Social Influence

and
Health Behaviour I

HS1209 Health Psychology

Learning Outcomes
• Define social influence and its different types, and describe its
link to health behaviour.
• Discuss why and when individuals conform.
• Discuss the idea of minority influence and explore its utility in
influencing health behaviour.
• Describe bases of social power and compliance techniques.
Social Influence
Social Influence and Health Behaviours

Adherence Change/adopt
Types of Social Influence

conformity obedience
compliance
Conformity

• The tendency to change one’s

beliefs or behaviours in ways that
are consistent with group standards.

• Conform to obtain acceptance and

social harmony.
 Normative
Conformity - Example influence

• Imagine a doctor suggest to

I want to be
administer a certain amount of liked.
dosage of medicine to a patient and
all the other nurses agree as well.
Although you have your doubts, Informational
you did not question them, but influence

decide to go with the majority’s

I want to be
decision. right.
When Do People Conform?

Commitment
Group size to group

Desire for
Group
individuation
unanimity
When Do People Conform?
• Group size
• Conformity usually increases as the size of the majority
increases – at least up to a point.

• Compare your likelihood of conforming when you are with 1

friend who loves to exercise versus when you are with 5
friends who love to exercise.
When Do People Conform?

• Group unanimity
• As unanimity increases, conformity increases.
• As long as the unity is broken, conformity can be broken.
• Amount of trust reduced  reduce individual’s reliance
• Self confidence of judgment strengthened
• Reluctance to appear deviant
When Do People Conform?
• Commitment to the group
• Commitment refers to all the forces, positive and negative,
that act to keep an individual in a relationship or group.
• The stronger the commitment, the greater the likelihood of
conforming.
• The desire for individuation
• The stronger the desire for individuation, the less the person
will conform and vice versa.
Conformity increases when

Group
size Commitment
to group

Desire for
Group
individuation
unanimity

Increase Decrease
Conformity - Minority Influence
• A forceful minority with a new idea or unique perspective can
effectively change the position of the majority.

• When one person dissents, the influence or conformity drop to

one fourth the usual level.
Conformity - Minority Influence
Logically
consistent,
Effectiveness not too General
depends on rigid climate of
society

Minority’s Similarity to
majority Single
behavioural
minority
style
Issue not
relevant to Double
majority minority
Conformity
Ashley is in a group of friends where there are smokers (majority) and non-
smokers (minority). Those who smoke are convincing and encouraging the
non-smokers to smoke. Some of the non-smokers are wavering.

1. What do you think Ashley may do? Explain your answers using the
factors influencing conformity (the “why” and “when”).
2. Using what you’ve learnt in minority influence, what do you think Ashley
can do?
Compliance

• Defined as doing what we are asked

to do, even though we might prefer
not to.

• The distinguishing feature of

compliance is that we are
responding to a request from
another individual or group.
Compliance
Six bases of social power
• Reward
• Coercion
• Expertise
• Information
• Referent power
• Legitimate authority
Compliance
6 bases of Explanation Example
power
Reward Provide or promise You will get to go out for a walk if you take the
positive outcome. medicine.
Coercion Provide or threaten You won’t get your phone if you don’t eat your
negative outcome. medicine.
Expertise Have special knowledge The doctor knows what is the best med for you,
or ability. so you should take it.
Information Persuasive content of If you don’t stop smoking, your cancer will worsen
message. and you will spend more money on treatment.
Referent Power Identify with or want to be An overweight person who identifies with the
like another image of a model.
person/group.
Legitimate The influencer’s right to Doctor to nurse, “Give this injection to the patient
Authority make a request. now.”
 What are some other
examples of conformity or
compliance seen in the
healthcare setting or relating to
health behaviours?
References
Taylor, S.E., Peplau, L.A., & Sears, D.O. (2005). Social
psychology (12th ed.)

[Author removed at request of original publisher]. (2015, October

27). Principles of social psychology. Principles of Social
Psychology. https://open.lib.umn.edu/socialpsychology/. (This
is an ebook, free access)