Three kinds of social influence
Compare the influence of a group, a request and an authority’s instruction.
The picture in words
- Conformity
- Going along with a group.
- Compliance
- Agreeing to a request.
- Obedience
- Following an authority’s instruction.
Reading the illustration
These concepts can overlap. Attend to the group expectations, request or role of authority in each example.
Try a question
What makes the notebook-sharing scene an example of compliance?
Show the explanation
One peer makes a request and another agrees to it. The request is the key feature of that example.
Read the sources
- Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020). Psychology 2e. OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/12-4-conformity-compliance-and-obedienceSelected introductory passages inspected