SOCIAL INFLUENCE Flashcards
Explanations for obedience
What are the explanations for obedience?
Agentic state
Legitimacy of authority
Explanations for obedience
What is the agentic state?
When we act as an agent of someone in authority
We find it easier to deny personal responsibility for our actions
Thus protecting our self image
Explanations for obedience
When does the agentic shift occur?
When confronted with an authority figure
Explanations for obedience
What is the autonomous state?
Direct OWN behaviour
Take responsibility
Explanations for obedience
What are binding factors?
Even if they feel the actions are wrong, they are unable to stop
Stopping would lead to worse consequences
Explanations for obedience
Strengths of the agentic state as an explanation for obedience
Research support
Milgrim
Ppts in shock experiment acted as an agent of the lab assistant who encouraged them to shock the learners
Explanations for obedience
Strengths of the agentic state as an explanation for obedience
Real- life application
Doctors at Auschwitz
Explanations for obedience
Limitations of the agentic state as an explanation for obedience
Culture bias
Collectivist cultures are taught to obey authority
Agentic state wouldn’t be as relevant in individualistic cultures
Explanations for obedience
Limitations of the agentic state as an explanation for obedience
Features of science
Relies on self reporting
NOT objective, reliable or empirical
Explanations for obedience
What is legitimacy of authority as an explanation for obedience?
We are more likely to obey people we perceive have authority
Authority is justified by position of power within a social hierarchy
Explanations for obedience
What factor makes an authority figure seem legitimate?
Authority figure needs to be inside a certain institution
e.g. lab or university
Explanations for obedience
Strengths of legitimacy of authority as an explanation for obedience
Research support
Milgrim
Situational variables like uniform (casual) and location (run down office) increased obedience
In both repeat tests, 48% shocked to 450v in comparison to 65% in the original tests
Explanations for obedience
Strengths of legitimacy of authority as an explanation for obedience
Real- life application
Doctors at Auschwitz
Explanations for obedience
Limitations of legitimacy of authority as an explanation for obedience
Culture bias
Collectivist cultures are taught to obey authority
Agentic state wouldn’t be as relevant in individualistic cultures
Explanations for obedience
Procedure of Milgrims original shock experiment
40 male American ppts
Learners (confeds) to answer Qs about word lists to test of punishment increases learning
Teacher (ppt) told to shock incorrect answers
Increasing voltage by 15v each time
15- 450v with buttons labelled with severity of shock
Lab assistant (confed) prompted ppt
Explanations for obedience
Findings of Milgrims original shock experiment
100% to 300v
65% to 450v
Due to agentic state
Explanations for obedience
What were the 3 situational variables Milgrim tested?
Proximity
Uniform
Location
Explanations for obedience
Original vs repeat shock tests for proximity
Prodedures
org. teacher and learner in different rooms
rep. teacher and learner in same room
Explanations for obedience
Original vs repeat shock tests for proximity
Findings
Obedience decreased
Explanations for obedience
Original vs repeat shock tests for uniform
Procedures
org. lab assistant wore grey lab coat
rep. lab assistant called out of room and replaced by replaced by someone wearing casual clothes
Explanations for obedience
Original vs repeat shock tests for uniform
Findings
Obedience decreased
48% shocked to 450v
Explanations for obedience
Original vs repeat shock tests for location
Procedures
org. Yale Lab Uni
rep. Run down office block
Explanations for obedience
Original vs repeat shock tests for uniform
Findings
Obedience decreased
48% shocked to 450v
Explanations for obedience
Strengths of situational variables as an explanation for obedience
Research support for uniform
Bush- dressed in 3 costumes and asked the public for parking money
police- 72%
businessman- 48%
begger- 52%
Explanations for obedience
Strengths of situational variables as an explanation for obedience
Real- life application
Attitude towards war crimes
Less blame
Explanations for obedience
Limitations of situational variables as an explanation for obedience
Small sample
Org. 40 ppts
Not generalisable
Explanations for obedience
Limitations of situational variables as an explanation for obedience
Culture bias
American ppts
No generalisable
Explanations for obedience
Limitations of situational variables as an explanation for obedience
Ethics
Deception
NO informed consent
Psychological harm
Explanations for obedience
What is the authoritarian personality?
A distinct personality disorder characterised by strict adherence to conventional values and a belief in absolute obedience to authority
Explanations for obedience
Who created the F- scale?
Adorno
Explanations for obedience
What is the F- scale?
Relationship between personality and prejudiced beliefs
Explanations for obedience
What was the procedure of the F- scale study?
2000 middle class white Americans Filled out questionnaire with either 'agree' or 'disagree'
Explanations for obedience
What were the findings of the F- scale study?
scored highly/ more agrees= strong people, contemptuous of the weak
Explanations for obedience
Explain the development of the authoritarian personality
Disciplined upbringing
Father is harsh
This is the assumed norm
Explanations for obedience
What was the authorial personality refined to?
Right- wing authoritarianism
Explanations for obedience
What 3 character traits must a person posses to have the authoritarian personality?
Conventionalism
Authoritarian aggression
Authoritarian submission
Explanations for obedience
What is conventionalism as a character trait of the authoritarian personality?
Adherence to conventional values and norms
Explanations for obedience
What is authoritarian aggression as a character trait of the authoritarian personality?
Aggressive feelings towards those who violate conventional norms
Explanations for obedience
What is authoritarian submission as a character trait of the authoritarian personality?
Submission to legitimate authorities
Explanations for obedience
Who conducted the study into the link between the AP and relationships with parents?
Elms and Milgrim
Explanations for obedience
What was the procedure of the study into the link between the AP and relationships with parents?
PPts from Milgrims shock experiment- 20 were obedient, 20 weren’t obedient
Completed F- scale questionnaire
Asked about relationship with parents
Explanations for obedience
What were the findings of the study into the link between the AP and relationships with parents?
Obedient ppts= less close with parents
Supports development of AP
Explanations for obedience
Limitations of the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience
Culture bias
American ppts
May be difference between collectivist and individualistic cultures
Not generalisable
Explanations for obedience
Limitations of the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience
Gender bias
Male ppts
Not generalisable
Development of AP = harsh FATHER -> ignores influence of mother -> alpha bias
Explanations for obedience
Limitations of the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience
Deterministic
disciplined upbringing + harsh father = AP
Explanations for obedience
Limitations of the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience
F- scale statements
VERY objective, whereas humans are subjective
Not accurate measurement
Explanations for obedience
Limitations of the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience
Contrasting research- Milgrim
Milgrims situational variables have a bigger impact on obedience than dispositional variables like the AP
Resistance to social influence
What is the locus of control?
The sense we have about what directs events in our lives
Resistance to social influence
What is an internal LOC?
Believe that they are mostly responsible for what happens to them
Resistance to social influence
What characteristics does someone with n internal LOC possess?
Self- confident
Achievement orientated
Higher intelligence
Less need for social approval
Resistance to social influence
What is an external LOC?
Things happen without their own control
Resistance to social influence
Which LOC would lead to resistance to social influence?
Internal LOC
Resistance to social influence
Strengths of LOC as an explanation for resisting social influence
Research support
Holland conducted a Milgrim- type study
% that DIDN’T shock to 450v
37% were internals
23% were externals
Internals have higher self- confidence and less desire for social approval
Resistance to social influence
Limitations of LOC as an explanation for resisting social influence
Limited application
LOC only important in NEW situations
Familiar situations rely on learning from past experiences
Resistance to social influence
What is social support as an explanation for resistance to social influence?
The presence of people who resist pressures to conform help others to do the same
They act as role models to show others that resistance IS possible
Resistance to social influence
Strengths of social support as an explanation for resisting social influence
Research support- Asch
Presence of an ally- conformity reduced to 5.5%
Resistance to social influence
Strengths of social support as an explanation for resisting social influence
Research support- Allen & Levine
Ash- type study
Even if ally said they had sight issues, conformity still decreased -> social support very relevant
Resistance to social influence
Limitations of social support as an explanation for resisting social influence
Evaluations of supportive research studies
Lab study Culture bias Gender bias Individual differences Temporally relative- McCarthyism as an exp. for conformity
Minority influence
What is minority influence?
When someone disagrees with the majority and persuades them to change their opinion
Usually leads to internalisation- public + private
Minority influence
What are the 3 behaviours needed to convert the minority to the majority?
Consistency
Commitment
Flexibility
Minority influence
What is consistency?
Consistency of beliefs
Increases interest from the majority and makes other rethink their views
Minority influence
What is commitment?
Extreme activities
To draw attention
Augmentation principle
augmentation-making something bigger, more important, such as by risking their lives for it
Minority influence
What is flexibility?
Minority is slightly lenient
So they don’t appear rigid or uncompromising
Minority influence
What study tested minority influence?
Moscovici- blue slide, green slide test
Minority influence
What was the aim of the blue slide, green slide test?
To test consistency vs flexibility in minority influence
Minority influence
What was the procedure of the blue slide, green slide test?
Each group contained 4 ppts and 2 confeds
Shown 36 slides of different shades of blue
C1- Consistency- confeds stated ‘green’ for all slides
C2- Flexibility- confeds stated ‘green’ for 24 slides and ‘blue’ for 12 slides
Minority influence
What were the findings of the blue slide, green slide test?
C1- Consistency- 8.42% of ppts stated ‘green’
C2- Flexibility- 1.25% of ppts stated ‘green’
CONSISTENCY IS MOST EFFECTIVE
Minority influence
Strengths of conversion through minority influence
Research support
Moscovici- blue slide, green slide test
Showed that consistency is most effective in minority influence
Minority influence
Limitations of conversion through minority influence
Research support- Mosovici
Artificial tasks- lacks ecological validity
Culture bias
Lab study
Minority influence
Limitations of conversion through minority influence
Commitment
Against features of science
Limited research into commitment -_ feature of science is theory testing -> not extensively done
