Paper 1 - Social Influence Flashcards
What is compliance?
Publicly but not privately agreeing with the majority to gain approval or to avoid ridicule. It is a weak form of conformity and is therefore not permeant. Compliance can only happen in the presence of a group.
What is internalisation?
(True conformity). It’s a public and p
What is identification?
Public and private acceptance of a majority influence in order to gain group acceptance. It is a stronger form of conformity however it isn’t permanent.
They are probably internalised at the start then feel bad afterwards.
What are the three types of conformity?
Compliance
Internalisation
Identification
What are the two explanations of conformity?
ISI
NSI
What is ISI
An explanation of conformity which is a cognitive process where we agree with the majority because we want to be correct. We accept others to be correct because we want to be correct so we change our public and private views to be consistent with the majority
-We want to be right
What is NSI?
It is a explanation of conformity which is an emotional process where we agree with the opinion of the majority to gain approval and to avoid looking foolish
- We want to be liked
What type of conformity is ISI?
Internalisation
What type of conformity is NSI?
Normally compliance but it could be identification.
Simple way to remember what ISI and NSI is?
ISI - we want to be right
NSI - we want to be liked
Which Psychologists studied conformity?
Sherif
Asch
Zimbardo
How does conformity react when the task is harder?
Conformity increases
How does conformity react when the subject is familiar with the task?
Conformity decreases
How does conformity react when there is another non - conformist in the group who gives the right answer
Conformity decreases
How does conformity react when there is only 1 confederate?
Conformity decreases
How does conformity react when the task is easier?
Conformity decreases
How does conformity react when there are more people in a group giving the wrong answer? (the difference between 8 and 20)
Conformity stays the same
How does conformity react when the confederates are more expert in the task than the participant.
Conformity increases
How does conformity react when there are 4 confederates instead of 7?
Conformity stays the same
How does conformity react when there is another non conformist in the group who gives a different wrong answer?
Conformity decreases
What are confederates?
People in Asch’s study who knew about the experiment and gave the wrong answer on purpose to try and induce an atmosphere where the real participant might conform.
What are the negatives about Asch’s experiment?
It lacks temporal validity
Perrin and Spencer repeated Asch’s experiment in 1980. It showed that we are less likely to conform in today
Participants may not of followed the rules
The task may have been too easy
Only men were used so it can’t be generalised (In the 1970’s it was suggested that women would conform more) - Asch could have controlled more factors like religion, politicsl views etc.
In 2014 Fiske said that “Asch’s groups weren’t very groupy” conformity may be higher between people that you trust
Asch himself believed that the study demonstrated independence and not conformity
When was Asch’s experiments?
Why were women thought to of been more conformist as men. What research was done on this.
Initially the only research done was on men only. The results aren’t generalisable although they were generalised anyway to women.
In 1987 Eagly reanalysed data from previous studies. They proved that there were different conformity rates in men and women.
He proved that women were more likely to conform in 1987 he said that women were more concerned about group harmony. As well as the fact that assertiveness and independence are more valued male arributes
Are there different conformity rates between communists and capitalists?
Yes
Communists have a higher rate of conformity than capitalists. This is probably die to the fact that communism is about group where capitalists are more about individuals.
From Asch’s experiment in 1951 what can we conclude about conformity?
In 2/3 of the trial people DID NOT conform
What reasons may lead people to conform?
Distortion of perception
Distortion of judgement
Distortion of action
Reasons why people conform
Explain distortion of perception
People come to see things the way that others see them.
Reasons why people conform
Explain distortion of judgement
This happens because people feel doubt about the accuracy of their judgement
Reasons why people conform
Explain distortion of action
They trust in their own judgement and perception but they change their behaviour to avoid disapproval
(Compliance)
What is Meta-analysis?
A statistical process that combines the data of multiple studies to find common results and to identify overall trends.
What support is their for the existence of ISI
In 2006, Lucas’ “self efficiency /personal judgement”
What was Lucas’ “self efficiency /personal judgement” study?
He got students to answer math questions.
Conformity to incorrect questions increased as difficulty increased
The students who rated their math ability as poor conformed the most
The results showed that people conformed when they didn’t know the results
What evidence is there against NSI?
People who want to be liked conform more often
What evidence is there to suggest that ISI and NSI work together?
In1951 Asch showed that conformity decreased when there is another person decanting (saying the right answer)
This could mean - NSI has been reduced as the decanter provides social support OR - it may reduce the influence of ISI because there is someone agreeing with them so they are more confident in their answer.
This experiment casted doubt over the “Two process approach”
What is a “Two process approach”?
“Two process approach” - this suggests that behaviour is due to either ISI or NSI
This was accepted as true before Asch’s experiment
What evidence is there that supports NSI?
Asch repeated his experiment but made the participants write down their answers instead of saying them out loud. Conformity fell to 12.5%.
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What isa social role?
The parts which people play as members of various social groups. Eg parents, Passengers.
Who did the moving dot study?
When?
Sherif (1935
What was Sherif’s study?
Participants were told to look at a dot of light which they were told was going to move. They were then asked to tell the experimenter how much the dot moved by. They were then allowed to talk to 2 other people and then they gave a new answer. Finally, they were asked again individually.
In total they were shown the light 3 times.
What were the results which Sherif found?
When alone the participants were more independent with their answers which were extremely varied through each participant. Once they spoke in a group the answers converged to be more alike.
When they were then tested again their answers were more similar to the group answer
What did Sherif conclude?
People tend to conform
In what ways was Sherif’s experiment good?
It was a Laboratory experiment meaning that there there was strict control of the control variables. This also meant that the method could be replicated.
In what days was Sherif’s experiment flawed?
The light didn’t move at all (ethical problem)
It isn’t an everyday task
It lacks ecological validity
All participants are male so they can’t be generalised to everyone
What was Zimbardo’s experiment also known as?
Stanford prison experiment
What was Zimbardo’s experiment?
Male students were recruited as either prisoners or guards (they were told that it would be randomised). The prisoners were arrested in real life and deloused (stripped naked and cleaned by chemicals(but it was fake chemicals)).
The prisoners were dehumanised by calling
them by assigned numbers.
The guards wore uniforms with mirrored glasses to create the feeling of animosity
What were the results of Zimbardo’s experiment?
At first, the guards tried to assert their authority whilst the prisoners resisted by sticking together.
Eventually, the prisoners became more passive and obedient whilst the guards invented nastier punishments. The experiment was abandoned early because prisoners became very distressed.
What was the conclusion of the Stanford Prison Experiment?
Guards and prisoners adopted their social role quickly. Zimbardo claims this shows that our social roles influence our behaviour. People changed to be mean like a prison guard.
What about Zimbaro’s experiment was good?
It was a controlled observation. There was good control of the controlled variables
How was Zimbardo’s experiment flawed?
It was an artificial experiment so the results can’t be generalised to real life
Very unethical - some participants had mental breakdowns.
Zimbardo was involved in the experiment (as the super intendant) (observer bias) he would latter admit of being too involved in the experiment
The conclusion that Zimbardo gave wasn’t a good explanation of why they accepted their social roles
The participants didn’t give full consent (being arrested in public)
They got humiliated
The ends didn’t justify the means
Zimbardo said that he spoke to participants afterwards, gave longitudinal care but this may not of happened
There were many psychological effects on the participants
What psychological effects were there on Zimbardo’s participants?
Evidence suggests
- Prisoners became subdued, depressed and anxious
- One prisoner relayed on the 1st day shows chaos.
-Two prisoners were released on the 4th day
-There were hunger strikes, people were force fed and put in the “hole”
-prisoners shunned by other prisoners
-Guards abused their power
Who put an end to Zimbardo’s experiment?
Christian Maslash - Research assistant told Zimbardo to stop
When was the replication of the Stanford Prison experiment?
Why is this significant?
2006
It has temporal validity
What was the method of the replica of the SPE?
15 male volunteers. They had daily tests to measure depression, compliance with rules and stress. The prisoners knew that in 3 days one of them (chosen at random would become a guard)
There was an independent ethics commitee that had the power to stop it at any time
What is the SPE?
Stanford Prison Experiment
What were the results of the SPE replication?
(Social identity theory) The guards failed to form a united group and they failed to identify with their role. They didn’t always exercise their power and they latter said that this is because they felt un comfortable with the inequality of the situation. In the first 3 days the guards acted in ways which they thought would get them promoted to a guard.
After a prisoner was promoted they became a stronger group as there was no more chances of promotion.
The system collapsed due to the lack of willingness from the guards to enforce power
On day 6 the prisoners rebelled and they created a democracy which soon collapsed due to tensions in the group.
Some of the former prisoners wanted to set up a stricter resign with them in control
The experiment was then abandoned early on the advice of the ethics committee
What was the conclusion of the SPE replication?
The participants didn’t fit into their expected social roles.
This suggests that these roles (ask miss) as
What was the evaluation or the SPE replication
The prisoners were a strong group whilst the guards were not
The guards weren’t as empowered as Zimbardo’s guards
Many people though that the cameras for tv meant that the participants were unconsciously acting for the tv (Zimbardo also said this)
It was an artificial experiment
Good ethics
They were debriefed and councillors were provided afterwards
What is obedience?
A type of social influence which causes a person to act in response to an order given by another person. The person who gives the order is usually a figure of authority who has the power to punish disobedient behaviour
Which psychologists studied Obedience?
Milgriam
What was Milgriams methid for his experiment?
Happened at Yale university.
40 male participants volunteered to take part in an experiment about “learning and memory”. They received payment beforehand and they were told that they can back out at any time.
The learner had to punish the student with electric shocks that ranged from 15V to 450V (450 volts was labelled XXX). The learner was told to increase the voltage every time a correct
answer was given
If the participant asked to stop they were told that they had to continue
Afterward there was a debriefing which included an interview, questionnaires and being reunited with the learner
What were the results of Milgriams experiment?
65% went all the way to 450V
None stopped before 300V
Most participants showed obvious signs of distress like sweating, groaning and trembling
What was the conclusion of Milgriam’s experiment?
Ordinary people will obey. Even if it goes against their conscience and even if it hurts people.
Which validities does Milgriam’s experiment have?
Real life validity
Temporal validity
External validity
Describe the experiment which showed that Milgriam’s experiment showed real life validity?
(Not Milgriam) People were asked to shock a puppy.
54% of males shocked to the maximum
100% of women shocked to the maximum
Even though they could see and hear it
Describe the experiment which showed that Milgriam’s experiment has temporal value?
What were the results?
When did it happen?
People were asked to shock an homeless unconscious man (actor) who was laying on the floor.
80% of the participants delivered the maximum shock (460V)
2010
Describe the experiment that shows that Milgiram’s experiment has external validity?
Nurses on a doctors ward were called by an unknown doctor to give unknown medicine on a patient. They were alto told to give double the proper dosage. Even though this is completely illegal 21/22 were obedient.
Nurses should only accept doctors orders in person and only from doctors that they know
What is Valium?
Very addictive and very strong anti-depressant which relaxes muscles. As a result of this it is a big suicide risk
What happened to the obedience of the nurses when nurses were told to administer valium?
Only 2/18 obeyed.
(The nurses would of known valium)
What was ethically wrong about Milgriam’s experiment?
They thought that the roles (teacher and learner) were randomly alocated
They thought that the electric shocks were real (possibly causing psychological damage)
They level of betrayal of trust could damage the reputation of other psychologists
What did Haslam and Reicher find?
People were more obedient when they thought it was for science
What variations were performed in Milgriam’s experiment?
Proximity
Location
Uniform
Explain the variation of proximity and why it had this effect?
In term of the teacher and the learner
Original - 65% went to the full shock when they were in a different room
Variation - 40% went to full shock when they were in the same room.
30% went to full shock when the participant phyciclyy placed the learners hand on the metal plates (touch proximity)
The drop in obedience may be because it removed the doubt that they are causing pain
Explain how else proximity can influence obedience?
In terms of the doctor and the teacher
Original - 65% they were told in person by the doctor that they had to continue
Variation - 20.5%.
How did location effect Milgriam’s research?
Original - 65% at Yale
Variation - it was done at a run down office block down town. Only 47.5% of participants went to the full shock
How did uniform effect Milgriam’s research?
Original - 65% the researchers were in lab coats
Variation - No uniform (they looked like normal citizens) 20%
What happened to obedience when the researcher didn’t care if the participants stopped?
Fell to 2.5%
Responses like “whatever you want to do” …
How was the ecological validity of Milgriam’s work tested?
Men
There were 3 different variables - man in pilice uniform - a milk man uniform - a normal civilian clothes.
153 randomly selected people took part
80% obeyed the policeman
40% obeyed the civilian or the milkman
People were asked stuff like can they walk around a crack in the pavement
How was the ecological validity of Milgriam’s research tested?
Women
What is the agentic state?
A mental state where we feel no personal responsibility as we believe that we are acting for an authority figure. This frees us from the demand of our consciences and allows us to obey even a destructive authority figure
- essentially you see yourself as acting on another’s behalf
What is legitimacy of authority?
This is an explanation for obedience which suggests that we are more likely to obey people who we think have power over us. This is justified by the position of power within a social heirachy.
What are the two stages in Agency theory?
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Autonomous state
Agentic state
What is the agentic shift?
The shift from a state of autonomy to a state of agency
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What is the autonomous state?
A state where a person sees themselves as acting by their own free will
What shows that the agentic theory could be right?
Students were shown video’s of Milgriam’s experiment.
The students blamed the experimenters rather than the teachers
Therefore we can infer that responsibility is due to legitimacy of authority like expert scientists
In a real plane crash scenario the second pilot went against the orders of the main pilot. His actions saved a lot of lives
What evidence both agrees with Agency Theory and disagrees with it?
Some Nazis did things that were too evil to be part of then agency theory
The people after Milgirms’s study didn’t continue shocking people but the Nazis continued with their actions
The German Police battalion (which one nndindkc) didn’t have any orders
An exact replication of Milgriam’s original study was done
Australia - 16% went to the full shock
Germany - 85% of people went to the full shock
What is the bystander effect?
Where did we see this and what does this evidence suggest?
Why people don’t help when others are in danger.
In Zimbardo’s study the prisoners were offered a deal. Give your boankets away and in return they would let the guy out of the “hole”
The prisoners left him in the “hole”
This shows support for Agency theory
What is a dispositional factor?
An explanation of individuals behaviour caused by internal characteristics that reside within the individuals personality
Who created the f scale?
Adorno
What is the f scale?
A test to see how fascist you are
What are the personality types of authoritarian people?
Inflexible with their believes
Belief that the world needs strong leaders
Why are people authoritarian?
Harsh parenting, strict discipline, expectations to be completely loyal, impossibly high standards, severe criticism of perceived failure, conditional love from parents
These factors create - resentment, hostility and disappear in a child. This child then blames others (“the week”) for their childhood
How can we say that dispositional factors help cause authoritarian personality types?
People who scored highly on the f scale were interviewed
The interviews found a
What are the methodological problems with the f scale?
People could lie to get a desired answer
There was no “neither” option you had to agree with 1 side (and say how much you agree)
Acquiescence bias - the tendency to agree with everything
The answers should be randomised (1 side was always the authoritarian option and 1 side was the more liberal option)
What is the bias that means that we agree with everything called?
Acquiescence bias
What is Acquiescence bias
The tendency to agree with everything (on a test etc)
What is political bias?
We are all politicly bias. We see the left wing as bad and the right as good although they are both equally bad on an the extreme end
What is resistance to social influence?
The ability of people to withstand the social pressure to conform to the majority or the obey authority. This ability is influenced by situational and dispositional factors.
What is locus control?
This refers to the sense we each have about what directs events in our lives. Internals believe they are mostly responsible for what happens to them. Externals believe it is mainly a matter of luck or other forces
What role does social support play in resistance to conformity?
Social support often enables people to resist conformity
In Asch’s experiment when there was a decenter conformity dropped from 33%-5.5%)
This may be because the decenter raises the possibility that there are other legitimate ways of thinking and this makes them feel more confident in resisting the majority
Also someones else’s disobedience may act as a model to copy. It frees the conscience.
What are people with an internal locus of control more likely to be able to do?
Resist pressure to conform or to obey
What happened to conformity in Asch’s experiment when the participants didn’t answer last?
When the participants answered 4th they were less likely to conform
Give an example to resistance to conformity?
A manager (actor) was fired for inappropriate behaviour (an experiment)
He then went to his employees to ask for their help in a smear campaign against the company that fired him
If they agrees to help they would sign a consent form for their discussion to be shown in the “trial”
29/33 (88%) said that they wouldn’t help
We can infer that if we think that the authority figure did wrong that we won’t be obedient to them
What evidence that we have that supports LOC?
Milgriam’s baseline study was done again but in addition they measured if participants were internal or external
37% of internals didn’t go to the highest shock
23% of the externals didn’t go to the highest shock
What evidence that we have disagrees with LOC
Analysed data from American LOC studies over a 40 year period (1960-2002) shows that people are becoming more resistant to obedience but also more external.
A lot of people say that LOC is exaggerated
LOC is only relevant is novel situations
LOC has little influence over our behaviour in familiar situations where what we remember from the last time is always more important
What does LOC stand for?
Locus of Control
What is minority influence?
A for, of social influence in which a minority of people persuade others to adopt their belief, attitudes or behaviours. This leads to internalisation or conversion, in which private attitudes are changed as well as public behaviours
What are the 3 key things that need to be done to be a minority influence?
Consistency
Commitment
Flexability
Explain the role of consistency in a minority influence?
If you are consistent then more people will notice
Synchronic consistency - they’re all saying the same thing
Diachronic consistency - they’ve been saying the same thing for some time
Explain the role of commitment in a minority influence?
Consistency is harder to ignore
People who join smaller groups need to he committed as they are expected to do more
Augmentation principle - when the majority starts to pay attention to the minority
What is the Augmentation principle?
When the majority starts to pay attention to the minority
Explain the role of flexibility in a minority group?
Nemeth said that consistency can be interpreted negatively
Minority groups mist compromise to make changes
You need to find a balance between consistency and flexibility
Which psychologist studied minority influence?
Moscovici
What was Moscovici’s method?
192 women were used
In groups of 6
Participants judged 36 slides. All of the slides were blue however they were different brightnesses of blue.
In each group of 6 there were 2 confederates.
There were 3 different conditions
1) the confederates called all of the slides green (consistent)
2) the confederates called 24 slides green and 12 blue (inconsistent)
3) no confederates
What were the results of Moscovici’s experiment?
Control group - 0.25% of slides were called green
Consistent group - 8.4% of the slides were called green. 32% of the participants called at least 1 slide green
Inconsistent group - only 1.25% of the slides were called green
What was the conclusion of Moscovici’s experiemnt?
The confederates were in the minority but their views appeared to have influenced the real participants
The minority had more influence when they were consistent
What were the negative evaluations of Moscovici’s experiment?
It lacked ecological validity (the tasks were artificial)
The participants may have acted differently as they felt that the task were really trivial
The results can’t be generalised to men as only women took part
What were the positive evaluations of Moscovici’s experiment?
As there was a control group we know that the participants were influenced by the minority rather than independently being unsure of the colour of the slides
Who repeated Moscovici’s experiment?
What changes did he make?
Nemeth
Told participants to answer with all of the colours that they saw. Eg (green-blue)
What were Nemeth’s conditions?
1) confederates said that all slides were green
2) they said that the slides were green or blue randomly
3) said that the brighter coloured slides were green-blue and that the duller slides were “green”
What were the results of Nemeth’s replication?
Inconsistency had no effect
Varied response - slightly effected participants
To be a minority influence you need to be consistent but flexable
What evidence is there that supports the need for flexibility for minority influence?
When discussing how much compensation someone should get for a ski lift accident:
Confederates who weren’t flexible had no influence on the jurors
Confederates who were flexible influences the jurors
What evidence is there that supports the idea that consistency is needed for minority influences
Meta analysis of 97 studies showed that consistency was key
What evidence is there that supports the idea that depth of thoght is needed for minority influences
For a minority to change opinions they need to make others think deeply about their cause so that it is imbedded in them
We know that it is harder to influence others and a minority group. Therefore this suggests that the minority message needs to have been more deeply processed for it to have any impact
What evidence is there against minority influence?
(That it will sometimes never work)
Artificial tasks are too artificial???.? so this can’t be generalised to real life
Therefore it is lacking external validity
Majorities will always have more influence
WHILST
Minorities will often face hostile oposition
What is social change?
This occurs when whole societies rather than just individuals adopt new attitudes, beliefs and ways of doing things
What conditions are necessary for social change through minority influences?
Drawing attention to an issue which opposes the majority position
Consistency - when you are consistent you are taken more seriously
Deeper processing of issues
Risk - you will be taken more seriously if you are willing to risk things for your cause
The snowball effect - when something goes from private acceptance to public acceptance
Social cryptomeria - when people have the memory that something has happened but they don’t remember how
What is social cryptomeria
When people have the memory that something changed but they don’t know how it happened
What is the aim of terroism?
To bring social change when direct social force is not possible
Who is terrorism normally carried out by?
Normally my minority groups
Why should terrorism work to create social change?
People see how devoted, motivated and committed people and it draws attention to an issue
These are conditions necessary for social change to happen through minority influences
How is social force generated?
Persuasion, threat, hummer and embaresment
When does social influence occurs when…
The combined effect of 3 factors are significant enough
Strength - being powerful, knowledgable and consistent
Immediacy - normally of someone providing social influence
Numbers
What investigation was there about Social Impact Theory?
What were the results?
Why did this cause social change?
Someone investigated weather social influence processes led to a reduction in energy consumption in a community
They found a significant decrease in energy usage in the first group (where there were signs hung on doors saying that other people were using less energy than them
This caused social change through NSI as others knew that they were saving energy
(They wanted to fit in and be liked)
Is minority influence indirectly or directly effective?
How do we know?
It is always indirectly effective
Not all minority influences campaigns are successful
Change …
What did Nemeth say about minority influences need for flexibility?
“Consistency can be interpreted negatively
What research is there against NSI?
People who want to be liked generaly conform way more often.
People who were described as affiliatiors (people in need of affiliation were found to conform more (due to NSI)
What support is there for NSI?
Ash made people write down their answers instead of saying them. As there was no way or need to conform as the participant didn’t know the answers of the confederates answers were confidential. Conformity fell to 12.5%
What was the conclusion of the BBC prison experiment?
Since people did not fit into their social roles this keans that social roles are flexable
What were the results of Bushmen’s experiment?
(Testing the ecological validity (with women) of Milgriam’s experiment)
Policewomen - 72%
Business women - 48%
Begger - 52% gave money for a parking ticket
Define obedience alibi
A reason we are obedient towards people we perceive to have more authority than us
Generally what is the Agency theory?
Autonomous state, the agentic shift and agentic state
What is the example about the German police battalion about?
They were given orders to go into a town and do things but thy weren’t given orders to rape and kill people although they latter said that they were given orders to do that
Who wrote the agency theory?
Milgriam
What is apathy?
When your are unemotional about a situation
What evidence is there that an authoritarian personality types results in high obedience?
Milgriam and Elms interviewed fully obedient participants (who had scored highly on the f scale and gone to the max shock meaning that they were obedient
They found a link between dispositional factors and situational factors (through the variations - eg location and uniform)
They concluded that authoritarian personality types are more likely to exist in less educated people and in people with a lower social status
What does “free the conscience” mean?
To act as you believe is correct
Are you more or less obedient if you are high interanl and high external?
More even though high internal means you should be less obedient
What does high internal mean?
It is a result that Rotter’s Locus of control has.
It usually mean that you are less obedience and that you resist obedience/social influence
What does indirect mean in terms or minority influence
Majorities are influenced on matters only related to the issue at handand not the central issue itself
Explain the study on minority influence: smoking
2997 smokers and 2471 ex smokers were shown either anti smoking adverts, nothing or the anti smoking adverts and campaigns
9.8% of the smokers had stopped and 4.3% of the ex smokers had relapsed
This is a negative exaluation
What are the barriers to social change
Stereotypical minority enviromentalists
People see people or groups in a certain way which puts you off their ideas
Why will minority influence sometimes never work?
Some tasks are too artificial (not reflecting reality)
So it can’t be generalised to real life as it is lacking external validity so people can’t think about how they will change social norms
Social impact theory is also known as…
Social force
What is the snowball effect?
When something goes from private acceptance to public expression from minority to majority influence
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