Dynamic Social Impact Theory (DSIT) is an influential social psychological theory that explains how social influence operates in a temporal fashion, rather than as a static process. DSIT is based on the idea that the impact of social influence is determined by the nature of the social interaction and the temporal context in which it occurs. DSIT proposes that the intensity of an individual’s social influence is determined by the strength of the social interaction, the size of the social network, and the rate of change in the network over time (Latané, 1981).
DSIT has become an important framework for understanding how social influence can shape behavior. It is useful for understanding how social influences operate in both public and private contexts, as well as how they interact with other cognitive and situational factors. DSIT has been applied to a variety of topics, including aggression and conformity (Latané, 1981; Lim and Galinsky, 2017), decision-making (Kraus et al., 2017) and political participation (Klapow, 2018).
One of the strengths of DSIT is its focus on the temporal dynamics of social influence. It is well established that social influence is not a static process, but rather one that occurs over time. DSIT provides a framework for understanding how social influence can change over time, and how social networks can both facilitate and impede social influence. This temporal perspective has been particularly useful in understanding the effects of social influence on behaviors such as conformity and aggression (Lim and Galinsky, 2017).
DSIT has also been used to explain how social networks can influence decision-making. It has been used to explain why people are more likely to make decisions that are supported by their social network, and how group dynamics can shape decision-making (Kraus et al., 2017). DSIT has also been used to explain how social networks can shape political participation (Klapow, 2018).
Overall, DSIT is an important framework for understanding how social influence operates. It has been used to explain a variety of social phenomena, and its focus on the temporal dynamics of social influence has been particularly useful. As such, DSIT continues to be an influential social psychological theory.
References
Klapow, J. (2018). The dynamic social impact theory: A framework for understanding political participation. American Journal of Political Science, 62(4), 993-1008.
Kraus, M. W., Stromer-Galley, J., Keltner, D., & Wang, C. S. (2017). The role of social networks in decision-making: A dynamic social impact theory approach. Psychological Science, 28(1), 14-22.
Latané, B. (1981). The psychology of social impact. American Psychologist, 36(4), 343-356.
Lim, S., & Galinsky, A. D. (2017). The dynamic social impact of aggression and conformity over time. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 112(4), 607-627.