The Influence of Others
What you must understand
This domain examines how the presence, expectations and actions of others shape individual cognition and behaviour. You must understand social cognition (person perception, attribution, the fundamental attribution error, self-serving bias, attitudes and cognitive dissonance). Know conformity research (Asch's line-judgement studies: normative versus informational influence; factors such as group size, unanimity and task ambiguity) and obedience (Milgram: proximity, legitimacy, gradual escalation, and the ethical issues raised). Understand compliance techniques and the difference between conformity, compliance and obedience. Study group processes: social facilitation and loafing, deindividuation, group polarisation, groupthink and bystander behaviour (diffusion of responsibility). Know prejudice and discrimination, including in-group/out-group bias, stereotyping and contact-based reduction strategies, and be able to discuss ethical standards in social psychological research.
Traps in questions
Questions blur conformity, compliance and obedience: conformity is yielding to group norms, compliance is agreeing to a direct request, obedience is following an authority command. Normative influence is about belonging; informational influence is about being right - do not swap them. Students often overstate Milgram's findings as proof that people are naturally cruel; the studies showed situational power and gradual commitment. Another trap is confusing the fundamental attribution error (over-attributing others' behaviour to disposition) with the self-serving bias (attributing one's own successes internally and failures externally). In bystander questions, always distinguish noticing, interpreting and taking responsibility.
Rule of thumb
Identify who is exerting influence, what form it takes (norm, request, command) and what situational factors increase or decrease it before evaluating any study.
Worked example: In Asch's studies, a participant agrees with an obviously wrong majority. Because the task is unambiguous, this is best explained by normative influence - the desire to avoid standing out.