SOCIAL Flashcards
Describe 2 key assumptions of the social approach:
- Other people can affect our behaviour, thoughts, emotions
* Social situation can affect our behaviour, thoughts, emotions
Define Social Influence:
Behaviour, attitudes, emotions are affected by someone else
Define Obedience:
Obeying direct orders from someone in authority
Define Compliance:
Going along with what someone says, while not really agreeing with it
Define Dissenting:
Where orders are rejected, person doesn’t do what they’re told
Define Internalising:
You obey with agreement
Define Conformity:
You adopt behaviours + attitudes to those around you
Define Confederate:
Someone who helps someone else do something
Define Autonomy:
Acting on one’s own free will
Define Agency:
One acts as an agent for others
Define Moral strain:
Experiencing anxiety, because you are asked to do something that goes against your moral judgment
Define Socialisation:
Learning the norms of society through socialising agents (e.g. teachers)
Name the sampling technique which Milgram used:
Oppertunity sampling
Describe 1 weakness of the sample in Milgrams study:
Not generalisable - only males + no females
Who was the confederate in Milgrams study?
The learner (Acting as a participant)
What were the participants told the aim of Milgrams study was?
Aimed to see how punishment affected learning
What was the actual aim of Milgrams research?
See if volunteer participants would be similarly obedient to inhumane orders
Where did the Milgrams research take place?
Interaction Laboratory at Yale University
How did the participants think the roles of teacher and learner were allocated in Milgrams study?
- Randomly
* Drawing of roles
How were the roles of teacher and learner actually allocated in Milgrams study?
Drawing of roles was rigged so the participant was always the teacher
What was the maximum voltage on the shock machine in Milgrams Study?
450 Volts
At what voltage did the learner protest and stop responding in Milgrams study?
300 Volts
What were the 4 Prods in Milgrams study?
1 - ‘please continue’
2 - ‘the experiment requires that you continue’
3 - ‘absolutely essential that you continue’
4 - ‘you have no other choice, you must go on’
What were the purpose of the prods in Milgrams study?
See how obedient the participant was even though he knew something was wrong with the learner
What was the debriefing process that the Participants received in Milgrams study?
Friendly reconciliation with interviewer
What did Milgram find from the pilot study?
Participants predicted most Americans would stop before 150V shock level + no more than 4% would continue to 450V
What was the Quantitative data found in Milgrams study?
- 100% obeyed to 300 Volts
- 14 Participants stopped before 450 Volts
- 65% continued to obey to max 450 Volts
What was the Qualitative data found in Milgrams study?
Some participants remained calm but some indicted stress by stating :
•“ I think he’s trying to communicate, he’s knocking”
•“ it’s not fair to shock the guy”
•“ I don’t think this is very humane”
•”I can’t go on with this”
What was the sample shock that the Teacher received in Milgrams study?
45 Volts
What was the Procedure of Milgrams Study from after the sample shock was given ?
- Placed in separate rooms - teacher could only hear learner
- Teacher read series of word pairs, learner indicates which of 4 terms were correct
- If learner got answer wrong, teacher give them electric shock, every error increases bu 15 volts
What was the Conclusion of Milgrams study?
Social influence is strong and people obey orders even when this causes them distress
What were the features leading to Obedience from Milgrams study?
- Yale uni is prestigious uni + unlikely to allow unethical situation
- Study has worthy cause
- Victim wasn’t unwilling
- Participant had volunteered
- Participant was payed
- Learner there by chance
- Thought shocks were painful, but not dangerous
What was the reliability of Milgrams study?
Can’t be replicated because of ethical reasoning, so low reliability
What was the Application of Milgrams study?
- Relevant to Ww2 with concentration camp and Hitler
* Relevant to strong facists
What was the Validity of Milgrams study?
- Measures what is says it would
- But, setting artificial as it is at Yale uni in a lab - which is not natural - validity low in this sense
- Lacks mundane realism - not representative of their real behaviour
Evaluate the Ethics in Milgrams study:
Ethical problems - deception - participants believed they were shocking a real person and unaware the learner was a confederate
What was Milgrams Variation 7 of the Experiment?
Telephonic instructions
What was Milgrams Variation 10 of the Experiment?
Rundown office block
What was Milgrams Variation 13 of the Experiment?
Ordinary man gives orders
What was the Aim of Milgrams Variation 7 experiment?
See if proximity of experimenter affects obedience levels
What was the Aim of Milgrams Variation 10 experiment?
See if setting of research affects obedience levels
What was the Aim of Milgrams Variation 13 experiment?
See if status of experimenter affects obedience levels
What was the Procedure of Milgrams Variation 7 experiment?
Same as original except:
•Initially give face-face instructions, then experimenter left room and gave further instructions over the phone
What was the Procedure of Milgrams Variation 10 experiment?
Same as original except:
•Study took place in rundown office building
•Ps told that it was conducted by Bridgeport Associates, instead of Yale
What was the Procedure of Milgrams Variation 13 experiment?
Same as original except:
•Self selected sample of 20 men
•Drew lots with 2 other Ps
•1st confederate = learner, 2nd confederate = recording times from experimenter at desk
•Experimenter leaves
•2nd confederate (ordinary man) suggest increasing shock level for every wrong answer
What was the Results of Milgrams Variation 7 experiment?
22.5% gave max voltage
What was the Results of Milgrams Variation 10 experiment?
47.5% gave max voltage
What was the Results of Milgrams Variation 13 experiment?
20% gave max voltage
What was the Conclusion of Milgrams Variation 7 experiment?
Level of obedience dropped from original experiment, so proximity is important in creating obedience
What was the Conclusion of Milgrams Variation 10 experiment?
Level of obedience dropped slightly from original experiment, so setting has some effect on obedience
What was the Conclusion of Milgrams Variation 13 experiment?
Level of obedience dropped significantly from original experiment, so authority of experimenter is important factor in creating obedience
What is the Autonomous State?
- Guided by own moral code
- Take control for their own actions
- Freely choose own behaviour
- Person believes they have power
What is the Agentic State?
- Act against own moral code
- Person allows someone else to direct their behaviour
- Assume other person is responsible for consequences of their behaviour
How does Milgram explain the existence of the Agentic State?
- Evolution - survival strategy - following leader can increase chances of survival
- Learned in childhood from school + reinforced in adulthood from legal system
Give 2 sources of Moral Strain for participants in Milgrams study?
- Heard cries of victim
* May have feared retaliation from victim
Describe 2 ways that participants in Milgrams study could reduce their moral strain?
- Dissent - choose not to obey
* Displace responsibility on to an authority figure - Agentic state
Give 2 strengths for the Evaluation of Milgrams Agency Theory of Obedience:
- Supports concept of moral strain (Milgrams study) - Ps showed evidence of distress when told to harm an innocent person
- Standardised Procedures - can replicate because set order of events
Give 2 weaknesses for the Evaluation of Milgrams Agency Theory of Obedience:
- Theory lacks direct evidence - agency is mental process so can’t be directly observed
- Lacked mundane realism - shocking someone is not a thing you would expect to do in everyday life
To what extent is Agency theory generalisable?
- Cross - culturally
* Methods Milgram used in studies lacked mundane realism - doesn’t generalise to life outside the lab
What are the Ethical Implications of Agency Theory?
Remove personal responsibility from those who commit follow immoral orders - offering excuses to people who follow orders
Describe an aspect of Obedience which the Agency Theory cannot explain:
- Motivational issues
* Individual differences - why some people obey and some don’t - ignore factors (e.g. personality type)
Explain why Agency theory lacks evidence?
- Agency cannot be directly observed as it’s an internal mental process
- Milgrams theory about evolutionary development of agency cannot be directly tested
Describe aspects of Milgrams research that supports Agency theory?
- Evidence for concept of displacement of responsibility - in debriefing some Ps reported their behaviour was responsibility of experimenter
- Supports concept of moral strain - Ps showed distress when given orders to harm an innocent person
Define a Target in Social Impact Theory:
Person being impacted on
Define a Source in Social Impact Theory:
Person doing the influencing
What 3 Factors Influence Likelihood a person will respond to Social Influence?
- Strength - determined by age, authority, status
- Immediacy - distance between source and target
- Number - how many sources + targets there are in one group
What is Multiplication of Impact?
Social influence becomes stronger
What is Division of Impact?
- Social influence becomes weaker
* Certain factors reduce impact of social influence
What is Social Impact Theory?
How likely we are influenced by others
What is Evidence for Social Impact Theory?
Supported by research :
•Asch, Milgram, Latane provide evidence for impact of strength, immediacy, number on observable human responses in social situations
•Milgram - 2 peers rebelled against authority figure asking them to give electric shocks to a learner - presence of dissenting peer lowered obedience to 10% - demonstrates divisional effect of 1 source on many targets
What is Evidence against Social Impact Theory?
- Ignores individual differences - doesn’t explain why some of us are more resistant to social impact
- Doesn’t explain why people are influenced by others
What is Locus of Control?
Extent people feel they are in control of their own situation and lives
What is External Locus?
Believe their behaviour is largely beyond their control
What is Internal Locus?
Believe they are responsible for their own actions
What are the 3 aspects of personality which may affect obedience?
- Locus of Control
- Authoritarian
- Empathy
Why are people with External Locus more inclined to be Obedient?
They can blame others for their actions
What Research was relevant for Locus of Control?
Milgram research - people stated they obeyed because experimenter had final responsibility
What is an Authoritarian Personality?
Submissive to authority, harsh to those seen as subordinate
What Research was relevant for Authoritarianism?
- Theodor Adorno constructed questionnaire - ‘F Scale’ - to measure authoritarianism
- Milgram + Elms - compared ‘F Scale’ - found obedient Ps had a higher F Scale score = authoritarian
- Dambrun + Vatine - conducted stimulation of Milgrams experiment using computers - found high authoritarian scores = Ps more likely to be obedient
What is meant by Empathy?
Ability to understand + share feelings of another
What Research was relevant for Empathy?
Burger (2009) - investigated and found it didn’t translate into lower levels of obedience
Explain why Developmental Psychology would suggest that woman might be more likely to be obedient:
- They are stereotypically more likely to comply with Male authority
- They are likely to be quiet and compliant
Describe a piece of evidence that suggests that Woman are Similar to Men in Obedience Levels:
Blass (1999) - obedience between males and females was consistent across 9 of 10 obedience studies
Describe a piece of evidence that suggests that Woman are Different to Men in Obedience Levels:
Kilham + Mann (1974) - replicated Milgrams study - found woman were far less obedient (16%) than men (40%)
Describe what is meant by the nature/nurture debate:
Extent to which behaviour is determined by inherited genetic factors (nature) or by interactions with environment + experiences + influences over cause of our lives (nurture)
Describe the idea that Obedience is Influenced by Nurture:
Developmental Psychologists - children growing up in individualistic culture where independence is valued are less likely to be obedient than children growing up in a collectivist culture where people work as groups and are less independent
What is the Aim of Burgers Study - Baseline Condition?
Replicate Milgrams Variation 5
What is the Procedure of Burgers Study - Baseline Condition?
- Explained study same way as Milgram
- Teacher read list of 25 word pairs - learner get 1 wrong then get shock
- Confederate said he had a heart problem
- Same prods used as Milgram
- If teacher resistant to continue, then experiment ended
What was the Sample for Burger’s Study?
- 29 males
- 41 females
- So, 70 participants
How much did Burger Pay the Participants for Taking part?
$50
What was the Sample Shock to the Teacher in Burgers Study?
15 Volts
How many Participants stopped at 150 Volts or Earlier for Burgers Study - Baseline Condition?
- 6 males (33.3%)
- 6 females (31.6%)
- Total = 12 Ps (30%)
How many Participants Continued After 150 Volts for Burgers Study - Baseline Condition?
- 12 Males (66.7%)
- 16 Females (72.7%)
- Total = 28 Ps (70%)
What was the Conclusion for Burgers Study - Baseline Condition?
- Time + changes in society’s culture didn’t have an effect on obedience
- No significant gender differences
- Screening process may have ruled out participants in a war that affected the results
What was the Aim for Burgers Study - Modelled Refusal Condition?
See if people would be less likely to be obedient if there was social support for the idea of exiting the study sooner
What was the Procedure for Burgers Study - Modelled Refusal Condition?
Most identical to baseline condition, But:
•2 confederates instead of 1
•2nd Confederate = posed as Participant (another teacher)
•Teacher 1 took lead (confederate)
•75V - learner grunted - teacher 1 hesitated
•90V - teacher 1 refused to carry on
•Experimenter asked teacher 2 (real participant) to continue
How many Participants stopped at 150 Volts or Earlier for Burgers Study - Modelled Refusal Condition?
- 5 Males (45.5%)
- 6 Females (31.6%)
- Total = 11 Ps (36.7%)
How many Participants Continued After 150 Volts for Burgers Study - Modelled Refusal Condition?
- 6 Males (54.5%)
- 13 Females (68.4%)
- Total = 19 Ps (63.3%)
What was the Conclusion for Burgers Study - Modelled Refusal Condition?
- Time + changes in society’s culture didn’t have an effect on obedience
- Seeing refusal to obey modelled didn’t effect obedience
- No significant gender differences
- Lack of empathy didn’t explain obedience
Explain 2 reasons for Burgers choice of 150 Volts as part for stopping the study:
- Study becomes ethical
* Felt it wouldn’t affect the findings, 150V was known as ‘point of no return’
Describe 2 features of the procedure of Burgers 2009 study which are the same as Milgrams 1963 research:
- Burger drew lots + draw was rigged
* Verbal prods were the same
Give 2 differences in the procedure of Burgers 2009 study and Milgrams 1963 Study:
- Burger - teacher got sample shock of 15V, Milgram - teacher got sample shock of 45V
- Burger - couldn’t go further than 150V, Milgram - could go to 450V
State 2 Positive factors for the Generalisability in Burgers study :
- Range of ages (20-81 years old)
* Men + woman used
State 2 Limitations for the Generalisability in Burgers study :
- Volunteer sample limits sample to certain personality
* Ethnocentric sample (American)
Evaluate the Reliability in Burgers study :
- Use of lab experiment - easy to replicate
- Good controls of variables (same gender experimenter as participant)
- Standardised procedures so easy to replicate
Evaluate the Application in Burgers Study:
- Apply understanding of obedience to public services on controlling people (e.g. police)
- Shows how obedience levels haven’t changed overtime
State 4 Positive factors for the Validity in Burgers study :
- High in internal validity - Ps believe experiment
- Extraneous variables controlled using standardised procedures
- Screening methods exclude psychology students
- Prods = direct orders = clear on task
State 2 Limitations for the Validity in Burgers study :
- Artificial setting = low in ecological validity
* Lacks mundane realise because giving a shock to a stranger is unlikely
State 4 Positive factors for the Ethics in Burgers study :
- Screenings remoce those who are vulnerable
- Stopped at 150Volts
- Protection of Ps monitored by clinical psychologists
- Right to withdraw twice in writing and one face to face
State a Limitation for the Ethics in Burgers Study:
Deception - aim of study + rigged drawing of lots
Summarise findings of Ancona + Pareyson (1968) for cross-cultural studies of obedience:
- Italy
- Replicated Milgrams studies using students
- Obedience rate = 80%
Summarise findings of Slater (2006) for cross-cultural studies of obedience:
- United Kingdom
- Virtual reality replication of Milgrams research
- Obedience rate = 73.9%
Summarise findings of Meuss and Raijjmakers (1986) for cross-cultural studies of obedience:
- The Netherlands
- People obey orders to psychologically abuse a job interviewer
- Obedience rate = 92%
Summarise findings of Schurz (1985) for cross-cultural studies of obedience:
- Austria
- Ps give bursts of ultrasound rather than electricity to learner
- Obedience rate = 80%
Summarise findings of Blass (1991) for cross-cultural studies of obedience:
- USA, Italy, Austria, South Africa, Holland, Canada, Scotland, Puerto Rico
- Reviewed studies that have been done
- Obedience rate = 60.94% in USA, 65.94% elsewhere
What are Open Questions?
- No fixed response
- Data is qualitative
- Ps express themselves freely in their own words
What are Closed Questions?
- Fixed response
* Data is quantitative
What is a Strength of Open Questions?
- More informative answers - increase validity
- Qualitative data - rich + detailed
- Provides reason + insight to Ps answers