a certain response.
These tactics can be grouped, according to the underlying psychological principle, into 6 PRINCIPLES OF INFLUENCE: Reciprocity principle: “We have to treat others the way they treat us.” It is easier to convince those people who have previously been given a gift or done a favor to support our purposes.
Scarcity principle: “What is most difficult to achieve is valued.” Any opportunity seems more attractive to us the less affordable it is (due to its economic cost or the effort it entails). Social validation principle: Tendency to act as the people around us do. In most cases, it is usually appropriate to do what people similar to us do.
Sympathy principle: Tendency to do what people we like or love want. The greater the attraction that a person arouses, the greater the possibility they have of influencing. The principle of authority: Obligation to obey the one in command. Obedience, not only to legitimate authority, but also to the symbols associated with authority. Coherence principle: Importance of being consistent with previous actions and with previously acquired commitments
. Common characteristics of the previous principles:
- They are useful on most occasions.
- They are norms of coexistence that are highly valued socially.
- They are learned from childhood.
- They serve as a heuristic or cognitive shortcut to interpret and act quickly in a social situation.
- They are usually used by conviction professionals to achieve their purposes.
The fact that they are used as heuristics means that they cause automatic responses. This type of response has the advantage of saving time and mental capacity, and the disadvantage of increasing the possibility of error. Depending on the characteristics of the interaction, some principles work better than others.
The effectiveness of influence tactics depends on the influence agent using them in a manner appropriate to the situation and the people participating in the interaction. The joint use of more than one principle maximizes the possibilities of influence.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.