informational social influence
conformity because we do not know how to behave in a situation; others provide this information so we adopt their beliefs and behaviours
Informational social influence refers to the tendency of individuals to conform to the opinions or actions of others because they believe those others have more accurate knowledge or information about a particular topic or situation. In other words, people conform to the group’s behavior because they believe the group must have valid information.
This type of influence is more likely to occur in ambiguous or uncertain situations where an individual is unsure about how to behave or what decision to make, and when there is a discrepancy between the individual’s own beliefs or attitudes and the opinions or behaviors of others.
For example, if a group of coworkers in an organization are discussing a complex project, and one person seems to know a lot about the project, other coworkers may conform to that person’s ideas or plans because they believe that person has more accurate information. In such a situation, individuals may engage in informational social influence because they feel uncertain or lack the necessary knowledge about the project.
Overall, informational social influence can be a positive or negative thing, depending on the situation. In some cases, it can lead to better decision-making when individuals rely on more accurate and reliable sources of information. However, in other cases, it can lead to conformity to inaccurate or biased beliefs simply because the belief is shared by others.
More Answers:
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Understanding Internal Attribution: The Power of Personality in Explaining Behavior