Social Influence Flashcards
1
Q
Obedience
A
Following of an explicit order or command given by someone
2
Q
Following of an explicit order or command given by someone
A
Obedience
3
Q
Explanations for obedience
A
agentic state and legitimacy of authority, and situational variables affecting obedience including proximity, location and uniform
4
Q
People may resist pressures to conform or obey if they have support from a dissenter (someone who disagrees with the majority or refuses to obey)
A
Social support
5
Q
Social change
A
Social change refers to the ways in which a society (rather than an individual) develops over time to replace beliefs, attitudes and behaviour with new norms and expectations.
6
Q
Agentic state
A
A mental state where we feel no personal responsibility for our behaviour because we believe ourselves to be acting for an authority figure.
7
Q
A mental state where we feel no personal responsibility for our behaviour because we believe ourselves to be acting for an authority figure.
A
Agentic state
8
Q
Authoritarian personality
A
A Type of personality that Adorno argued was especially susceptible to obeying authority figures
As they have a great deal of respect for authority figures
9
Q
A Type of personality that Adorno argued was especially susceptible to obeying authority figures
A
Authoritarian personality
10
Q
The way that minority influence is more likely to occur if the minority shows dedication to their position
A
Commitment
11
Q
Commitment
A
If the ninety suffer social pressures and abuse from the majority and stay the course they would be deemed committed by the majority bringing more attention to the group
12
Q
A type of conformity where individuals publicly go along with the majority view but privately disagree with it
A
Compliance
13
Q
Compliance
A
A type of conformity where individuals publicly go along with the majority view but privately disagree with it
Often temporary
14
Q
yielding to group pressures
A
Conformity
15
Q
Conformity
A
yielding to group pressures
16
Q
The message that is sent out by a minority if the message stays consistent after social pressures the majority will possibly start paying attention as it gives the impression that are convinced they’re right creating doubt
A
Consistency
17
Q
Consistency
A
The message that is sent out by a minority if the message stays consistent after social pressures the majority will possibly start paying attention as it gives the impression that are convinced they’re right creating doubt
18
Q
Diachronic Consistency
A
Consistency over time
19
Q
Dispositional explanation
A
focus on internal characteristics that lie within the individual (e.g. personality) that lead them to be more or less likely to follow the orders of an authority figure
20
Q
focus on internal characteristics that lie within the individual (e.g. personality) that lead them to be more or less likely to follow the orders of an authority figure
A
Dispositional explanations
21
Q
the way in which minority influence is more likely to occur if the minority is willing to compromise
A
Flexibility
22
Q
Flexibility
A
If a minority is seen to be flexible in their message and cause they will be seen as reasonable. Groups that’s refuse to listen or change won’t be seen as a viable group for society so won’t be accepted
23
Q
A type of conformity where individuals adopt the behaviour of the group because we value the group membership
A
Identification
24
Q
Identification
A
A type of conformity where individuals adopt the behaviour of the group because we value the group membership
Don’t necessarily agree and will last as long as membership
25
where a person conforms because they have a desire to be right
Informational social influence
26
Informational social influence
A change of behaviour in order to be correct. In situations where we are unsure of the correct response we look to others who are better informed and use their lead as a guide
ISI is done for cognitive reasons
27
Type of conformity where individuals take on the expressed view publicly and privately as they accept it as correct
Internalisation
28
Internalisation
Type of conformity where individuals take on the expressed view publicly and privately as they accept it as correct deepest level and leads to a permanent change in behaviour
‘True conformity’
29
Milgram suggested that we are more likely to obey a person who has a higher position or status in a social hierarchy.
Legitimacy of authority
30
Legitimacy of authority
Milgram suggested that we are more likely to obey a person who we perceive to be in a higher position or status in a social hierarchy.
31
Locus of control
Rotter- the degree to which people believe that they, as opposed to external forces, have control over the outcome of events in their lives.
People with a high ILOC are more resistant as they believe they’re in control and have more he self confidence to resist
32
a form of social influence that is attributed to exposure to a consistent minority position in a group
Minority influence
33
Minority influence
When a consistent, committed and flexible minority group influence a majority into social change
34
conform in order to be liked and accepted by people
Normative social influence
35
Normative social influence
A change of behaviour to avoid punishment (such as going along with school rules) and gain rewards (getting people to like you) NSI is done for cognitive reasons
36
compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority
Obedience
37
Obedience
compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority
38
The ways in which individuals attempt to withstand perceived attempts to threaten freedom of choice
Resistance to social influence
39
Resistance to social influence
The ways in which individuals attempt to withstand perceived attempts to threaten freedom of choice
40
environment or the people around you who might make you more or less obedient.
Situation variables
41
Situational variables
environment or the people around you who might make you more or less obedient.
42
how small actions can cause bigger and bigger actions, ultimately resulting in a big impact
Snowball effect
43
Snowball effect
Gradually others are drawn to the message and numbers increase, first internalisation gets people on board then it becomes the norm
44
changes in human interactions and relationships that transform cultural and social institutions
Social change
45
Social change
changes in human interactions and relationships that transform cultural and social institutions
46
a failure to remember the origin of a change, in which people know that a change has occurred in society, but forget how this change occurred
Social-crypto amnesia
47
Social-crypto amnesia
a failure to remember the origin of a change, in which people know that a change has occurred in society, but forget how this change occurred
48
a socially defined pattern of behavior that is expected of persons who occupy a certain social position or belong to a particular social category
Social roles
49
Social roles
a socially defined pattern of behavior that is expected of persons who occupy a certain social position or belong to a particular social category
50
When people are more likely to disobey because other people are
Social support
51
Social support
The presence of others who resist pressure to conform or obey helps others to do the same
Breaks unanimity of a group, creating a divergence of opinion challenging legitimacy of authority
52
consistency between its members
Synchronic consistency
53
Synchronic consistency
consistency between its members
54
the extent that members of a majority agree with one another
Unanimity
55
Unanimity
the extent that members of a majority agree with one another
56
Aschs study aim
Study into the extent to which social pressure from a majority would make people conform
57
Study into the extent to which social pressure from a majority would make people conform
Aschs study aim
58
Aschs study procedure
123 American men in groups of 7-9 with confederates said to say out loud what line of the comparison lines was the same length as line X
12 of 18 critical trials 6 said longer and 6 said shorter
59
Variables investigated by asch
Group size
Unanimity
Task difficulty
60
Aschs study findings
On average a Participants confirmed 36.8% of the time
25% of participants never conformed
5% conformed on every trial
ISI- some ppl doubted vision
NSI- knew they were right but didn’t want to stand out
61
Asch difficulty of task
Made difference between lines smaller
Increased conformity because of ISI
62
Group size asch
1 confederate = 3%
2 confederate =12.8%
3 confederate =32%
63
Asch unanimity
Disturbed unanimity = decrease in conformity
64
Zimbardo procedure
Set up a mock prison under Stanford uni
75 applicants who answered ad given personality test to eliminate psychological problems
24 men judged to be most stable $15 a day
Prisoners arrested at their homes without warning
Stripped and had all possessions taken
Guards were dressed in uniform and given shades
65
Zimbardo results
Stopped after 6 days
Guards used physical and psychological abuse
Within a day guard hit prisoner
Ringleaders of revolt were put in shoe
As prisoners became more submissive guards became more aggressive
66
Strengths of Zimbardo study
Reliability (standardised)
Practical application (explains around of person behaviour)
Mundane realism (arresting in public etc)
67
Weaknesses of Zimbardo
Generalisability
Temporal validity (1973)
Ethics - led to ethical guidelines
Demarncharacteristics
68
Destructive obedience
When we obey an order to do something immoral or harmful
69
When we obey an order to do something immoral or harmful
Destructive obedience
70
Adolf Eichmann
Denied any responsibility for playing a key role in ordering death of millions of Jews
“I was just doing my job”
71
Denied any responsibility for playing a key role in ordering death of millions of Jews
“I was just doing my job”
Adolf Eichmann
72
Milgrams participants
40 American male volunteers
30-50 years old
73
4 prods used by milgram
1) please continue
2)the experiment requires you to continue
3)it’s absolutely essential you continue
4)you have no other choice but to continue
74
How many of Milgrams particiapnts went to 300v
100%
75
How many of Milgrams participants stopped at 300v
12.5%
76
How many of Milgrams participants went to 450V
65%
77
Qualitative results of Milgrams study
Participants showed signs of extreme tension with 3 even having seizures
78
2 strengths of Milgrams study
+ Reliability (standardised procedures)
+ practical applications (understanding behaviour)
+ helped German stereotypes
79
3 weaknesses of milgrams study
- generalisability (androcentric)
- external validity
-ethics
80
Out of 18 variations what did Milgram say were the 3 main situational factors affecting obedience
Loss of uniform
Location
Proximity
81
Uniform situational variable
Original = lab coat
Variation= no lab coat
82
Location situational variable (milgram)
Original = Yale university
Variation= run down offence block in Bridgeport
83
Proximity situational variable
Original = seperate rooms
Variation= L+T in same room
Variation2= experimenter on the phone
84
Uniform variation results Milgram
20% obedience level
85
Location variation result Milgram
47.5% obedience level
86
Proximity L+T in same room results Milgram
40% obedience
87
Proximity teacher on phone results Milgram
20.5% obedience level
88
Bickman
Asked passers to do unusual orders in uniform and in street clothes (picking litter or giving money away)
Uniform= 92% obedience
Non-uniform= 49% obedience
89
Asked passers to do unusual orders in uniform and in street clothes (picking litter or giving money away)
Bickman
Uniform= 92% obedience
Non-uniform= 49% obedience
90
Agentic state
Individual no longer sees themselves as acting independently
(Instrument for authority)
91
Moral strain (Agentic state)
Where individuals fight against their own conscience and feel distressed
92
Methods of coping with moral strain
Repression and denial
93
Repression
Keeping certain thoughts, feelings or emotions out of conscious awareness
94
Keeping certain thoughts, feelings or emotions out of conscious awareness
Repression
95
Denial
Denying anything ever happened (Nazi soldiers)
96
Legitimacy of authority
We are socialised into recognising authority figures and we obey them because we trust them and know they have the power to punish us
97
We are socialised into recognising authority figures and we obey them because we trust them and know they have the power to punish us
Legitimacy of authority
98
Strengths of psychological explanations of obedience (legitimacy of authority and Agentic)
+ research support (milgram)
+ research support (bickman)
+applications (explain + prevent horrific actions such as Nazi germany)
99
Weaknesses of psychological explanations of obedience
Agentic state and loa
-Leads to obedience alibi (diffuses responsibility for people like Nazis)
-Better explanations (F-Scale and Autoritarian)
-individual differences
100
Adorno
Saw (AP) individuals as having insecurities that lead to them being hostile to people and a belief that someone tough needs to be in charge
101
Saw (AP) individuals as having insecurities that lead to them being hostile to people and a belief that someone tough needs to be in charge
Adorno
102
Authoritarian people are likely to
•respect and submit to authority figures
•conventional values
•hostility towards other groups
•intolerance of ambiguity
103
F-Scale
Fromm
Questionnaire that asks people about their attitudes towards authority. The higher the score the more obedient
104
Strengths of Dispositional explanations of obedience
Authoritarian)
+research support (Elm and Milgram)
+applications (used to explain why certain personality types are prone to obedience)
+ explains individual differences
105
Weaknesses of Dispositional (authoritarian) explanations of obedience
- alternative explanations (agentic state and LOA) take situational variables into account
- problem with cause and effect (Middendrop and Meloen)
-social desirability of f scale
106
Middendrop and Meloen
Found that less educated people are consistently less authoritarian and less obediant
Suggesting education is responsible for obedience and not personality
107
Found that less educated people are consistently less authoritarian and less obediant
Suggesting education is responsible for obedience and not personality
Middendrop and Meloen
108
Elm and Milgram
Found when they interview people who participated in original obedience study the 20 fully obedient people scored higher on the F-Scale then a comparison of 20 disobedient
109
Found when they interview people who participated in original obedience study the 20 fully obedient people scored higher on the F-Scale then a comparison of 20 disobedient
Elm and Milgram
110
Resistance
Any action in opposition to, defying or withstanding something or someone
111
Social support
Where other people provide support making it easier to resist social influence
112
Where other people provide support making it easier to resist social influence
Social support
113
Asch result when there was a non-conforming confederate (Ally)
Overall conformity lowered to 5%
114
Milgrams reaukts when an additional disobedient confederate was used
Obedience dropped form 65% to 10%
115
Strengths of social support
+ research support (Asch and milgram)
+ real world examples
116
Weaknesses of social support
- Fails to explain first dissenter (LOC may be doen to personality)
-Theoretical issues (SOME people still obey)
-artificial research support
117
A person perception of personal control over their own behaviour
Locus of control
118
External LOC
An individual who believes their lives are down to date luck and external factors
119
Internal Loc
An individual who believes their lives are down to their own decisions and efforts
120
Internal LOC characteristics
Less likely to rely on others
Can resist pressures
achivement orientated
121
External loc characteristic
More likely to be influenced by others
122
Strength of LOC
+research support (Spector)
123
Weaknesses of LOC
-exaggerated role (LOC plays little part in repeat situations where previous experience is more important)
-generalisability of research (Spector)
124
Spector
Investigated LOC and conformity in 157 students and found those with a high external LOC were more easily persuaded and conformed in situations that produced normative social influence
125
Investigated LOC and conformity in 157 students
Spector
found those with a high external LOC were more easily persuaded and conformed in situations that produced normative social influence
126
Minority influence
A form of social influence where a minority persuaded a majority to adopt their beliefs attitudes or behaviours
127
Consistency
If a message is consistent then it’s more likely people will follow (make others rethink their beliefs)
128
Diachronic consistency
Consistency over time
129
Consistency over time
Diachronic consistency
130
Synchronic consistency
Consistency between members
131
Consistency between members
Synchronic consistency
132
Commitment
If a minority keeps staying true to their message it is more likely people will follow as it makes you seem more sure of your idea
133
Flexibility
When a group is flexible as to who joins and how they go about promoting their message makes you seem nicer and people are more likely to follow
134
Consistency example
Greta thunberg has never deviated from her position that things need to change now
135
Commitment example
Greta sacrificed her education by not going to school on Fridays
136
Flexibility example
Suffragettes had meetings with politicians
137
Moscovici study procedure
All participants shown 36 slides all different shades of blue and asked to state the colour out loud
First group (consistent) answered green ever time
Second group (inconsistent) answered green 24 and blue 12
138
Moscovici study results
Control group 0.25% said green
First (Consistent) group 8.42% conformity
Second (inconsistent) 1.25% conformity
139
Minority influence strengths
+ research support (Moscovici)
+ applications (suffragettes)
140
Minority influence weaknesses
- alternative research (Maas found homo minorities were less influential then hetero minoroties)
-research not representative of real like situations
141
Social change
How society develops its beliefs over time
142
Social crypto amnesia
People forget that society was ever different after a change has occurred
143
Snowball effect
Convincing a small amount of people then gradually more until a tipping point is reached
144
Strengths of social change
+ Applications (suffragettes)
+ research (Moscovici)
145
Teenage conformity examples
Music taste
Virginity
Crime
Alcahol
Drugs
Bullying
Smoking
Clothing
146
Deautsch and Gerard (1955)
Came up with ISI and NSI
147
Evaluations for Explanations of conformity
+ Asch support
+ explains behaviour change in ambiguous situations
- doesn’t consider individual differences
-Artificial research support
148
Evaluations of Asch
+ reliability (standardised procedures)
+ practical applications (juries warned about conformity
-Perrin and Spencer
- Generalisability (123 American men)
149
Perrin and Spencer
Recreated Asch study with science and engineering students and found only 1 conforming response out of 396
150
Who Recreated Asch study with science and engineering students and found only 1 conforming response out of 396
Perrin and Spencer
151
Zimbardo aims
To investigate whether students would conform to a role (guard or prisoner) that they were told they were picked for but it was random
Also explore whether cases of police brutality was Dispositional or down to prison environment
152
Autonomous state
We are aware of the consequences and responsibilities and act and think as independent individuals guided by our own conscience
Feel in control and can feel guilt and will only follow orders if we agree with the action
153
Binding factors
Factors that keep us locked in the Agentic state
154
Hofling
21 out of 22 nurses obeyed doctors orders and were about to administer medication of astoten to patient
11 admitted to knowing the correct dosage of astoten
155
Fromm
F scale
156
How can parenting lead to obedience
Harsh punitive and little love from parents can lead to either
Fear of parents and therefore excessive respect for authority
Or hatred of parents which can lead to hate and anger being displaced onto others
157
Social support real world examples
In ww2 many non Jewish people helped hide and protect Jewish people from the Nazis by going against orders to give them up and hand them over
Rosa parks and example of a dissenter who sparked the civil rights movement
158
Evaluations of locus of control
+ explains dissenter unlike social support
+ explains individual differences (y some ppl conform and y some don’t)
- socially sensitive (sense of no control worse)
-fail to state whether individuals can change
159
Augmentation principle
A small group are always willing to take great risks to raise awareness
160
Nemeth
Mock jury where groups of 3 pts and 1 confederate had to decide amount of compensation paid to a victim
When confederate arrived for a very low amount and refused to change he had no effect but when he compromised so did everyone else
