Hans‐Peter Kohler
- Published in print:
- 2001
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199244591
- eISBN:
- 9780191596544
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199244596.003.0003
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Development, Growth, and Environmental
Utilizes new data gathered in South Nyanza District, Kenya, that includes egocentric social networks and measures of contraceptive prevalence among friends and investigates whether social learning or ...
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Utilizes new data gathered in South Nyanza District, Kenya, that includes egocentric social networks and measures of contraceptive prevalence among friends and investigates whether social learning or social influence constitutes the dominant mechanism through which social networks affect an individual's contraceptive decisions. This chapter argues that these mechanisms can be distinguished by analysing the density of the social network and its interaction with the proportion of contraceptive users among network partners. Our analyses indicate that in areas with high market activity, social learning is most relevant, whereas in regions with only modest market activity, social influence constitutes the dominant mechanism of how social networks affect women's contraceptive use. The chapter concludes with the development of a theoretical model of social interactions and fertility.Less
Utilizes new data gathered in South Nyanza District, Kenya, that includes egocentric social networks and measures of contraceptive prevalence among friends and investigates whether social learning or social influence constitutes the dominant mechanism through which social networks affect an individual's contraceptive decisions. This chapter argues that these mechanisms can be distinguished by analysing the density of the social network and its interaction with the proportion of contraceptive users among network partners. Our analyses indicate that in areas with high market activity, social learning is most relevant, whereas in regions with only modest market activity, social influence constitutes the dominant mechanism of how social networks affect women's contraceptive use. The chapter concludes with the development of a theoretical model of social interactions and fertility.
Herbert C. Kelman
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- May 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195300314
- eISBN:
- 9780199868698
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195300314.003.0002
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
This chapter distinguishes between conflict settlement, conflict resolution, and reconciliation. The chapter relates these three processes of ending conflict to the author's earlier work on social ...
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This chapter distinguishes between conflict settlement, conflict resolution, and reconciliation. The chapter relates these three processes of ending conflict to the author's earlier work on social influence (i.e., process of compliance, identification, and internalization). Five conditions that can help groups in conflict arrive at the difficult point of revising their identity so as to accommodate to the identity of the other are discussed.Less
This chapter distinguishes between conflict settlement, conflict resolution, and reconciliation. The chapter relates these three processes of ending conflict to the author's earlier work on social influence (i.e., process of compliance, identification, and internalization). Five conditions that can help groups in conflict arrive at the difficult point of revising their identity so as to accommodate to the identity of the other are discussed.
Peter Y. Medding
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195128208
- eISBN:
- 9780199854592
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195128208.003.0001
- Subject:
- History, History of Religion
This chapter presents a general approach to the development of personal identity, exploring the ways in which various group identities may be incorporated into the emerging personal identity of an ...
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This chapter presents a general approach to the development of personal identity, exploring the ways in which various group identities may be incorporated into the emerging personal identity of an individual. The approach is based on a conceptual model developed for the analysis of social influence and extended to the analysis of personal involvement in social systems. This model is not specifically addressed to identity formation, but it has some relevance to the development of identity both at the level of the individual and at that of the group — that is, both to personal and to national or ethnic identity. The chapter explores the implications of this model for identity formation at these two levels, with special reference to Jewish identity.Less
This chapter presents a general approach to the development of personal identity, exploring the ways in which various group identities may be incorporated into the emerging personal identity of an individual. The approach is based on a conceptual model developed for the analysis of social influence and extended to the analysis of personal involvement in social systems. This model is not specifically addressed to identity formation, but it has some relevance to the development of identity both at the level of the individual and at that of the group — that is, both to personal and to national or ethnic identity. The chapter explores the implications of this model for identity formation at these two levels, with special reference to Jewish identity.
Robert Rosenthal
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195385540
- eISBN:
- 9780199869824
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195385540.003.0022
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
This chapter addresses the following questions: Are there some experimenters who, more than others, unintentionally affect the results of their research? Are there some subjects who, more than ...
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This chapter addresses the following questions: Are there some experimenters who, more than others, unintentionally affect the results of their research? Are there some subjects who, more than others, are susceptible to the unintentional influence of their experimenter's expectancy? The answers to these questions should increase our general understanding of the effects of the experimenter's expectancy and perhaps provide us with some clues to the effective control of these effects. In addition, the answers to these questions may suggest to us whether the unintentional influence processes under study are facilitated by factors similar to those that facilitate the more usually investigated processes of social influence.Less
This chapter addresses the following questions: Are there some experimenters who, more than others, unintentionally affect the results of their research? Are there some subjects who, more than others, are susceptible to the unintentional influence of their experimenter's expectancy? The answers to these questions should increase our general understanding of the effects of the experimenter's expectancy and perhaps provide us with some clues to the effective control of these effects. In addition, the answers to these questions may suggest to us whether the unintentional influence processes under study are facilitated by factors similar to those that facilitate the more usually investigated processes of social influence.
Michael R. Leippe and Donna Eisenstadt
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195331974
- eISBN:
- 9780199868193
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195331974.003.008
- Subject:
- Psychology, Forensic Psychology
This chapter examines the influence of eyewitness expert testimony on jurors' beliefs and judgments in trials that include eyewitnesses. Most surveys indicate that prospective jurors overly believe ...
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This chapter examines the influence of eyewitness expert testimony on jurors' beliefs and judgments in trials that include eyewitnesses. Most surveys indicate that prospective jurors overly believe confident eyewitnesses and have misconceptions about memory. Expert testimony aims to correct these shortcomings by educating jurors about the psychology of eyewitness reporting and factors that affect reports. Two dozen trial simulation experiments over thirty years, taken together, indicate that expert testimony produces modest gains in juror knowledge, which may improve sensitivity to evidence quality, but often do not. Expert testimony also tends to increase skepticism about prosecution eyewitnesses and, in turn, increase acquittals. Appropriately, skepticism is typically limited to cases involving central but questionable eyewitness evidence, and salient and memorable expert testimony. Overall, eyewitness expert testimony has limited influence. Expert testimony is identified as a form of persuasive communication, and recipient, source, message, and context factors that create obstacles to persuasion are reviewed.Less
This chapter examines the influence of eyewitness expert testimony on jurors' beliefs and judgments in trials that include eyewitnesses. Most surveys indicate that prospective jurors overly believe confident eyewitnesses and have misconceptions about memory. Expert testimony aims to correct these shortcomings by educating jurors about the psychology of eyewitness reporting and factors that affect reports. Two dozen trial simulation experiments over thirty years, taken together, indicate that expert testimony produces modest gains in juror knowledge, which may improve sensitivity to evidence quality, but often do not. Expert testimony also tends to increase skepticism about prosecution eyewitnesses and, in turn, increase acquittals. Appropriately, skepticism is typically limited to cases involving central but questionable eyewitness evidence, and salient and memorable expert testimony. Overall, eyewitness expert testimony has limited influence. Expert testimony is identified as a form of persuasive communication, and recipient, source, message, and context factors that create obstacles to persuasion are reviewed.
Joshua M. Epstein
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691158884
- eISBN:
- 9781400848256
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691158884.003.0001
- Subject:
- Mathematics, Applied Mathematics
This book describes an agent-based model dubbed Agent_Zero, which was constructed using a significant volume of contemporary cognitive neuroscience. Agent_Zero is a new theoretical entity that ...
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This book describes an agent-based model dubbed Agent_Zero, which was constructed using a significant volume of contemporary cognitive neuroscience. Agent_Zero is a new theoretical entity that exhibits observable behaviors generated by the interaction of affective, cognitive, and social components. Its affective component is based on the Rescorla–Wagner model of conditioning and extinction, while its cognitive (deliberative) component reflects biases and heuristics in probability estimation. The book presents Agent_Zero as a new, neurocognitively grounded, foundation for generative social science, a simple explicit model of individual behavior in groups that includes some representation of “the passions,” of (imperfect) reason, and of social influence. This introduction explains the motivations for constructing Agent_Zero, its components, and its basic mathematical scaffolding. It also provides an overview of the book's organization.Less
This book describes an agent-based model dubbed Agent_Zero, which was constructed using a significant volume of contemporary cognitive neuroscience. Agent_Zero is a new theoretical entity that exhibits observable behaviors generated by the interaction of affective, cognitive, and social components. Its affective component is based on the Rescorla–Wagner model of conditioning and extinction, while its cognitive (deliberative) component reflects biases and heuristics in probability estimation. The book presents Agent_Zero as a new, neurocognitively grounded, foundation for generative social science, a simple explicit model of individual behavior in groups that includes some representation of “the passions,” of (imperfect) reason, and of social influence. This introduction explains the motivations for constructing Agent_Zero, its components, and its basic mathematical scaffolding. It also provides an overview of the book's organization.
Jean Drèze and Amartya Sen
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199257492
- eISBN:
- 9780191717826
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199257492.001.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Development, Growth, and Environmental
This book explores the role of public action in eliminating deprivation and expanding human freedoms in India. The analysis is based on a broad and integrated view of development, which focuses on ...
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This book explores the role of public action in eliminating deprivation and expanding human freedoms in India. The analysis is based on a broad and integrated view of development, which focuses on wellbeing and freedom rather than the standard indicators of economic growth. The authors place human agency at centre stage, and stress the complementary roles of different institutions (economic, social, and political) in enhancing effective freedoms. In comparative international perspective, the Indian economy has done reasonably well in the period following the economic reforms initiated in the early nineties. However, relatively high aggregate economic growth coexists with the persistence of endemic deprivation and deep social failures. The authors relate this imbalance to the continued neglect, in the post-reform period, of public involvement in crucial fields such as basic education, health care, social security, environmental protection, gender equity, and civil rights, and also to the imposition of new burdens such as the accelerated expansion of military expenditure. Further, the authors link these distortions of public priorities with deep-seated inequalities of social influence and political power. The text is supported by an updated and expanded statistical appendix. The book discusses the possibility of addressing these biases through more active democratic practice.Less
This book explores the role of public action in eliminating deprivation and expanding human freedoms in India. The analysis is based on a broad and integrated view of development, which focuses on wellbeing and freedom rather than the standard indicators of economic growth. The authors place human agency at centre stage, and stress the complementary roles of different institutions (economic, social, and political) in enhancing effective freedoms. In comparative international perspective, the Indian economy has done reasonably well in the period following the economic reforms initiated in the early nineties. However, relatively high aggregate economic growth coexists with the persistence of endemic deprivation and deep social failures. The authors relate this imbalance to the continued neglect, in the post-reform period, of public involvement in crucial fields such as basic education, health care, social security, environmental protection, gender equity, and civil rights, and also to the imposition of new burdens such as the accelerated expansion of military expenditure. Further, the authors link these distortions of public priorities with deep-seated inequalities of social influence and political power. The text is supported by an updated and expanded statistical appendix. The book discusses the possibility of addressing these biases through more active democratic practice.
Bennett G. Galef, Jr.
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195162851
- eISBN:
- 9780199863891
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195162851.003.0034
- Subject:
- Neuroscience, Behavioral Neuroscience, Techniques
This chapter begins with a brief review of the literature on social influences on food choices of Norway rats. It describes fieldwork strongly suggesting that interactions between adult free-living ...
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This chapter begins with a brief review of the literature on social influences on food choices of Norway rats. It describes fieldwork strongly suggesting that interactions between adult free-living rats and their young can determine which foods the young come to eat. It then describes several behavioral processes that have been shown in the laboratory to be sufficient to influence food choice in young rats. Finally, it discusses a type of social influence on rats' food preferences that has already proved to be useful in studies of the physical substrates of learning and memory.Less
This chapter begins with a brief review of the literature on social influences on food choices of Norway rats. It describes fieldwork strongly suggesting that interactions between adult free-living rats and their young can determine which foods the young come to eat. It then describes several behavioral processes that have been shown in the laboratory to be sufficient to influence food choice in young rats. Finally, it discusses a type of social influence on rats' food preferences that has already proved to be useful in studies of the physical substrates of learning and memory.
Donald Palmer
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199573592
- eISBN:
- 9780191738715
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199573592.003.0008
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Organization Studies, Corporate Governance and Accountability
This chapter presents the situational social influence explanation of organizational wrongdoing. This explanation is the second of five alternative accounts of wrongdoing considered in the book. It ...
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This chapter presents the situational social influence explanation of organizational wrongdoing. This explanation is the second of five alternative accounts of wrongdoing considered in the book. It is rooted in a theoretical perspective that views organizations as systems of localized social interaction, and views organizational participants as by nature or necessity attentive to the attitudes and behaviors of those in their immediate environment. The chapter elaborates three forms of situational social influence that inform explanations of organizational wrongdoing considered in previous chapters: social information processing, groupthink, and definition of the situation. It also elaborates forms of situational influence that charter entirely new territory, including the norm of reciprocity, group dynamics, social comparison and liking-based compliance, and commitment to a failing course of action (which is considered in depth). The chapter concludes with an overall assessment of the situational social influence explanation.Less
This chapter presents the situational social influence explanation of organizational wrongdoing. This explanation is the second of five alternative accounts of wrongdoing considered in the book. It is rooted in a theoretical perspective that views organizations as systems of localized social interaction, and views organizational participants as by nature or necessity attentive to the attitudes and behaviors of those in their immediate environment. The chapter elaborates three forms of situational social influence that inform explanations of organizational wrongdoing considered in previous chapters: social information processing, groupthink, and definition of the situation. It also elaborates forms of situational influence that charter entirely new territory, including the norm of reciprocity, group dynamics, social comparison and liking-based compliance, and commitment to a failing course of action (which is considered in depth). The chapter concludes with an overall assessment of the situational social influence explanation.
Mike W. Martin
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195133257
- eISBN:
- 9780199848706
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195133257.003.0011
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Moral Philosophy
Just as personal commitments shape the character of professionals, failures of personal commitment and character enter into understanding their wrongdoing. We can distinguish two types of ...
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Just as personal commitments shape the character of professionals, failures of personal commitment and character enter into understanding their wrongdoing. We can distinguish two types of explanations of wrongdoing. Character explanations appeal to features of persons, either general flaws or specific failings manifested in immoral acts. Social explanations, in contrast, appeal to outside structures and pressures that contribute to misconduct, including influences within professions, corporations, and the wider society. This chapter seeks to renew an appreciation of character explanations, distinguishes some of their main varieties, and shows how they complement rather than compete with social explanations. The opening section clarifies how character explanations carry explanatory meaning and why their reference to values does not render them suspect. The concluding section integrates character and social explanations within a virtue-ethics framework for understanding mixed motives in response to multiple social influences, drawing upon and recasting Alasdair MacIntyre's distinctions between internal and external goods and between public and private goods.Less
Just as personal commitments shape the character of professionals, failures of personal commitment and character enter into understanding their wrongdoing. We can distinguish two types of explanations of wrongdoing. Character explanations appeal to features of persons, either general flaws or specific failings manifested in immoral acts. Social explanations, in contrast, appeal to outside structures and pressures that contribute to misconduct, including influences within professions, corporations, and the wider society. This chapter seeks to renew an appreciation of character explanations, distinguishes some of their main varieties, and shows how they complement rather than compete with social explanations. The opening section clarifies how character explanations carry explanatory meaning and why their reference to values does not render them suspect. The concluding section integrates character and social explanations within a virtue-ethics framework for understanding mixed motives in response to multiple social influences, drawing upon and recasting Alasdair MacIntyre's distinctions between internal and external goods and between public and private goods.
David Leon and Gill Walt (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- September 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780192631961
- eISBN:
- 9780191723599
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780192631961.001.0001
- Subject:
- Public Health and Epidemiology, Public Health, Epidemiology
This book raises new and critical issues about health inequalities. It provides an international perspective on this problem, with contributions from the developed and developing world. The outcome ...
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This book raises new and critical issues about health inequalities. It provides an international perspective on this problem, with contributions from the developed and developing world. The outcome of a Public Health Forum organized by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, this book brings together material from internationally recognised contributors from a wide range of disciplines and countries. The chapters reflect this diversity, ranging from the micro- to the macro-level, and from aetiology to intervention. Topics covered include: the over-arching concepts linking economic and social forces and health status the extent to which ethical concerns lie at the heart of the issue of inequalities in health and attempts to ameliorate them; macro-level features of inequalities in health within and between countries; an overview of the main body of work on inequalities in health in developed countries and those in transition within Europe; specific pathways and mechanisms at the individual level that link poverty and inequality to health status; the interaction of social and biological influences on health status throughout life; specific disease-specific links; and issues of policy and interventions aimed at reducing inequalities in health.Less
This book raises new and critical issues about health inequalities. It provides an international perspective on this problem, with contributions from the developed and developing world. The outcome of a Public Health Forum organized by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, this book brings together material from internationally recognised contributors from a wide range of disciplines and countries. The chapters reflect this diversity, ranging from the micro- to the macro-level, and from aetiology to intervention. Topics covered include: the over-arching concepts linking economic and social forces and health status the extent to which ethical concerns lie at the heart of the issue of inequalities in health and attempts to ameliorate them; macro-level features of inequalities in health within and between countries; an overview of the main body of work on inequalities in health in developed countries and those in transition within Europe; specific pathways and mechanisms at the individual level that link poverty and inequality to health status; the interaction of social and biological influences on health status throughout life; specific disease-specific links; and issues of policy and interventions aimed at reducing inequalities in health.
Melissa Hines
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195188363
- eISBN:
- 9780199865246
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195188363.003.0008
- Subject:
- Neuroscience, Neuroendocrine and Autonomic, Development
This chapter discusses sex differences in parenting. Animal models of parenting, sex differences in parenting in humans, and social and cultural influences on human parenting are discussed. Some ...
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This chapter discusses sex differences in parenting. Animal models of parenting, sex differences in parenting in humans, and social and cultural influences on human parenting are discussed. Some evidence suggests that the hormones of pregnancy may play a role in human parenting or attachment behavior. In addition, the early hormone environment, particularly levels of androgens prenatally, may influence interest in infants. However, given the minimal sex differences in the ability to show parenting behavior in humans and other mammals, and the dramatic impact of socialization, experience, and the current environment on parenting behaviors in primates, it has generally been assumed that the role of hormones, if it exists at all, is relatively minor.Less
This chapter discusses sex differences in parenting. Animal models of parenting, sex differences in parenting in humans, and social and cultural influences on human parenting are discussed. Some evidence suggests that the hormones of pregnancy may play a role in human parenting or attachment behavior. In addition, the early hormone environment, particularly levels of androgens prenatally, may influence interest in infants. However, given the minimal sex differences in the ability to show parenting behavior in humans and other mammals, and the dramatic impact of socialization, experience, and the current environment on parenting behaviors in primates, it has generally been assumed that the role of hormones, if it exists at all, is relatively minor.
William J. Koch, Kevin S. Douglas, Tonia L. Nicholls, and Melanie L. O'Neill
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- May 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780195188288
- eISBN:
- 9780199870486
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195188288.003.0007
- Subject:
- Psychology, Developmental Psychology
This chapter discusses exposure to potentially traumatic events and the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), limitations of current knowledge and future research directions, and the ...
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This chapter discusses exposure to potentially traumatic events and the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), limitations of current knowledge and future research directions, and the psychometric assessment of PTSD in women. It argues that most current knowledge addresses biological sex differences in the prevalence of PTSD, without adequately accounting for gender differences (e.g., social influences) that potentially underlie variations in post-traumatic coping. The field awaits an increased understanding of the toxicity of the stressor (e.g., subjective level of fear or risk of serious harm or death in males and females exposed to the same trauma category) and the event characteristics, as well as the social, cultural, and economic factors influencing trauma exposure and post-trauma adjustment. Research to date has also failed to control sufficiently for age at exposure, the impact of chronic traumas (e.g., child abuse, partner abuse), attachment, and/or traumas involving betrayals of trust (e.g., child sexual abuse, abuse by intimate partners, sexual harassment, and stalking, which affect women disproportionately).Less
This chapter discusses exposure to potentially traumatic events and the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), limitations of current knowledge and future research directions, and the psychometric assessment of PTSD in women. It argues that most current knowledge addresses biological sex differences in the prevalence of PTSD, without adequately accounting for gender differences (e.g., social influences) that potentially underlie variations in post-traumatic coping. The field awaits an increased understanding of the toxicity of the stressor (e.g., subjective level of fear or risk of serious harm or death in males and females exposed to the same trauma category) and the event characteristics, as well as the social, cultural, and economic factors influencing trauma exposure and post-trauma adjustment. Research to date has also failed to control sufficiently for age at exposure, the impact of chronic traumas (e.g., child abuse, partner abuse), attachment, and/or traumas involving betrayals of trust (e.g., child sexual abuse, abuse by intimate partners, sexual harassment, and stalking, which affect women disproportionately).
George C. Browder
- Published in print:
- 1997
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195104790
- eISBN:
- 9780199854462
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195104790.003.0008
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
The clues to the significance of self-images or ego identities in some of the modal subsets encourage one to look for links between them and the different missions and images within ...
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The clues to the significance of self-images or ego identities in some of the modal subsets encourage one to look for links between them and the different missions and images within Sicherheitspolizei (Sipo) and Sicherheitsdienst (SD). The analysis of SD membership also suggests the relevance of theories about “sanctioned violence” developed by Herbert Kelman, a social psychologist. He rejects all explanations based on any abnormality among the perpetrators, arguing instead that most participants are “ordinary men” drawn into committing such acts. His theories cast light on how such a heterogeneous group involved themselves in sanctioned violence. Kelman argues that normal people respond to social influences in three basic ways: compliance, identification, and internalization. Paralleling these three responses are three orientations to political processes: rule, role, and value orientation. These are different ways that one relates to the nation-state or any other unit that commands obedience and loyalty.Less
The clues to the significance of self-images or ego identities in some of the modal subsets encourage one to look for links between them and the different missions and images within Sicherheitspolizei (Sipo) and Sicherheitsdienst (SD). The analysis of SD membership also suggests the relevance of theories about “sanctioned violence” developed by Herbert Kelman, a social psychologist. He rejects all explanations based on any abnormality among the perpetrators, arguing instead that most participants are “ordinary men” drawn into committing such acts. His theories cast light on how such a heterogeneous group involved themselves in sanctioned violence. Kelman argues that normal people respond to social influences in three basic ways: compliance, identification, and internalization. Paralleling these three responses are three orientations to political processes: rule, role, and value orientation. These are different ways that one relates to the nation-state or any other unit that commands obedience and loyalty.
Ned Kock
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199586073
- eISBN:
- 9780191731358
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199586073.003.0023
- Subject:
- Psychology, Evolutionary Psychology, Developmental Psychology
This chapter provides a discussion of what has become known as media naturalness theory, a theory of communication media with a special focus on electronic communication, and developed based on human ...
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This chapter provides a discussion of what has become known as media naturalness theory, a theory of communication media with a special focus on electronic communication, and developed based on human evolutionary principles. The theory is centered on the media naturalness hypothesis, which argues that, other things being equal, a decrease in the degree of naturalness of a communication medium (or its degree of similarity to the face-to-face medium) leads to the following effects in connection with a communication interaction: (a) increased cognitive effort, (b) increased communication ambiguity, and (c) decreased physiological arousal. It is argued here that the media naturalness hypothesis has important implications for the selection, use and deployment of e-communication tools in organizations. Unlike some previously proposed technology-centric theories, the media naturalness theory is compatible with social theories of behaviour toward electronic communication tools. Among other things, this chapter shows that the media naturalness theory is compatible with the notion that, regardless of the obstacles posed by low naturalness media, individuals using those media to perform collabourative tasks may achieve the same or better task-related outcomes than individuals using media with higher degrees of naturalness.Less
This chapter provides a discussion of what has become known as media naturalness theory, a theory of communication media with a special focus on electronic communication, and developed based on human evolutionary principles. The theory is centered on the media naturalness hypothesis, which argues that, other things being equal, a decrease in the degree of naturalness of a communication medium (or its degree of similarity to the face-to-face medium) leads to the following effects in connection with a communication interaction: (a) increased cognitive effort, (b) increased communication ambiguity, and (c) decreased physiological arousal. It is argued here that the media naturalness hypothesis has important implications for the selection, use and deployment of e-communication tools in organizations. Unlike some previously proposed technology-centric theories, the media naturalness theory is compatible with social theories of behaviour toward electronic communication tools. Among other things, this chapter shows that the media naturalness theory is compatible with the notion that, regardless of the obstacles posed by low naturalness media, individuals using those media to perform collabourative tasks may achieve the same or better task-related outcomes than individuals using media with higher degrees of naturalness.
Ryan Goodman and Derek Jinks
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- September 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199300990
- eISBN:
- 9780199367610
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199300990.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
This chapter identifies and analyzes three distinct mechanisms of social influence that drive state behavior: material inducement, persuasion, and acculturation. With respect to each mechanism, the ...
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This chapter identifies and analyzes three distinct mechanisms of social influence that drive state behavior: material inducement, persuasion, and acculturation. With respect to each mechanism, the chapter details its conceptual core, the social processes that propel it, and some of the evidence suggesting its presence. In describing these discrete modes of social influence, the chapter draws on research in political science, economics, psychology, and sociology. It also explains how the proffered typology relates to and differs from similar typologies.Less
This chapter identifies and analyzes three distinct mechanisms of social influence that drive state behavior: material inducement, persuasion, and acculturation. With respect to each mechanism, the chapter details its conceptual core, the social processes that propel it, and some of the evidence suggesting its presence. In describing these discrete modes of social influence, the chapter draws on research in political science, economics, psychology, and sociology. It also explains how the proffered typology relates to and differs from similar typologies.
Donald Palmer
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199573592
- eISBN:
- 9780191738715
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199573592.003.0002
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Organization Studies, Corporate Governance and Accountability
This chapter describes the two main perspectives on organizational wrongdoing, the abnormal and normal perspectives, in detail. It also describes the two main approaches to explaining wrongdoing, the ...
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This chapter describes the two main perspectives on organizational wrongdoing, the abnormal and normal perspectives, in detail. It also describes the two main approaches to explaining wrongdoing, the dominant and alternative approaches, in depth. The chapter also establishes the link between the abnormal and normal perspectives on organizational wrongdoing, the dominant and alternative approaches to explaining the causes of wrongdoing, and the eight specific explanations of wrongdoing that form the core of the book. The eight specific explanations focus on rational choice, culture, ethical decision-making, administrative systems, situational social influence, power structures, accidental behavior, and the social control of wrongdoing. The chapter illustrates the two approaches to explaining organizational wrongdoing with a detailed description of a professional bicycle racer's experience with the use of banned performance-enhancing substances. It concludes with a few remarks about the book's overarching message.Less
This chapter describes the two main perspectives on organizational wrongdoing, the abnormal and normal perspectives, in detail. It also describes the two main approaches to explaining wrongdoing, the dominant and alternative approaches, in depth. The chapter also establishes the link between the abnormal and normal perspectives on organizational wrongdoing, the dominant and alternative approaches to explaining the causes of wrongdoing, and the eight specific explanations of wrongdoing that form the core of the book. The eight specific explanations focus on rational choice, culture, ethical decision-making, administrative systems, situational social influence, power structures, accidental behavior, and the social control of wrongdoing. The chapter illustrates the two approaches to explaining organizational wrongdoing with a detailed description of a professional bicycle racer's experience with the use of banned performance-enhancing substances. It concludes with a few remarks about the book's overarching message.
Andrzej Nowak, Wouter de Raad, and Wojciech Borkowski1
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199840694
- eISBN:
- 9780199932726
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199840694.003.0006
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
The goal of dynamical minimalism is to identify the simplest mechanisms and the fewest variables capable of producing the phenomenon we are trying to explain. Dynamical minimalism bases its ...
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The goal of dynamical minimalism is to identify the simplest mechanisms and the fewest variables capable of producing the phenomenon we are trying to explain. Dynamical minimalism bases its explanation on emergence: Complex properties on the level of a system arise in unexpected ways from the interactions of simple elements. Computer simulations are used to identify the simplest properties of elements and the rules of interactions that produce the phenomenon. Several models of influence and their emergent properties are discussed in relation to how culture emerges and how cultural changes occur. The properties of the models are related to known cultural variables. A second family of models investigates the integration process of individuals coming from different cultures. Computer simulations show that many properties of culture may be explained by simple, local rules of influence among individuals and that typical patterns of cultural change and critical parameters can be identified for the dynamics of culture.Less
The goal of dynamical minimalism is to identify the simplest mechanisms and the fewest variables capable of producing the phenomenon we are trying to explain. Dynamical minimalism bases its explanation on emergence: Complex properties on the level of a system arise in unexpected ways from the interactions of simple elements. Computer simulations are used to identify the simplest properties of elements and the rules of interactions that produce the phenomenon. Several models of influence and their emergent properties are discussed in relation to how culture emerges and how cultural changes occur. The properties of the models are related to known cultural variables. A second family of models investigates the integration process of individuals coming from different cultures. Computer simulations show that many properties of culture may be explained by simple, local rules of influence among individuals and that typical patterns of cultural change and critical parameters can be identified for the dynamics of culture.
Ryan Goodman and Derek Jinks
- Published in print:
- 2013
- Published Online:
- September 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199300990
- eISBN:
- 9780199367610
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199300990.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics
How can the international legal regime encourage states to respect human rights? Given that international law lacks a centralized enforcement mechanism, it is not obvious how this law matters at ...
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How can the international legal regime encourage states to respect human rights? Given that international law lacks a centralized enforcement mechanism, it is not obvious how this law matters at all—how it might change the behavior or preferences of actors. What is needed is a greater emphasis on the mechanisms of law’s social influence—and the microprocesses that drive each mechanism. Such an emphasis would make clearer the microfoundations of international law. This book argues for a greater specification and a more comprehensive inventory of how international law influences relevant actors to improve human rights conditions. Substantial empirical evidence suggests three conceptually distinct mechanisms whereby states and institutions might influence the behavior of other states: material inducement, persuasion, and what Goodman and Jinks call acculturation. The latter includes social and cognitive forces such as mimicry, status maximization, prestige, and identification. The book argues that (1) acculturation is a conceptually distinct, empirically documented social process through which state behavior is influenced; and (2) acculturation-based approaches might occasion a rethinking of fundamental regime design problems in human rights law. This exercise not only recommends re-examination of policy debates in human rights law; it also provides a conceptual framework within which the costs and benefits of various design principles might be assessed. The point is not that acculturation is the most important or most desirable approach to promoting human rights. The fundamental point is, instead, that a better understanding of all three mechanisms is a necessary first step in the development of an integrated theory of international law’s influence. The book’s aim is to improve the understanding of how norms operate in international society with a view to improving the capacity of global and domestic institutions to harness the processes through which human rights cultures are built.Less
How can the international legal regime encourage states to respect human rights? Given that international law lacks a centralized enforcement mechanism, it is not obvious how this law matters at all—how it might change the behavior or preferences of actors. What is needed is a greater emphasis on the mechanisms of law’s social influence—and the microprocesses that drive each mechanism. Such an emphasis would make clearer the microfoundations of international law. This book argues for a greater specification and a more comprehensive inventory of how international law influences relevant actors to improve human rights conditions. Substantial empirical evidence suggests three conceptually distinct mechanisms whereby states and institutions might influence the behavior of other states: material inducement, persuasion, and what Goodman and Jinks call acculturation. The latter includes social and cognitive forces such as mimicry, status maximization, prestige, and identification. The book argues that (1) acculturation is a conceptually distinct, empirically documented social process through which state behavior is influenced; and (2) acculturation-based approaches might occasion a rethinking of fundamental regime design problems in human rights law. This exercise not only recommends re-examination of policy debates in human rights law; it also provides a conceptual framework within which the costs and benefits of various design principles might be assessed. The point is not that acculturation is the most important or most desirable approach to promoting human rights. The fundamental point is, instead, that a better understanding of all three mechanisms is a necessary first step in the development of an integrated theory of international law’s influence. The book’s aim is to improve the understanding of how norms operate in international society with a view to improving the capacity of global and domestic institutions to harness the processes through which human rights cultures are built.
Arthur G. Miller, Amy M. Buddie, and Jeffrey Kretschmar
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195133622
- eISBN:
- 9780199847952
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195133622.003.0014
- Subject:
- Psychology, Social Psychology
This chapter examines the proposition that social-psychological explanations of the Holocaust tend to exonerate perpetrators. It suggests that social-psychological explanations may be viewed as ...
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This chapter examines the proposition that social-psychological explanations of the Holocaust tend to exonerate perpetrators. It suggests that social-psychological explanations may be viewed as relatively condoning toward the perpetrators of genocide. It argues that the most central, defining feature of social psychology — one that distinguishes social psychology from other disciplines such as personality, developmental, or clinical psychology — is an emphasis on social influence, or what Ross and Nishett (1991) term the “power of the situation”. The main point is that social-psychological explanations, in emphasizing the causal power of situational forces, construe actors committing harmful actions as having relatively low personal responsibility and intentionality for their actions, and, in some instances, a low degree of conscious awareness of the determinants of their behaviors. A prototypical experiment in social psychology — for example, on aggression, helping behavior, prejudice, or conformity — randomly assigns participants to different conditions. The logic of random assignment permits the social psychologist to interpret behavior as caused by the situation or by the participant's definition of the situation into which he or she was placed.Less
This chapter examines the proposition that social-psychological explanations of the Holocaust tend to exonerate perpetrators. It suggests that social-psychological explanations may be viewed as relatively condoning toward the perpetrators of genocide. It argues that the most central, defining feature of social psychology — one that distinguishes social psychology from other disciplines such as personality, developmental, or clinical psychology — is an emphasis on social influence, or what Ross and Nishett (1991) term the “power of the situation”. The main point is that social-psychological explanations, in emphasizing the causal power of situational forces, construe actors committing harmful actions as having relatively low personal responsibility and intentionality for their actions, and, in some instances, a low degree of conscious awareness of the determinants of their behaviors. A prototypical experiment in social psychology — for example, on aggression, helping behavior, prejudice, or conformity — randomly assigns participants to different conditions. The logic of random assignment permits the social psychologist to interpret behavior as caused by the situation or by the participant's definition of the situation into which he or she was placed.
