Social influence is a condition when an individual's perception, behaviour or attitude can be changed or affected due to the potential influence of another (Raven, B. H.,1964). It is important to understand the power of social influences as they play a major role in the developing world and can dictate the direction society takes both short term and long term.~ By studying these influences, social psychologists can use this in a positive and constructive manner towards the betterment of the world. Society requires people to belong and fit in so as not to be a social outcast. Due to this individuals fall prey to various social influences like conformity, compliance and other group behaviours ( Baumeister, R.F. et al,1995). Through this essay
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Social facilitation and social loafing can be considered as two sides of a coin. Social facilitation is when the presence of an audience or group facilitates better performance and thus provides better individual results (Baxter, J. S. et al,1990), whereas social loafing has been described as when a group effort is put in, the individual slacks or does not put in enough effort as they are aware that the other members will pull the slack for them (Harkins S. G.,1987). Simply put social loafing is one's performance when others are present while social facilitation is one's performance in interacting groups. Triplett, N. (1898) had studied social facilitation extensively, in one such study he noted that children working with other children tend to reel in more fishing line due to the encouragement and support they provided each other. Also the children working alongside other children felt competitive and this made them push harder. The children reeling in fishing line alone did not have this facilitated behaviour and so did not reel in as much. Though it has to be kept in mind that the presence of others can be distracting as well and will not necessarily promote hard work. A study conducted by Petty, R. E et al (1977) explains this further, in the study students were split into three groups wherein the first group consisted of them working individually the next in groups of four and the last in groups of sixteen. These students were instructed to rate an editorial and a poem. The result of the study was found to be that those working individually had put in more effort than the individuals in groups. Further as the group size increased the social loafing behaviour among its members increased as well for they would not be found out easily as the ones who did not co-operate fully and put in their entire potential. Thus we can see that when the final effort is a
Social facilitation and social loafing can be considered as two sides of a coin. Social facilitation is when the presence of an audience or group facilitates better performance and thus provides better individual results (Baxter, J. S. et al,1990), whereas social loafing has been described as when a group effort is put in, the individual slacks or does not put in enough effort as they are aware that the other members will pull the slack for them (Harkins S. G.,1987). Simply put social loafing is one's performance when others are present while social facilitation is one's performance in interacting groups. Triplett, N. (1898) had studied social facilitation extensively, in one such study he noted that children working with other children tend to reel in more fishing line due to the encouragement and support they provided each other. Also the children working alongside other children felt competitive and this made them push harder. The children reeling in fishing line alone did not have this facilitated behaviour and so did not reel in as much. Though it has to be kept in mind that the presence of others can be distracting as well and will not necessarily promote hard work. A study conducted by Petty, R. E et al (1977) explains this further, in the study students were split into three groups wherein the first group consisted of them working individually the next in groups of four and the last in groups of sixteen. These students were instructed to rate an editorial and a poem. The result of the study was found to be that those working individually had put in more effort than the individuals in groups. Further as the group size increased the social loafing behaviour among its members increased as well for they would not be found out easily as the ones who did not co-operate fully and put in their entire potential. Thus we can see that when the final effort is a