Interpreting Influence [WLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4] [CLOs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
Social influence is pervasive. Understanding the mechanisms by which behavior is influenced can help you intentionally shape your own behavior as well as that of others, which may be beneficial in both your personal and professional life. In this discussion, you will consider various elements of social influence as they apply to a specific example.
Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, read Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 of your textbook. Then, complete the following:
- Imagine that you are hired as a consultant. You are responsible for providing relevant social psychological insight to a specific audience with the intent of preparing an intervention. Select a topic from the list of scenarios provided by your instructor to form the basis of your analysis. In your initial post,
- Describe the social psychological principles that explain the role of social influence in the example. Although not a comprehensive list, the following concepts may be appropriate to consider: type of influence, predictors of conformity, social norms, characteristics of the group, and so on.
- Evaluate relevant theory and research that address the social psychological variables involved in the scenario.
- Based on the insight above, develop an intervention plan that shows how various career professionals may integrate social psychological insight.
- Employ consideration of diverse populations and settings in your analysis.
Your initial post should include an explanation and analysis of social influence (500-word minimum). Structure your post using complete Body Paragraphs (Links to an external site.), and consider using headings to organize the various required components of the prompt. (See APA Style Elements (Links to an external site.) for guidelines regarding the use of headings in your writing.) Your initial post should reference, at minimum, one scholarly source in addition to the textbook. Additional Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources (Links to an external site.) are encouraged.
The following general suggestions may be useful as you craft your replies:
- Describe examples that further illustrate relevant social psychological concepts.
- Relate the content in your classmate’s post to that of your own or another’s initial contribution or reply.
- Provide supplementary sources or reference course material that adds additional insight.
- Ask clarifying or thought-provoking questions.
