Social Behaviour - Obedience and Apathy

Question 1

Describe Milgram’s research.

Answer 1

In Milgram’s basic paradigm, a subject walks into a laboratory believing that s/he is about to take part in a study of memory and learning. After being assigned the role of a teacher, the subject is asked to teach word associations to a fellow subject (who in reality is a collaborator of the experimenter). The teaching method, however, is unconventional—administering increasingly higher electric shocks to the learner. Once the presumed shock level reaches a certain point, the subject is thrown into a conflict. On the one hand, the strapped learner demands to be set free, he appears to suffer pain, and going all the way may pose a risk to his health. On the other hand, the experimenter, if asked, insists that the experiment is not as unhealthy as it appears to be, and that the teacher must go on. In sharp contrast to the expectations of professionals and laymen alike, some 65% of all subjects continue to administer shocks up to the very highest levels.

Question 2

Describe the Manufacturer’s Human Relations Consultants (MHRC) encounter.

Answer 2

MHRC is created for market research. People are recruited using adverts and go to a meeting room where they are greeted by a smart business. They sit in a U shaped with each of the nine seats associated with a microphone. The businessman details the account often individual who feels they were wrongly terminated. They discuss on behalf of the company and the individual. They then sign a document that the recording of the procedure is going to be used in court. It becomes apparent the businessman is selective in his recording, only record when speaking on behalf of the company. Only 4 people signed that he is recording could be used and the majority disobeyed. The number of participants may be the difference. It is 9 participants against one individual.

Question 3

What is the law of social impact?

Answer 3

Social Impact Theory was created by Bibb Latané in 1981 and consists of four basic rules which consider how individuals can be “sources or targets of social influence”. Social impact is the result of social forces including the strength of the source of impact, the immediacy of the event, and the number of sources exerting the impact. The more targets of impact that exist, the less impact each individual target has.

 number - group disobedience
 strength/legitimacy - uniform, seniority
 immediacy - present in the room (20.5%) No presence and only instructions (2.5%)

Question 4

What is Bystander apathy?

Answer 4

The bystander effect, or bystander apathy, is a social psychological claim that individuals are less likely to offer help to a victim when other people are present; the greater the number of bystanders, the less likely it is that one of them will help.

Question 5

What are the factors involved in responding to an emergency?

Answer 5

1. Social definition:
   - others not responding, no emergency
2. Diffusion of responsibility
   - alone = sole responsibility
   - part of group = transfer the responsibility
3. audience inhibition
   - self-conscious in presence of others
   - fear of social blunder – just a joke?

Question 6

What are non-social factors involved in responding to an emergency?

Answer 6

Non-social factors

1. ambiguity of the situation
   - playing or being attacked?
2. personality
3. personal threat/cost of intervention
   - will they turn on me?