Situating social influence processes: dynamic, multidirectional flows of influence within social networks
Winter A Mason1, Frederica R Conrey, Eliot R Smith
1Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences, Indiana University - Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
Summary
This review explores social influence models across disciplines. It aims to integrate social psychology
Area of Science:
- Social Psychology
- Sociology
- Economics
- Cognitive Science
- Physics
Background:
- Social psychologists have extensively studied persuasion and conformity but often overlook dynamic, multi-source/multi-target influence.
- Other fields have developed population-level social influence models, frequently without detailed psychological insights.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review and categorize existing social influence models from diverse scientific fields.
- To bridge the gap between micro-level psychological processes and macro-level population dynamics in social influence.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of social influence models from various disciplines.
- Categorization of models based on four conceptual dimensions.
- Analysis of how different fields conceptualize influence flow.
Main Results:
- Identified a diverse range of social influence models across disciplines.
- Highlighted the lack of integration between detailed psychological findings and broader network models.
- Proposed a framework for understanding and comparing different modeling approaches.
Conclusions:
- Encourages interdisciplinary collaboration to develop comprehensive social influence models.
- Advocates for models that combine micro-level psychological detail with macro-level network structures.
- Emphasizes the importance of dynamic, multidirectional influences within social networks.
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