Module 1- Social Influence Resistance Flashcards

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1
Q

Examples of when people conformed /obeyed

A
  • Milgram (1963)- 65% obeyed

- Asch (1951) -75% conformed at least once

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2
Q

Examples of when people disobeyed / non- conformity

A

Milgram (1963)- 35% refused to obey

Asch (1951) - 25% did not conform

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3
Q

Give one situational explanation of resistance to social influence

A

Social Support

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4
Q

What does the social support theory state

A

one person refuses to conform/obey = more likely other people will also resist social influence and refuse to conform/obey.

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5
Q

Why are people less likely to conform if they have an ally who resists social influence?

A
  • ally refusing to conform breaks unanimity of the group
  • groups more influential if unanimous.
  • unanimity is broken people think that there are other, equally legitimate, ways of thinking or responding.
  • presence of an ally gives them am independent assessment of reality
  • more confident in their decision and better able to stand up to the majority.
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6
Q

Why are people more likely to defy an authority figure if a disobedient role model is refusing to obey?

A

-when a person rejects the instructions of an authority figure it challenges that authority figure’s legitimate authority.

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7
Q

Evaluation of social support theory

A

+ Milgram (1974) -
65% shocked to 450V
10% shocked to 450V when another confederate who acted as disobedient role model
+ Asch (1951)
33% conformity rate (1% mistake chance)
5% conformity rate when one confederate acted as an ally to participant and gave right answer
- in both studies, some participants resisted social influence with no social support -> other factors such as dispositional factors play part in resistance to social influence

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8
Q

Give one dispositional explanations of resistance to social influence

A

Locus of control,

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9
Q

Key psychologist involved with locus of control and year

A

Rotter (1966)

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10
Q

What is a dispositional explanation

A

person’s personality determines whether they will conform/obey or resist social influence

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11
Q

What is a persons locus of control

A

extent to which they believe they have control over their own behaviour

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12
Q

How is locus of control measured?

A

measured on a dimension from internal to external

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13
Q

What is an internal locus of control

A
  • believe that what occurs in their life is the result of their own behaviour and actions.
  • They can therefore alter what happens to them.
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14
Q

What is an external locus of control

A
  • believe that what happens in their lives is outside of their control.
  • They think what occurs in their lives is determined by chance or other people so they have no ability to alter it.
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15
Q

Why are people with a high internal locus of control LESS likely to conform/obey

A
  1. more likely to be leaders than followers.
  2. less concerned with social approval.
  3. more self-confident.
  4. Believe they control their own circumstances.
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16
Q

Evaluation of locus of control

A

+ Oliner and Oliner (1988)
-Interviewed 406 German people who sheltered Jews from Nazis during 1930s-40s .
-German people had internal locus of control, which allowed them to disobey the Nazis.
+ Milgram (1974)
65% obeyed to 450V - questionnaire, most external
35% disobeyed- internal
- Williams and Warchal (1981)- conformers were less assertive than non-conformers BUT two groups did not score differently on locus of control test.
- Suggests assertiveness = more important than locus of control in determining if a person conforms/obey.

17
Q

What is minority influence

A

Minority influence occurs when very persuasive small groups, or individuals, change the way the majority behaves and thinks.

18
Q

Who is the key psychologist to do with minority influence?

A

Moscovici (1985)

19
Q

What is conversion?

A

when individuals change their private beliefs and views because of minority influence.

20
Q

When are minority groups most likely to be convincing?

A
  • committed
  • consistent
  • flexible
21
Q

How is commitment shown

A

members of the minority demonstrate dedication to belief (making sacrifices- augmentation principle, taking risks or being inconvenienced) shows that the minority is not acting out of self-interest.

22
Q

When does consistency occur?

A

occurs when minority repeatedly gives same message over time.
-makes a majority reassess their belief and consider issue more carefully.

23
Q

What is flexibility

A

Flexibility/ non-dogmatic = minority willing to listen to other viewpoints.
majority = take their argument more seriously.

24
Q

What is the snowball effect

A

Minority influence = small effect , spreads as more are converted to the minority viewpoint.
Tipping point where minority becomes majority

25
Q

What is social crypto- amnesia

A
  • minority influence= slow process, sometimes unconscious.

- Sometimes the individual is not even aware of where the new idea originated from,

26
Q

Moscovicis study in 1969

A

+ Moscovici (1969):

  • 172 female participants told taking part in a colour perception task.
  • naïve participants, groups of 6, 36 slides of varying shades of blue.
  • 2/6 participants = confederates.
  • The participants had to state out loud the colour of each slide.
  • consistent condition= green 36 trials. (Swayed by minority 8.2% of time)
  • inconsistent condition= green 24 trials, blue 12 trails. ( swayed by minority 1.25% of time)
  • consistent minority= more effective than inconsistent minority.
27
Q

Evaluation of minority influence /Moscovicis study

A
  • sample gender biased against male: cannot generalise results to males (research suggests women more likely to conform, so further research needed)
  • sample culturally biased, all from America: cannot generalise findings to other cultures
  • lack of ecological validity: lab experiment with strangers
    -deception, lack of informed consent : told taking part in colour perception test- lack of informed consent too.
    Deception necessary to prevent demand characteristics and increase validity
28
Q

Define social change

A

change that occurs in a society and not at an individual level e.g. gay rights, womens votes

29
Q

When does social change occur

A

when the minority view challenges the majority view and is eventually accepted by the majority

30
Q

How do minority bring about social change

A

Committed, consistent, flexible

31
Q

What happens after majority has accepted minority viewpoint?

A

People may conform due to normative social influence (compliance) and/or informational social influence (internalisation)

32
Q

How do governments /lawmakers bring about social change

A

Through process of obedience : changing law, means people are more accepting of viewpoint - change in law makes behaviour a social norm which others adopt

33
Q

How do dictators bring about social change?

A

Through obedience: people obeying due to fear of punishment / consequences of disobeying