Essay Example on Social Impact Theory: A Mechanism of Normative Influence

Introduction

Latane in 1981 proposed that Social Impact Theory to describe a mechanism for how normative social influence predicts behaviours and beliefs. Latane describes social impact as "any of the large variety of changes in natural state and subjective feelings, emotions and motives beliefs and cognitions, values and behaviour that takes place in a person or animal which tables results of the implied , real or imaginations through actions or presence of a different party (p. 343). While Latane's definition is admittedly wide, his suggestion of a three fundamental social forces that exert social attraction on a person is much comparable to the physical forces, for instance, gravity exert physical pressure on the individual. The social forces are three namely immediacy, strength and number and the impact felt by a person is the result emanating from these three forces.

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Social Effect

This theory is expounding on a variety of social behaviours, including loafing socially which is defined as individuals tend to expend less effort when wrking in groups as opposed to when working alone (Karau & Williams, 1993); stage fright (Jackson & Latane, 1981); mere social presence (Kinard, Capella, & Kinard, 2009); contagion (Ni, Weng, & Zhang, 2011); and persuasive communication (Wolf & Latane, 1983). Regarding persuasive communication,(Nowak, Szamrej, & Latane 1990) reasons out that social forces work as peripheral persuasive cues as defined by social impact theory in congruence with (Cacioppo & Petty's 1982) elaboration likelihood model of persuasion. Cacioppo and Petty argue that when 12 arguments are important to an individual, they will give the arguments close interogation, examining the arguments' quality and relevance. Cacioppo and Petty label this process of applying close attention and scrutiny as central processing. However, if the individual's indulgent with the arguments is poor, they will look at other factors, like the attractiveness of the presentation or speaker expertise. Cacioppo and Petty term this peripheral processing. Nowak et al. argue social impact theory provides another set of peripheral cues congruent with Cacioppo and Petty's model:

In regards to persuasion peripherally, a small input of theory is yielded more direct. To a point the people who are relatively involved in the matter are influenced by the three forces of persons advocating for a divergent opinion. Reasoning on this, figure in number by how many there are, immediacy by their physical closeness and strengths are to be given representation by the sources attractiveness together with credibility. (p. 364)

Proposed Content Plan

Digital Content is planned using a content planning calendar and it describes who, what, how, where and when content is developed. It further deals with the use of two strategic models, namely:

• The honeycomb of social media
• Ladder of segmentation and engagement.

Content Plan for Instagram and Facebook

These methods are strategic and utilize the two functional quotas of the social media (Kietzman, 2011). The plan focuses on two main issues namely sharing and groups. Nevertheless, the whole model is taken into consideration when coming up with this strategy (Kietzman., 2011). The figure below is the honeycomb model.

Honeycomb Model: Groups

In the above figure above group quadrants are showing how communication of thw content plan will be done with new parties through a partnership with social media entities that are relevant that operates in rallying and traveling.it enjoys the utilization of situational strength and social immediacy Perez-Vega, Waite and O'Gorman, (2016)-

Benefit of creating a content plan is that it:

• Explain the owner of each piece of content
• Defines the format for providing the content
• Points to who receives, reviews and approves each content
• Identifies the approved processes behind the supply of content
• Determines how often the content is updated
• Indicates project deadlines

Example Post

This post aims at tasking an audience by the three pillars of immediacy, namely:

• Temporal immediacy.
• Social immediacy and
• Strength immediacy

When parties start discussing how to share the content with a hope of being winners than offered earlier, the post will be repeatedly put across the two media for example Instagram and Facebook as it is not satisfying to host offers exclusive to a platform. This content plan will utilize integrated marketing communications.

Critical Assessment of Content Strategy

Information Quality Theory (IQT)

This theory will be used to evaluate the content examples above in order to discern whether the quality of the information is adequate for the context engagement and referral stimulation.

In the first dimension is the uniqueness of the information and to what extent(Grenn, Sarkani and Mazzuchi, 2015). It is the most important shortfall of the content proposed as competitors also employ discounts and referral rewards ,partnership with communities and influencers. What makes the content perculiar is the use of semantics and visuals which attempts to make up promotions.

The second dimension enormous situational information will take time and effort for the consumer to read thereby a result weak in coverage in reducing engagement of the content overall. Therefore, qualitative information quality is defined as the as the ability to pass information by the use of a well devised sequence of information that is shown concisely and rationally (Grenn, Sarkani and Mazzuchi, 2015).

The third aspect is referring to the biasness and subjectivity of the source. There is no proper comments that are made without factual and honest information. Information that is invalid is likely to cost the engagement and credibilityof the media content of the brand. (Grenn, Sarkani and Mazzuchi, 2015).

Fourth refers to the quality of information and adherence to the communication of brands to social values, ethics and norms. No penalty or harm is intended a any person in the proposed plan hence risk is minimized.

Fifth is the credibility of the source of information. There are no verifiable items , save for the offers found in the plan that is proposed to encounter operational issues and failing to meet the requirements stated in the post. There is low risk towards this dimention. (Grenn, Sarkani and Mazzuchi, 2015).

Social Impact Theory

Situational Strength: - this strategy uses a period preceding an event to provide a continuous theme that encourages buying of items and gifts for loved ones. For instance, during the winter certain type of apparel is predominantly used are sold which add relevance to the strategy. Trans-Situational Strength: - this condition is nearly stable and the condition cuts across a period of seasons. For example, age, perceived intelligence, gender and physical characteristics in the event that this strength is identified from a source, it is assumed to be stable regardless of the position of establishment of the source.

Physical Immediacy:-The content plan did not apply the physical immediacy of the SIT as the object of the strategy was to stimulate referrals to the main website. Hence, the SMART objective made the use of this type of immediacy less feasible. In order to negate this lack of immediacy, the website could be used to receive vouchers exclusively in the outlets.

Social Immediacy This encourages conversations and sharing about the giveaways, offers and competitions, nevertheless, there is no aspersed trends created and attempts should be created thereof.

Temporal immediacy: - larger portions of the post within the plan are used to bring about temporal immediacy within limited time of offers, notwithstanding, a case where a single offer that is limited, an option will replace reduces the temporal immediacy of the whole plan on the contrary improving immediacy of inconsistent engagers.

Key Analytics

The content will utilize the tools for web analytics to assemble quantitative and qualitative data to help in the furtherance of strategic development. In the presence of the tools QueryClick is able to monitor the platform that is considered most effective at moving traffic towards the page in the web (Bekavac and Garbin Pranicevic, 2015). Besides, responses and engagement of consumers can be looked into for the determination whether the plan is adequately performing (Social, 2018). On the chart below analytis tools are listed which can be critically applied the plan.

ANALYTICS TOOL STRENGTH WEEAKNESS

Google Analytics It has configurable UI, flexible formatting, unique STP mechanics and Visual metrics for conversions Does not account for why conversions and referrals occur

Crazy Egg The data here represented by use of hit maps for real-time traffic tracking. Conversion rates are not explained

Stuffed tracker Is as able to discern and show contrast of inorganic and organic growth- IT expertise is required above Marketing digitally

WebtrendsIts rich content of data hit maps in like manner to crazy egg and live data It justifies not its high costs compared with the rivals

IBM Unica NetInsightFully configurable The costs are too high compared to competitors

Fire-stats Ergonomic, console for logs and live information feed. Regular PCs are not run by it.

EtrackerMouse-tracking, can gathering of qualitative feedback can be done using mouse tracking of the consumers. Does not justify its high cost in comparison to rivals

The bit.ly It is very simple to operate and very economical Does not have any advanced features, very basic

Tweaks of the content plan

The situational content plan is adequate, however, there is room for improvement should another dimension be considered that uses a skier that is professionally famous to rubber stamp the products with an exclusive storyposted in order increase the referrals. Additionally,trans-situational information strength is not held as much hence inadequate.( Latane, 1981)

Risks of the content risk

Adding more sources may reduce the engagement levels and quality due to acognitive overload from a complicated period of an endless need to engage. A lot of consumers casually will face repulsion by strong efforts to jam into the web page. Bu application of medels and influencers, there are higher chances of harming the already established realations with customers who enjoy having their personal posts shared instead of being cut from participating in the community. (Perez-Vega, Waite and O'Gorman, 2016)

References

Latane, B. (1981). The Psychology of Social Impact: American Psychologist.

Cacioppo, J. T., & Petty, R. E (1982): The need for cognition: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Nowak, A., Szamrej, J., & Latane, B. (1990): From private attitude to public opinion: A dynamic theory of social impact. Psychological Review, 97

Ni, S., Weng, W., & Zhang, H. (2011): Modeling the effects of social impact on epidemic spreading in complex networks. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and Its Applications, 390

Kinard, B. R., Capella, M. L., & Kinard, J. L. (2009): The Impact of Social Presence on Technology Based Self-Service Use: The Role of Familiarity. Services Marketing Quarterly, 30

Karau, S. J., & Williams, K. D. (1993): Social Loafing: A Meta-Analytic Review and Theoretical Integration. Interpersonal Relations and Group Processes, 65

Jackson, J. M., & Latane, B. (1981): All alone in front of all those people: Stage fright as a function of number and type of co-performers and audience. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 40.Bekavac, I. and Garbin Pranicevic, D....