(a) A argument sets forth only the favorable aspects of a given attitude.(b) An appeal bypasses reason and logic.
(c) Food and jokes sometimes facilitate attitude change by influencing the of
an audience.Answers: (a) one-sided; (b) emotional; (c) mood.Conformity and Social Influence: Reacting to Other People
If you are invited to a formal dinner party, how do you know which fork to pick
up for the shrimp cocktail and which fork to use for the green salad? One way to
find out is to wait until two or three people have started eating. Then simply do
what they do. It is safe in this situation to conform to what others do.
A familiar proverb recommends: “When in Rome do as the Romans do.”
Again, the basic idea is that there is safety in conformity.
Conformityin social behavior exists when one individual makes an effort
to match his or her behavior to the behavior of other members of a reference
group. Conformity is at odds with the need for autonomy. Autonomyexists
when one individual takes voluntary action that may or may not conform to
group behavior. Autonomy is represented in expressions such as: “I’m going to
do it my way,” “I’ve got to take my own pathway,” or “I’m determined to think
for myself.”
In order to have law and order as well as an organized society, it appears nec-
essary to have some degree of social conformity. Total lack of conformity suggests
public chaos. From the point of view of the family, school, religious organization,
military organization, and similar groups, it is necessary that individuals display
prosocial behavior,behavior that fosters the long-run interests of a given group.
Antisocial behavior,on the other hand, undermines the long-run interests of a
group.(a) in social behavior exists when one individual makes an effort to match his
or her behavior to the behavior of other members of a reference group.
(b) behavior fosters the long-run interests of a given group.Answers: (a) Conformity; (b) Prosocial.Certain factors play a significant role in determining behavior that encourages
an individual to conform to the behavior of a given group. First, the perceived
ambiguityof a situation makes social influence more effective. Social influence
is the impact on one person’s thinking and perception that arises from the behav-254 PSYCHOLOGY