Citation

Kaplan MF. Behav. Sci. Law 1984; 2(4): 407-412.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1984, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/bsl.2370020407

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Research in small-group decision making suggests two means by which discussion shifts the responses of individual members--Nonmative influence and informational influence. The former is based on pressure to conform to the normative positions of group members, and the latter involves changes due to the informational content of persuasively or passively shared facts. Which influence mode is used depends on the group decision rule, whether the response is public or private, the perceived nature of the task, and the nature of the issue. Specifically, normative influence is likely to prevail in public judgments, under group cohesion sets, and with value-laden issues, while informational influence will emerge when responses are private, the group is oriented toward the immediate task, and the issue is intellective. Suggestions are made regarding strategy and tactics for anticipating, harnessing, and shaping the form of influence that will take place during deliberation.

Language: en