Social Impact Theory

Question 1

Target

Answer 1

People receiving orders
Division of impact
more numbers = less likely to obey -

Question 2

Source

Answer 2

People giving order
Psychosocial law- diminishing effects of source giving order

Question 3

Social force

Answer 3

Strength -
immediacy
numbers

Question 4

Variation 7

Answer 4

Instructions given telephonically
Delay in orders and response
Proximity changed
Less social force
Willingness to give shock 65% to 22.5%

Question 5

Milgram

Answer 5

65% went to end
Immediacy and string authority character makes people obey

Question 6

Variation 13

Answer 6

Orders by ordinary man
80% stopped before
Source had less authority so people didn’t obey

Question 7

Strengths

Answer 7

Test different styles and has a control so the impact can be seen

Question 8

Weakness

Answer 8

Lacks generalisability

Question 9

Conclusion

Answer 9

Social impact theory had a role in the pps obeying
But people still obeyed when these changed
Agency theory could explain e.g autonomous state

Question 10

What is social impact theory

Answer 10

Social impact theory suggests that obedience occurs due to social forces which are pressures put on people to change their behaviours

Question 11

status

Answer 11

The strength of the source for example the persons’ status or position of authority affects levels of obedience.

The features of individuals are not taken into account, for example some people are not as easily persuaded as others, so status and knowledge of the ‘expert’ does not lead to obedience in everyone

Question 12

Psychosocial law

Answer 12

Number of sources
If you get told a certain number of times it will no longer have an effect

Question 13

Hoffling 1966)

Answer 13

85% nurses obeyed dr over phone from doctor to give patient does of unknown medicine that exceeded the limit it said on the label

Question 14

AO1

Answer 14

The theory assumes obedience is dependent upon the strength,
immediacy, and number of social sources acting on a target individual.
• Social impact theory proposes that obedience would be greater when the
source is more immediate and there are fewer or no barriers.
• The theory suggests obedience would be greater when there are more
people affecting the target individual, but the proportional impact lessens
as the total number of sources increases.
• According to social impact theory it is predicted that there would be
greater obedience when a source is high status and has a close
relationship with the target individual.