Social Influence & Interpersonal Attraction –
Comprehensive Psychology Study Guide 2026 |
Compliance, Norms & Relationship Dynamics|A+
Graded
Injunctive social norm
What behaviors are approved or disapproved of by others.
Descriptive Social Norm
How people actually behave in given situations, regardless of whether it is approved or
disapproved of by others.
Compliance
Responding favorably to an explicit request by another person.
Norm of reciprocity
When someone does something for you, it obligates you to do something back.
Christmas card study
Randomly selected 200 names to send Christmas card-87% returned a card.
Door-in-the-face technique
Large request followed by smaller request-creates pressure to comply with second smaller
request.
Zoo example
Counseling first-50% yes, no counseling question 17%.
Foot-in-the-door technique
Small initial request followed by a second larger request.
Cupboard example
Survey first then ask about analyzing.
That's-not-all technique
When the initial deal gets sweeter.
, Obedience
Following the demands of someone who is higher in social power than oneself.
Tragic side of obedience
Were participants in 20th century genocides all sadist or psychopaths?
Obedience drops when
Authority prox- Experimenter in different room.
Interpersonal Attraction
The attraction between individuals that can lead to friendships or romantic relationships.
Propinquity effect
The more we see and interact with people, the more likely they are to become our friends.
Functional Distance
Aspects of architecture design that make it more likely some people will encounter each other
more often than others.
Mere exposure
The more you are exposed to something, the more you tend to like it.
Initial attraction
Similarity-we like people who are like us.
Matching hypothesis
We become involved with people who are like us (in attractiveness).
Reciprocal liking
We like people who like us.
Dissimilarity in attitudes
Attentional biases to attractive faces.
Universals in attractiveness
In men: strong jaw, broad shoulders.
Facial attractiveness
Comprehensive Psychology Study Guide 2026 |
Compliance, Norms & Relationship Dynamics|A+
Graded
Injunctive social norm
What behaviors are approved or disapproved of by others.
Descriptive Social Norm
How people actually behave in given situations, regardless of whether it is approved or
disapproved of by others.
Compliance
Responding favorably to an explicit request by another person.
Norm of reciprocity
When someone does something for you, it obligates you to do something back.
Christmas card study
Randomly selected 200 names to send Christmas card-87% returned a card.
Door-in-the-face technique
Large request followed by smaller request-creates pressure to comply with second smaller
request.
Zoo example
Counseling first-50% yes, no counseling question 17%.
Foot-in-the-door technique
Small initial request followed by a second larger request.
Cupboard example
Survey first then ask about analyzing.
That's-not-all technique
When the initial deal gets sweeter.
, Obedience
Following the demands of someone who is higher in social power than oneself.
Tragic side of obedience
Were participants in 20th century genocides all sadist or psychopaths?
Obedience drops when
Authority prox- Experimenter in different room.
Interpersonal Attraction
The attraction between individuals that can lead to friendships or romantic relationships.
Propinquity effect
The more we see and interact with people, the more likely they are to become our friends.
Functional Distance
Aspects of architecture design that make it more likely some people will encounter each other
more often than others.
Mere exposure
The more you are exposed to something, the more you tend to like it.
Initial attraction
Similarity-we like people who are like us.
Matching hypothesis
We become involved with people who are like us (in attractiveness).
Reciprocal liking
We like people who like us.
Dissimilarity in attitudes
Attentional biases to attractive faces.
Universals in attractiveness
In men: strong jaw, broad shoulders.
Facial attractiveness
