Social influence by artefacts

Bauer, Martin W. (2008) Social influence by artefacts. Diogenes, 55 (1). pp. 68-83. ISSN 0392-1921

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Abstract

A review of the paradigms of social influence – suggestion, imitation, normalization, conformity, compliance, conversion – leads me to diagnose a triple malaise: the shrinkage of paradigms to cognitive dual-processing theories of information; the dominant methodology of laboratory experiments falls short of the reality of (mass) communication; and the focus of social influence on inter-subjectivity is only half of the story. I will suggest two extensions of social influence theory to include mass media communication and the inter-objectivity of artefacts. We need to be able to conceptualize the modalities of why, how and to what effect somebody might put up a wall to influence neighbours instead of contenting themselves with putting up a public note ‘Do not trespass!’. Social influence by fait accompli needs to be within the remit of social psychology, otherwise it loses its relevance in a technological society where artefacts mediate most inter-personal relations.

Item Type:	Article
Official URL:	http://dio.sagepub.com/
Additional Information:	© 2008 International Council for Philosophy and Humanistic Studies
Divisions:	Psychological and Behavioural Science
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Date Deposited:	14 Jul 2008 16:56
Last Modified:	13 Sep 2024 22:34
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/6898

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