Definitions Flashcards
Conformity
A form of social influence where a person follows the majority
Compliance
Publicly, but not privately going along with the majority to gain approval
Identification
Publicly and privately accepting the majority in order to gain group acceptance
Internalisation
Public and private acceptance of majority influence, through adoption of the majority belif system because it is a view consistent with their own
Normative social influence
Where we conform to the majority to gain social approval or to avoid social disapproval, we do something in order to be liked
Informational social influnce
We have the need to be right. When the situation is uncertain or ambiguous, we look to others to know what to do. Follow others if we assume they may be an expert
Dispositional factor
Personality factor or characteristic
Who first proposed the authoritarian personality?
Fromm suggesting it was a way of explaining those holding right-wing views
Authoritarian personality
Personality type characterised by a belief in absolute obedience to authority and domination of minorities
What was the F-scale developed as?
A questionnaire to measure the levels of authoritarian personality
What does the F-scale stand for?
The potential for fascism
What was the procedure for the F-scale?
Asking 200 middle class white American’s to answer the questionnaire
What was the problem with the sample used for the F-scale?
Cultural and class bias is not representative of obedience
What traits are those with an authoritarian personality more likely to show?
-Hostile towards those who are inferior to them
-Black and white thinkers
-Inflexibilty to rules/laws
What did Adorno believe authoritarian personality developed?
Early childhood, gaining information about obedience to authority from parents
How can authoritarian personality be taught in early childhood?
-Punishing/shaming for minor offensives
-Making them hostile to those who are inferior
Socio-psychological explanation?
The influence others have on your own behaviour rather than other external factors (situational)
Agentic state
When a person sees themselves as an agent for carrying out another person’s wishes
Where do those in an agentic state believe responsibility is held?
By the authority figure
People move from the autonomous state where they take responsibility for?
Their own actions to the agentic state
Why do people stay in the agentic state even when they are being asked to do something negative?
We are social people looking for approval therefore following social etiquette of the situation. This is the building factor which holds the situation and makes us obey
In Milgram’s study participants following social etiquette were those who?
Agreed to do the experiment and therefore appearing rude or arrogant if he refused to continue
Legitimate authority
Someone we perceive to be in a position of power and therefore has control over the situation