Social Influence and Persuasion

Social influence is believed to occur when an individual's emotions, behaviors, or opinions are influenced by others'. Compliance, identification, internalization are the three broad varieties of social influence that have since been identified. Compliance occurs when people agree with others' opinions while keeping their dissenting opinions private. Identification is normally associated with very popular people like the celebrities. Such people easily influence people who believe in them. Internalization does happen when people, either publicly or privately, accept a belief or a behavior.

Social influence and persuasion are an integral tenet of communication. Persuasion is a form of social influence where audiences are intentionally encouraged to adopt an idea or a course of action through symbolic means. Activities that other people who stay around you engage are likely to determine how you behave. It is true that people differ from one another. However, some people have a...
[ View Full Essay]