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Social Influences on Behavior

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Social Influences on Behavior
Donnie Toms
PSY 200
Feb 24 2013
Dr. Hawkins

Social Influences on Behavior
Introduction
Everybody has their normal day to day life, whether that is going to work, going to school, staying at home, or doing whatever that day. Most of us have some type of social interaction on a daily basis and depending on what your day consist of dictates the type of social influences around us. We all have our own thoughts, feelings and actions, but when we are around other people those same thoughts, feelings and actions could be different. When you are at work the atmosphere is professional and work related, but if you are out with friends having some fun the atmosphere is more party like. The change in social influences dictates our behavior and what we deem to be appropriate. Social influence is defined as “the process wherein one person's attitudes, beliefs, or behaviors are changed as a result of interaction with another individual or with a group” (Stavrositu 2011).
Social Behaviors There are various types of social behaviors that people exhibit depending on the influences around us. These influences can be conformity, the act of matching our attitude, beliefs and behaviors with a group of people. Conformity is when we would adapt what the culture deems normal and include that into our daily lives even when alone. Peer pressure is the influence put on us by a peer group or any individual to change our attitude, beliefs, or behaviors. Peer pressure is most common in children and the influences they are under at school. There is also obedience which is where a person will yield to instructions or orders from authority. Obedience was used by Hilter to get the Nazi’s to kill innocent people; it was considered the norm to follow orders. Leadership is a social influence in which a person is able to recruit the support of others

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