• :00Days
  • :00Hours
  • :00Mins
  • 00Seconds
A new era for learning is coming soonSign up for free
Log In Start studying!

Select your language

Suggested languages for you:
StudySmarter - The all-in-one study app.
4.8 • +11k Ratings
More than 3 Million Downloads
Free
|
|

Situational Influence

Have you ever blamed your actions on someone else? If you did, do you remember why or how you justified your actions? It is a possibility that you blamed the person who told you to do it. The person situationally influenced you and you put the responsibility for your actions on them. What are situational influences?What are types of situational influence?What is…

Content verified by subject matter experts
Free StudySmarter App with over 20 million students
Mockup Schule

Explore our app and discover over 50 million learning materials for free.

Situational Influence

Situational Influence
Illustration

Lerne mit deinen Freunden und bleibe auf dem richtigen Kurs mit deinen persönlichen Lernstatistiken

Jetzt kostenlos anmelden

Nie wieder prokastinieren mit unseren Lernerinnerungen.

Jetzt kostenlos anmelden
Illustration

Have you ever blamed your actions on someone else? If you did, do you remember why or how you justified your actions?

It is a possibility that you blamed the person who told you to do it. The person situationally influenced you and you put the responsibility for your actions on them.

  • What are situational influences?
  • What are types of situational influence?
  • What is the situational influence model?
  • Can situational influences impact personality?

Situational Influences Psychology

Have you ever been in a situation where you were around people you did not know? You might have felt uncomfortable and did not feel like you could be yourself. However, if you were in a group of friends, you would have no problem showing your true personality. In this instance, the situation that you were in influenced your behaviour.

In psychology, situational influences are external factors that impact our behaviours and obedience.

Situational influences can include a wide range of factors – the number of people, who the people are, authority levels, proximity, and pressure. Even if you know what you are doing is wrong, a situational influence might be so strong that you behave incorrectly.

Another form of influence is dispositional influence. Dispositional influences are internal influences, such as personality, morals, mood, and genes, that impact someone’s behaviour. Dispositional influences can happen anywhere since they are internal, even though situational and dispositional influences are impactful in changing someone’s behaviour.

Situational Influence and Obedience

Before we continue learning about situational influences, let’s understand their link to obedience.

Obedience is when someone changes their behaviour due to a request from an authority figure.

Obedience is similar to compliance since they both result in a behavioural change due to someone asking them to. However, for the influence to be considered obedience, the ask has to be coming from an authority figure. In compliance, the request is coming from a friend or peer. The authority figure's status greatly impacts the decision of the person to obey the request.

Is it harder for you to say no to your parents than your sibling? To your teacher than your classmates? To your coach than your teammates? Your parents, teachers, and coaches all have social authority over you, resulting in your compliance becoming obedience.

Situational influences encourage obedience, making it harder for someone to say no.

Types of Situational Influences

Situational influence can be broken down into three main categories – proximity, the status of authority, and personal responsibility.

Proximity

Proximity refers to how close the authority figure is to you when they are asking you to do something. As you might assume, when the person is closer to you, you will more likely obey than if they are further away (or not even physically near you). That makes sense, right?

Stanley Milgram’s famous shock experiment studied proximity. In the experiment, the researcher told the participants that they were delivering shocks to another person when the person answered a question incorrectly (the shocks were fake). The shocks increased in voltage, and when the participant would express a desire to end the experiment, the researcher would verbally prod them to continue. One of Milgram’s variations changed the researcher's location from in the room with the participant to in a separate room. Milgram found that in this variation, the participants who administered the highest voltage decreased from 65% to 40%.

Proximity matters even in a less stressful situation. If your parent asks you to do a chore in person, you will probably do it; however, if they ask you to do it over text, there is less of a chance that the chore will actually be completed.

Status of Authority

The status of the authority refers to how authoritative you view the person. How much power do you perceive them to have?

The more authority (or higher status of authority) the person has, the more likely you are to obey their request.

Photograph of a teacher in front of a children's class. StudySmarterFig. 1. Would a teacher or head teacher have more influence over you? Pixabay.com.

While in school, you might have misbehaved in your class. If your primary teacher could not successfully discipline you and get you to listen, they could have sent you to the head teacher’s office. In this case, the authority status of the head teacher is higher than your regular teacher. When sending you to the head teacher’s office, your teacher was hoping that the higher authority would be able to make you obey and stop misbehaving.

Do you and your friends view people’s status of authority similarly? If you and your friend are in the same class in school and your teacher asked you both to do something, you would respond similarly since you both view the teacher at the same level of authority. On the other hand, what if your friend is on a sports team and you are not? If his coach told him to run a mile he would do it, but what if his coach told that to you? You do not compete for this coach, therefore, do not view her in the same authoritative way as your friend. If she told you to run a mile you probably would say no.

Personal Responsibility

How responsible are you for your actions? While this theoretical question can lead to many answers, it is also asked about situational influences and obedience.

If you are asked to do something by an authority figure and obey, there is a lower personal responsibility for your actions. You were told to do something and you did it. If someone asked you why you behaved like that, you would easily tell them that an authority figure told you to do so. On the other hand, if you know your actions will be directly reflected upon you and your character (you will have a higher personal responsibility), you will be less likely to obey.

This concept is what inspired Milgram to create his shock experiment. He saw the atrocities the Nazis and Germans committed during World War II and wondered if the people carried out these tasks because they were truly evil or because of following orders. When the Germans were putting people into concentration camps and gas chambers, they were following orders of people with more authority. The obedience of the Germans allowed them to not take personal responsibility for their actions, justifying their behaviours in their minds.

Individual and Situational Influences on Ethical Behaviour

Before we discuss influences on ethical behaviour, let’s first understand what it is.

When someone is acting ethically, what are they doing? They are probably making good decisions, keeping other people in mind, and choosing based on a good set of morals. The choice to behave ethically can come from within, but there are also times when the situation that you are in can lead you to behave more ethically.

Chances are, you know people who will always behave ethically and some who rarely will. These differences are most likely due to individual influences. Individual influences on ethical behaviour are crucial – they are responsible for the moral code that each person follows. A person's goals, values, morals, education, personality, and temperament are all individual influences that can impact their behaviour.

Situational influences are just as important for ethical behaviour. While someone might have the best moral compass, if they are in a situation where they are pressured or told to act otherwise, they might cave and act against their ethics. Can you think of a situation where you might not act ethically because of where you are or who you are with? Being in an unfamiliar group or environment can negatively influence your ethical behaviour.

But if you usually behave unethically, would being in an unfamiliar group or environment cause you to behave ethically?

Situational Influence Model

The situational influence model is a guide for people to comprehend how situational influences can impact their lives (and how they can be responsible for situationally influencing others). There are three steps to the situational influence model.

Energy

Energy refers to how much influence you can have in a situation. Without using your energy, you cannot influence a situation as much as you could otherwise.

Within energy, there are three options for use:

  • Push energy: This happens when you are trying to influence someone to do what you want. It is the most stereotypical influence. It has to be used carefully so people do not feel forced.

  • Pull energy: In pull energy, you are still trying to get someone to do what you want, but you are achieving it differently. Here, you understand where the person is coming from to help shape their behaviours rather than forcing your desires upon them.

  • Moving away energy: Sometimes, you make the biggest statement by not doing anything at all. This is moving away energy. You not doing anything and removing yourself influences others’ behaviours.

Style

Style is the environment that is created within each type of energy. It can also mean the types of influences that happen at each energy.

In push energy, the two styles are persuading and asserting. Persuading uses techniques like reasoning and proposing ideas to change someone’s behaviour, while asserting relies on stating needs and incentives.

In pull energy, the two styles are bridging and attracting. Bridging is when you try to understand where someone is coming from to change their behaviour without changing your behaviour. Attracting focuses more on working together – you are more personally invested.

In moving away, the two styles are disengaging and avoiding. When disengaging you could take a temporary break or postpone plans or behaviours. While avoiding can lead to negative consequences, it is successful in moving away. Avoiding means backing down from commitments and situations.

Behaviour

In the situational influence model, behaviour is more of a general term. It means what behaviour usually means – how people act and carry themselves in different situations. Those more adept with their behaviours are more likely to influence others successfully.

Photograph of three people sitting on grass. StudySmarter Fig. 2. Have you used any of the aspects of the situational influence model on your friends? Pixabay.com.

5 Examples of Situational Influences on Personality

Situational influences can influence more than someone's behaviour. A person's situation can influence their personality – how someone acts and what they say can vary depending on the situation.

Can this be reversed – can personality influence a situation? It can. Personality can influence what types of situations someone gets in.

Below are examples of situational influence on personality.

  • You get put into a group project with the people in your class who never do any work. Your personality might change to become more stressed and less talkative when you realise you have to do the project alone.

  • Your parents went through a bad divorce when you were a kid. This turmoil when you were younger has shaped you to become more impulsive and emotional.

  • The presence of an authority figure can change someone's personality from silly and extroverted to reserved and introverted.

  • It’s down to the last five minutes of your football game and the score is tied. Your personality would be different than if your team were up by two goals.

  • If you are talking with your friend on the phone, would you be more or less comfortable than if you are talking with them in person? The presence of the phone can influence how relaxed the conversation is.

Situational Influence - Key takeaways

  • Situational influences are external factors that impact our behaviours and obedience
  • Situational influence causes obedience because various factors make it more difficult for people to say no
  • There are three types of situational influences
    • Proximity: how close is the person influencing you?
    • Status of authority: how powerful is the person influencing you?
    • Personal responsibility: how responsible are you for your actions?
  • The situational influence model says that people can influence others through their energy, style, and behaviour
  • The situation that you are in can influence how ethically you behave

Frequently Asked Questions about Situational Influence

The variation studies on Milgram's original obedience experiment found that factors such as proximity of the authority figure, proximity of the learner, uniform of the authority figure, location of the study, and presence of other disobedient participants contributed to situational influence.

Situational influences in psychology, specifically in social psychology, are the impact of environmental factors on behavior.

Examples of situational factors in obedience studies include the proximity of the authority figure, the uniform of the authority figure, location of the study and presence of other disobedient participants.

Final Situational Influence Quiz

Situational Influence Quiz - Teste dein Wissen

Question

DELETE: What is situational influence as an explanation for obedience?

Show answer

Answer

Situational influence is the name given to the impact of environmental factors on obedience.

Show question

Question

DELETE: Why did researchers carry out variations of Milgram's original shock experiment?

Show answer

Answer

Variations of Milgram's shock experiment were carried out to test the impact of situational influences on obedience levels.

Show question

Question

DELETE: What were the independent variables in the variation studies?


Show answer

Answer

The independent variables were the proximity of the authority figure, the uniform of the authority figure, the proximity of the learner, the presence of other participants, and the location of the study.

Show question

Question

DELETE: Obedience levels increased when the authority figure was not in close proximity to the participant. Is this true or false?


Show answer

Answer

This is false. Obedience levels in the variation study decreased to 20.5 percent when the authority figure was not in close proximity to the participant (instructions were given to the participant over the phone).

Show question

Question

DELETE: What was the effect of the authority figure wearing everyday clothes in a variation study?


Show answer

Answer

Obedience levels decreased to 20 percent when the authority figure wore everyday clothes instead of a white laboratory coat.

Show question

Question

DELETE: It was found that individuals are more likely to obey if they cannot see the results of their actions. Is this true or false?


Show answer

Answer

This is true. In a variation study, it was found that obedience levels decreased to 40 percent when the participant was in the same room as the learner (the person receiving the electric shocks). The participant could thus see the pain or discomfort experienced by the learner.

Show question

Question

DELETE: What happened when the participants were forced to put the learner's (person receiving the shocks) hand directly onto the shock plate?


Show answer

Answer

Obedience levels decreased to 30 percent.

Show question

Question

True or false? Situational influence can only influence personality, not the other way.

Show answer

Answer

False

Show question

Question

What does the term behaviour mean in the situational influence model? 


Show answer

Answer

How people act and carry themselves in different situations

Show question

Question

What styles are within moving away?

Show answer

Answer

Disengaging and avoiding

Show question

Question

What styles are within pull energy?

Show answer

Answer

Bridging and attracting

Show question

Question

What does the term style mean in the situational influence model? 

Show answer

Answer

The type of environment that's created within each energy

Show question

Question

What is moving away energy? 

Show answer

Answer

Influencing by no longer participating or involving yourself in something

Show question

Question

What is pull energy?

Show answer

Answer

Trying to get someone to do what you want by understanding where they are coming from

Show question

Question

What is push energy?

Show answer

Answer

When you are trying to influence someone to do what you want by telling them what to do 

Show question

Question

What does the term energy mean in the situational influence model?

Show answer

Answer

How much influence you can have in a situation. More energy means more influence. 

Show question

Question

What is the purpose of the situational influence model? 

Show answer

Answer

To show people how influential they can be 

Show question

Question

True or false? Situational influence will cause someone to behave unethically. 

Show answer

Answer

False

Show question

Question

How does the concept of personal responsibility apply to the Germans in World War II? 

Show answer

Answer

Germans and Nazis were told by officials and authorities to do bad things. Since they were told what to do, they did not view themselves as responsible for their actions, justifying them. 

Show question

Question

Does personal responsibility increase or decrease situational influence?

Show answer

Answer

More responsibility lowers the power of the influence

Show question

Question

What styles are within push energy?

Show answer

Answer

Persuading and asserting

Show question

Question

What does the status of authority mean when talking about situational influences?

Show answer

Answer

The higher status of authority you perceive them to have, the more likely you are to do what they ask

Show question

Question

What did Milgram's experiment find about proximity? 

Show answer

Answer

When the researcher was in a different room from the participant, there was less obedience 

Show question

Question

What does proximity mean when talking about situational influences?

Show answer

Answer

How close the authority figure is to you when they ask you to do something

Show question

Question

How is obedience different from compliance? 

Show answer

Answer

In compliance, the request comes from a peer while it comes from an authority figure for obedience 

Show question

Question

How is obedience similar to compliance?

Show answer

Answer

Obedience and compliance both rely on someone asking someone else to do a task 

Show question

Question

What is obedience? 

Show answer

Answer

When someone changes their behaviour due to a request from an authority figure

Show question

Question

What is the difference between dispositional and situational influences?

Show answer

Answer

Situational is external and dispositional is internal

Show question

Question

What is a dispositional influence?

Show answer

Answer

Internal influences like personality and morals

Show question

Question

What is situational influence?

Show answer

Answer

An external factor that impact our behaviours and obedience

Show question

Question

DELETE: The majority of replications of Milgram's experiments were conducted in ______ cultures.

Show answer

Answer

Western

Show question

More about Situational Influence
60%

of the users don't pass the Situational Influence quiz! Will you pass the quiz?

Start Quiz

How would you like to learn this content?

Creating flashcards
Studying with content from your peer
Taking a short quiz

94% of StudySmarter users achieve better grades.

Sign up for free!

94% of StudySmarter users achieve better grades.

Sign up for free!

How would you like to learn this content?

Creating flashcards
Studying with content from your peer
Taking a short quiz

Free psychology cheat sheet!

Everything you need to know on . A perfect summary so you can easily remember everything.

Access cheat sheet

Discover the right content for your subjects

No need to cheat if you have everything you need to succeed! Packed into one app!

Study Plan

Be perfectly prepared on time with an individual plan.

Quizzes

Test your knowledge with gamified quizzes.

Flashcards

Create and find flashcards in record time.

Notes

Create beautiful notes faster than ever before.

Study Sets

Have all your study materials in one place.

Documents

Upload unlimited documents and save them online.

Study Analytics

Identify your study strength and weaknesses.

Weekly Goals

Set individual study goals and earn points reaching them.

Smart Reminders

Stop procrastinating with our study reminders.

Rewards

Earn points, unlock badges and level up while studying.

Magic Marker

Create flashcards in notes completely automatically.

Smart Formatting

Create the most beautiful study materials using our templates.

Sign up to highlight and take notes. It’s 100% free.

Start learning with StudySmarter, the only learning app you need.

Sign up now for free
Illustration