social psych#= variations essay, agency theory Flashcards
blurt the info
what is the classic and contemporary study?
sheriff and burger
What is social psychology?
Investigates aspects of human behaviour that involves the individuals relationship to other people, groups and society including cultural influence
Key assumptions of social psych
Other people ,social situation, being in groups, and the roles we play in society affect our behaviour, though processes and emotions.
How does the social approach explain our behaviour?
Adapt our behaviour to demands of social situation and in ambiguous situations we take our cues from behaviour of others in that setting.
Describe the social psychology approach (4)
Study of how peoples behaviour is influenced by other people,groups and society.This means it discounts individual differences. Eg looks at how a social situation affects our behaviour we may behave differently with friends than family. Also looks at groups we belong to eg religion and how it affects our behaviour.
Define obedience
A form of social influence obeying orders from someone in authority
Define compliance
Going along with what someone says while not necessarily agreeing with it
Define dissenting
Orders are given but the person doesn’t do what they’re told
Define internalising
You obey with agreement
Define conformity
You adopt the behaviours of those around you
What is the key issue:research on obedience?
Psychological knowledge could be used as an agent of social control eg to increase obedience
Define autonomy
Acting one ones own freewill
Issue and debate linked to Milgram’s variation studies?
Psychology as a science- had very standardised procedures meant replication was possible in different circumstances by keeping everything the same and manipulating one variable allowing cause & effect efferences which increases scientific credibility.
Evaluate 1 of Milgram’s variation studies INTRO
Milgram’s OG study was standardised which allowed it to be replicated and change one variable to see the effect this variable had on obedience. In variation 7, Milgram tested to see how physical proximity affected obedience levels by administering instruction to shock the learner by telephone.
Evaluate 1 of Milgram’s variation studies STRENGTH
Exactly the same standardised procedures as OG study when testing obedience to authority expect one variable which allows cause and effect conclusions to be drawn. By manipulating the variable of whether the experimenter was close or not delivering instructions to the participant by telephone, Milgram was able to determine the effect of proximity of the experimenter had on obedience levels. Milgram found no of ppts giving max volts dropped from 65% to 22.5% when instructions were delivered by telephone as opposed to being in the same room. Therefore, by keeping the procedures standardised, Milgram was able to make direct comparisons to the OG study and infer cause and effect which increases scientific credibility. However, it could still be argued that mundane realism was low as OG someone giving shocks is not a task people would be normally expected to do.
Evaluate 1 of Milgram’s variation studies WEAKNESS
Still has ethical implications for ppt. Ppt in exp 7 still req to administer what they believed to be electric shocks to strangers. As in 7 still req to increase ES by 15v every time learner answered incorrectly. The ppt still showed signs of agitation, distress and moral strain. Therefore it could be argued Milgram failed to protect ppts.
What are the 2 states humans exist in agency theory?
Autonomous state- people believe they have the power and freely choose behaviour and guided by own moral code Agentic state- people believe that others have power, allow someone else to direct their behaviour, acting as an agent for someone else and may act against their own moral code
How can agency theory be explained through evolution?
A strategy for survival. Following leaders obediently can increases chances of survival in threatening situations. So following orders to stay and fight as a group in the agentic state increases chances of group survival
How can agency theory be explained through socialisation?
It can be learned from childhood from parents or in schools where children are taught to put aside their own wishes so that order can be maintained. The legal system reinforces this.
What is moral strain?
When they feel that obedient behaviour is wrong and goes against their own moral values. Milgram argued people felt moral strain by although they obey the experimenter they knew they were wrong to do so.
2 ways moral strain can be reduced?
Displacing their responsibility onto an authority figure shifting into an agentic state. By dissenting, choosing not to obey.
Issue and debate NVN of obedience
Milgram attempted to argue obedience wasn’t a dispositional trait as it could be a consequence of the situation we find ourselves in. Behaviour manifests as we are exposed to authority figures under certain environmental conditions conducive to compliance such as closeness and status of authority figure.
Evidence for agency theory
Milgram’s study provides evidence as ppts showed evidence of distress when given order to harm a person. Supported by Hofling et al nurses would follow doctors orders within a hospital when asked to give a patient a drug
Evidence against agency theory
Lacks direct evidence as agency is an internal mental process so cannot be directly observed. Tells us people tend to obey an authority figure but doesn’t tell us why they do.
Strengths in methodology for agency theory
Milgrams studies used standardised procedures which means they can be replicated and allows variable manipulation which allows us to infer cause and effect which increases scientific credibility. Explains different levels of obedience found in variations to the OG study as ppts made to take more responsibility obedience decreased.
Weaknesses in methodology for agency theory
Tasks Milgram used lacked mundane realism. Tasks ppts asked to do ‘shocking’ someone wouldn’t be what would be expected. This means it lacks ecological validity and doesn’t generalise to everyday life.
Applications of agency theory
Explains real life events such as obedience to authority shown by US soldiers during the Vietnam war. Studies from different cultures eg Meeus and Raajmaker found Dutch ppts harass job applicant because they were told to do so. Can be ap0plied to real life eg Hofling et al showed how nurses obeyed
Issue and debate with agency theory
Doesn’t count for individual differences why some people obey and some people don’t and ignores factors such as personality type
Alternative theory to agency theory
French and Raven- 5 bases of power, legitimate power, reward power, referent power, expert power, and coercive
Ethical implications of agency theory?
Remove personal responsibility from those who commit follow immoral orders, thus offering excuses to people to follow authority even when it is wrong to do so.
Daisy has just started a job at a new office where she is a junior position and her manager asked her to make tea and coffee. When manager isn’t there she is reluctant to make any explain why feels this way
Daisy is being obedient to authority when the manager is there according to agency theory they have legitimate status and authority. The agency theory argues Daisy would’ve been socialised from a young age to obey authority figures. Milgram’s argues is a evolutionary mechanism to maintain social order. When the manager is present Daisy is acting in an agentic state as described by agency theory. This means she’s not acting of free will and allowing someone else to direct her behaviour to make the tea even if she doesn’t want to. When the manager was away Daisy felt reluctant because she was acting in an autonomous state and freely choosing her own behaviour
