Final answer:
Social influence involves using knowledge of personal traits to inspire action and is studied in social psychology, with models like the Yale Attitude Change Approach analyzing factors affecting persuasiveness. Social roles, norms, and media also play a pivotal role in shaping behavior and attitudes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves social influence which is a concept that entails the use of social and informal sources to inspire or persuade others to take action. This concept harnesses knowledge of individuals' personalities, values, attitudes, and emotions.
Within social psychology, a subfield that studies social influence, one prominent model is the Yale Attitude Change Approach, which looks at how the credibility and attractiveness of the speaker, the content of the message, and the characteristics of the audience impact the persuasiveness of a message.
Moreover, social influence includes the effect of social roles, social norms, and scripts on behavior. An apt example is how people react in uncertain situations by observing others' behavior, which is known as informational social influence.
Attitudes can be changed through cognitive dissonance, or by external persuasions like advertising, which uses central (facts and information) and peripheral (associations with positive cues) routes to influence individuals. The discussion of social influence encompasses topics such as conformity, compliance, obedience, and group processes.
Social media plays an increasingly important role in social influence by rapidly disseminating information and allowing individuals to emerge as leaders and spread awareness for causes, thereby transforming the influence process.