Social Influence

Question 1

Asch (1951) (P&F)

Answer 1

• Conformity/social support
• 5-7 participants (1 real)
• Confederates incorrect 12/18 trials
• Real conformed 32% of the critical trials
• 75% conformed at least once to majority

Question 2

Asch (1951) Evaluation

Answer 2

• Lack of ecological validity
• Gender bias (population validity)
• Deception & Consent (ethical)
• Number of confederates (3-5) Hogg and Vaughan (1995)
• Unanimity of confederates
• Difficulty of the task
• Normative Influence

Question 3

Milgram (1963) (P&F)

Answer 3

• Obedience
• 2 participants (1 real)
• Real plays the teacher while confederate is the learner
• Real to administer 15+ volts (max 450)
• The experimenter prompts teacher to continue 4 times
• 100% went to 300 volts and 65% went to 450 volts
• 18 variations of the study

Question 4

Milgram (1963) Evaluation

Answer 4

• Standardised procedure
• Lack of ecological validity
• Gender bias (population validity)
• Deception
• Protection of participant
• Use of debrief
• Uniform of authority
• Proximity to authority
• Status of Location