A new model of interpersonal influence characteristics

A reformulation of social influence theory is presented as a taxonomy, deci sion tree, and glossary of key terms. Types of social influence are sorted on the basis of four "Fundamental Interpersonal Influence Distinctions": (a ) level of cognitive processing (conscious vs. nonconscious); b) perceived intentionality (intentional vs. unintentional vs. orthogonal/irrelevant); ( c) relative social status thigh vs. peer vs. low vs. orthogonal/irrelevant) ; and (d) direction of change (positive vs, negative vs. orthogonal/irrelev ant). Nonconscious influence (low level of processing) includes affective e valuation (attraction, repulsion), schema/norm activation, echo and hysteri cal contagion, social facilitation, social leafing, and unlearned social re sponses. Intentional influence (compliance/anticompliance) includes obedien ce, rebellion, direct conformity and anticonformity, and power-of-the-power less. Unintentional influence (imitation/anti-imitation) includes indirect conformity and anticonformity, identification, and disinhibitory contagion. A residual set of influence types includes reactance, informational influe nce, and direct and vicarious learning. New definitions of social influence terms were derived deductively from the four Influence Distinctions. The r eformulation suggests several possible directions for future research and p oses at least as many interesting empirical questions as it answers.