Understanding Normative and Informational Social Influence:

Understanding Normative and Informational Social Influence:

Normative and Informational Social Influence are two key concepts in social psychology that explain why people conform to the behavior or beliefs of others.

Normative Social Influence

• Definition: Conforming to be liked or accepted by a group.

• Driven by: The desire for social approval and fear of rejection.

• Examples:

• Laughing at a joke you don’t find funny because everyone else is laughing.

• Dressing a certain way to fit in with a peer group.

• Key Feature: Public compliance without necessarily changing internal beliefs.

Informational Social Influence

• Definition: Conforming because you believe others have accurate information.

• Driven by: The desire to be correct, especially in ambiguous or unfamiliar situations.

• Examples:

• Following a crowd during an emergency because you assume they know what to do.

• Accepting a peer’s answer in class because you think they’re more knowledgeable.

• Key Feature: Private acceptance — your beliefs actually change.

Comparison

Feature Normative Influence Informational Influence Motivation Need for approval Need to be right Type of conformity Public compliance Private acceptance Situations Social pressures Ambiguous/uncertain scenarios Lasting change in belief? Often temporary Often lasting

Shervan K Shahhian