Social Influence Flashcards
What was Asch’s baseline procedure?
123 American men were tested in groups of 6-8. Only one person in the group was a real participant. The rest were confederates of Asch’s who each gave the same incorrect answer to the question asked. The real participant was seated last or next to last. On average, the participants conformed a third of the time. 25% never conformed at all however.
What variables might lead to an increase/decrease in conformity?
Group size- conformity increases with group size but only to a point (curvilinear relationship).
Unanimity- the presence of a nonconforming person decreases conformity.
Task difficulty- conformity increases because participants are less sure of the answer (informational social influence)
Artificial limitation?
The task and situation was artificial. Subject to demand characteristics. Relatively trivial task. No real reason not to conform. Doesn’t generalise to real world findings.
What are the types of conformity?
Internalisation- A person who genuinely accepts the group’s norms. This will result in a private change of behaviour and opinions, as well as a public one. Usually permanent as attitude has been genuinely changed.
Identification- Conforming to a group because there is something about the group that you value. You identify with it. The change in behaviour is usually just public, rather than agreeing privately with everything they say and do.
Compliance- Involves simply “going along with others”. A superficial change that ceases as soon as group pressure stops.
What was Zimbardo’s research?
After so many prison riots in America, he wanted to know why prison guards performed so brutally- was it because they were sadistic or due to their social role? And so he set up a mock prison in the basement of Stanford University. 21 student volunteers who tested as emotionally stable were selected and randomly assigned the role of prisoner or guard. They were encouraged to conform to their social roles through instructions they were given and the clothes they had to wear. Prisoners wore a loose smock and a cap that covered their hair and were only identified by their number rather than name. The guards were given shades, wooden clubs and handcuffs. This caused a process called de-individuation, with which the participants felt a loss of their personal identity, making it more likely for them to conform to their given roles. Within two days, the prisoners started a riot. The guards would harass them constantly, using divide and rule techniques to make them feel powerless. The guards became so brutal that Zimbardo ended the study after 6 days, rather than the intended 14. In conclusion, social roles appear to have a strong influence on behaviour, with some guards being aggressive and the prisoners becoming increasingly submissive.
Evaluation?
Strength- the control over key variables- selection of emotionally stable participants- random allocation of roles means personality differences are ruled out. Increases internal validity.
Limitation- Exaggeration of the social roles to influence behaviour- only one third of guards were cruel- most resisted situational pressures. Suggests Zimbardo overstated his view that his p’s were conforming to social roles and minimised the influence of dispositional factors.
Locus of control?
Rotter was concerned with whether one had an internal or external LOC. Internal LOCs believe things are largely controlled by themselves, whereas those with higher LOCs tend to believe things are outside of their control. This is a spectrum. Those with internal LOCs tend to have a greater resistance to social influence.
Three main processes involved in minority influence?
Consistency- consistent in their views. Synchronic is when the minority are all saying the same thing. Diachronic is when they’ve been saying it a long time.
Commitment- engaging in extreme activities, especially those that demonstrate a risk are more likely to gain attention
Flexibility- Must be prepared to adapt point of view and accept reasonable counterarguments.
