title: Cognitive and strategic processes in small groups: effects of anonymity of the self and anonymity of the group on social influence.
abstract: Two studies examined cognitive and strategic processes of social influence in small groups. A first study showed that anonymity of in-group members to the self cognitively enhanced the perceived unity or entitativity of the group, while the interpersonal attraction to group members decreased. A second study showed that anonymity of the self to the group strategically enhanced differentiation from the group on non-normative dimensions. Overall, it was found that strategic and cognitive processes interact to produce social influence within the group. Implications for theories of social influence in groups are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Social Psychology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Germany. kai.sassenberg@uni-jena.de
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sassenberg
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Postmes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001290:Attitude; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012919:Social Behavior; D012925:Social Conformity; D012933:Social Identification; D012938:Social Perception