ABSTRACT
The simplest form of social influence results from the mere presence of another person, or group of people. In the 1930s, Muzafer Sherif showed that a small group of people quickly forms a consensus (group norm) about judgments of an ambiguous stimulus. A famous study in 1963 by Stanley Milgram showed that social influence can induce obedience to instructions that are apparently injurious to others. One explanation of group polarization is informational influence (see Conformity and obedience). In most groups, it is possible to identify a leader or leaders. The democratic leader remains part of the group, discussing objectives with them. Leaders’ behavior has been examined to identify leadership styles. Kurt Lewin in the 1930s identified three such styles. The authoritarian leader is a dictator, imposing his or her will on members, and watching them closely. Authoritarian groups were more productive while the leader was watching them, and laissez-faire groups did little work and had low morale.
