The Psychology of Social Influence: Modes and Modalities of Shifting Common Sense

Book Details

• Author: Gordon Sammut

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

• Language: English

• Edition: 1

• ISBN: 9781108402897

• Pages: 280

• Cover: Paperback

• Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.0 x 0.8 inches

• Weight: Not provided

About the Book

The Cyclone Model of Social Influence offers an innovative approach to understanding the dynamics of social influence across various contexts. Authored by Gordon Sammut, this volume brings together a wide range of modalities of social influence, from crowding and leadership to norm formation, resistance, and mass mediation.

The book proposes a challenge-and-response ‘cyclone’ model, which serves as a framework for understanding how different forms of social influence interact and evolve. Real-world examples ground the model, allowing readers to see how each modality of influence functions in practical terms. One of the highlights is the construction of a 'periodic table of social influence,' which compares and contrasts different forms of influence in a systematic way.

By exploring how exercises of influence in one modality can stimulate responses in others, the book provides valuable insights into the nature of social processes. The work further discusses the role of social influence in shaping 'common sense' over time and its impact on political and social movements, social change, and management practices.

This book is an essential read for students and scholars in psychology, political science, social change, and management, offering profound insights into how societal norms and behaviors are shaped by a complex web of social influences.