1Social Influence:Obedience & CompliancePsy 240; Spring 2006Purdue UniversityDr. Kipling WilliamsPsy 240: Williams 2Classic Studies• Milgram’s obedience experiments2Psy 240: Williams 3What Breeds Obedience?• Escalating Commitment• Emotional distance of thevictim• Closeness and legitimacy ofthe authority• Institutional authority• The liberating effects ofgroup influence© Stanley Milgram, 1965, From the film Obedience, distributed by the Pennsylvania State UniversityPsy 240: Williams 4Reflections on the ClassicStudies• Behavior and attitudes• The power of the situation• The fundamental attribution error3Psy 240: Williams 5Social Impact TheoryLatané, 1980Multiplication DivisionSocial InfluenceSocial InfluenceHave I got a dealfor you…4Psy 240: Williams 7Defining Social InfluenceDefining Social Influence••People affecting other people.People affecting other people.••ConformityConformity: Do what others are doing (without the: Do what others are doing (without theothers trying to get you to do it!)others trying to get you to do it!)••Social inhibitionSocial inhibition: Stopping doing something you: Stopping doing something you’’ddnormally do because others are present.normally do because others are present.••ComplianceCompliance: Getting you to do something you: Getting you to do something youwouldnwouldn’’t have done otherwiset have done otherwise••ObedienceObedience: Ordering others to behave in ways they: Ordering others to behave in ways theymight not ordinarily domight not ordinarily do••Excellent book and reference:Excellent book and reference:– Cialdini, R. (1996). Influence (4th edition). HarperCollinsCollege Publishers.Psy 240: Williams 8Weapons of influenceWeapons of influenceUseful metaphors…• Click, Whirr…– these weapons work best on us when weare on “auto-pilot” - not processing themessage carefully.• Jujitsu– Compliance professionals get you to dotheir work for them…they provide theleverage, you do the work5Psy 240: Williams 9Six weapons of influenceSix weapons of influence• Reciprocity• Commitment and consistency• Social proof• Liking• Authority• ScarcityPsy 240: Williams 10• The not-so-freesample• Reciprocal concessions (“door-in-the-face”)large request first (to which everyone wouldsay “no”) followed by the target request.• Unequal reciprocity (25¢ for $2.00)Free hot dogs and balloonsfor the little ones!Weapon #1: Reciprocity6Psy 240: Williams 11Weapon #2: Commitment andWeapon #2: Commitment andConsistencyConsistency• Low-balling (growing legs onwhich decision stands)• Telemarketers learn not tobreathe• “Foot-in-the-door”small request (to which everyonewould say “yes”) followed by thetarget requestJust start filling outthe paper work, and I’llgo get the “greenlight” from the boss…[later]Oh…I’m sorry...Psy 240: Williams 12Weapon #3: Social ProofWeapon #3: Social Proof• Conformity• Laugh-tracks, claqueurs• Bystander “apathy”– Kitty Genovese attack, 1964• But also social inhibition• Jonestown– Mass suicide, 1978This is the most popularcar in Indiana. Everyone’sbuying one7Psy 240: Williams 13Weapon #4: LikingWeapon #4: Liking• We like (and comply) withpeople who (say they) likeus…and to those who aresimilar to us…and to thosewho are attractive…• We feel obligated to those welike because we don’t wantthem to start disliking us (wedislike relational devaluation).• Flattery gets you everywhere.You’re my kind of people;I like you!Psy 240: Williams 14Weapon #5: AuthorityWeapon #5: Authority• Blind obedience to authority– Milgram, 1960-1963• Status signifies expertise• Clothes make the dealI’ve been selling for 40 years,so I know what I’m talking about…You’ll never get a better deal8Psy 240: Williams 15Weapon #6: ScarcityWeapon #6: Scarcity• Commodity theory: Aneconomic principleapplied to psychologicalvaluation--what is scarceis more valuable• Also, scarceness impliessocial proof“This is the last one on the lot”“Sale ends tomorrow”Psy 240: Williams 16How to stop yourself fromHow to stop yourself fromautomatic automatic social influencesocial influence• THINK!• Understand how and why the tactic is working.• Ask yourself: Do I really want to do this or am Idoing it to please someone else?• Wait for a couple hours. If the desire goes away,you probably don’t need it.• Point out the compliance tactic to the