Social Influence Flashcards
What is the key study for variables affecting conformity?
Asch
What year was Asch ?
1951
What was the aim of Aschs 1951 study ?
To discover wether the participant will conform to the group/majority even if the answers are obvious
Sample of Asch 1951 study ?
123 US male volunteers
Procedure of Aschs 1951 main study ?
- One participant was put in a room with 7 confederates (in on research instructed by Asch) , but believed that they confederates where participants like themselves
- The group is then asked a simple line judging task - given a original line and then other lines and asked to judge what line is the same length as the original line they were given
- The answer to this task is very obvious
- On 12/18 trials confederates would give the same wrong answer, even though answer was obvious
On how many trials would confederates give the same wrong answer - Asch ?
12/18
What % of trails did conformity occur on - Findings of Asch 1951 ?
- Asch found that conformity occurred on 33% of trials
How many participants conformed at least once - finings of Asch 1951 ?
75% of participants conformed at least once
Summery of Asch 1951 findings ?
Conformity occurred on 33% of trials
75% of participants conformed at least once
What did the findings of Asch lead him to conclude?
People can and will conform to an easy wrong answer, epically when influenced by a large majority
Asch conducted 4 main variations of his study - what are they ?
- group size
- answers in private
- unamity of the majority
- task difficulty
Asch variations - how was task difficulty changed ?
Asch wanted to increase task difficulty so he moved the lines closer together to make the task for difficult
Asch variations - how did an increase in task difficulty affect conformity
Conformity did increase
When task is more difficult conformity will increase
What kind of social influence does the task difficulty variation support and why ?
Supports informational social influence - we conform because we desire to be correct and the group is used as a source of information so…
Because the task was difficult the participants were less sure of answer so looked to the group for guidance and correct answers, why conformity increased.
Asch variations - how was group size changed ?
Asch changed group size by decreasing it so the was less confederates
3 confederates, then to 2 confederates and then to 1 confederate
Asch variations - decreasing how did group size affect conformity ?
The smaller the group the less conformity
3 confederates, conformity = 32%
2 confederates, conformity = 12.5%
1 confederate, conformity = 3%
Asch variations group size - conformity % with 3 confederates?
3 = 32%
Asch variations group size - conformity % with 2 confederates?
2 = 12.5%
Asch variations group size - conformity % with 1 confederates?
1 = 3%
Asch variations - what type of social influence does group size variation support ?
It supports both informational and normative social influence
Asch variations - what happened to conformity when participants were allowed to write their answers in private?
Conformity dropped to 12.5% - when allowed to write their answers in private so group couldn’t see
Asch variations - what kind of social influence does the answers in private variation support ?
Supports normative social influence - when the participants allowed to answer by themselves conformity dropped to 12.5% but when with group was much higher suggesting that normative social influence is right and that we only conform because want to appear normal and not disturb group harmony
Asch variations - how did Asch affect the unanimity of majority ?
Asked one confederate to break from the group and give correct answers each time
Asch variations - how did distribution of the unanimity of majority effect conformity ?
Conformity dropped to 5% when a confederate gave correct answer
Asch variations - what kind of social influence does the unanimity of majority variation support ?
Normative social influence - when group no longer seen as majority the is no issues with effecting group harmony so more likely to give correct answer = conformity dropped to 5%
What did Asch find in the control group for his experiment?
In the control group 711/720 answers were correct.
How many answers in control group were correct ?
711 out of 720
Why is the the control groups result good ?
Gives Aschs study Face validity
Control group ensure that the experiment has valid and meaningful results that the line task was an obvious and easy one
and that conformity did occur
What era was Aschs study carried out and what problems does this pose .
1951 - McCarthy area - anti communist very conformist right wing era, therefore Aschs study lacks temporal validity
Name of the Study that is similar to Aschs that was Carried out in 1980s in UK ?
Perrin and Spencer
How many trials did Perrin and Spencer conduct and what did they find ? - Asch variables effecting conformity
They conducted 396 trials and only found only 1 conformity
1 / 396
What does Perrin and Spencer show ?
That Aschs study may lack temporal validity as their similar study in 80s had very different results
Which researcher are investigated conformity to social roles ?
Zimbardo
What was the name of the experiment that Zimbardo conducted?
Stanford prison experiment
What year did Zimbardos Stanford prison experiment take place ?
1973
Aim of zimbardo 1973 ?
Wanted to find out if participants will conform to their given and assigned social roles when given uniforms and treated like their assigned role
Zimbardo 1973 sample ?
24 male university students in USA
Zimbardos Sanford prison experiment 1973 - procedure ?
- The 24 participants were randomly allocated to either a prisoner or guard role.
- Placed in mock prison at Stanford university
- Prisoners arrested at home and taken to mock prison given prison uniform and assigned a number
4.guards were given a uniform and reflective sunglasses and has to refer to prisoners by number
How long was zimbardos mock prison experiment 1973 meant to last for ?
The study was planned to last for 2 weeks
How long did zimbardo mock prison experiment 1973 actually last for ?
Study had to be stopped after only 6 days
Findings/what happened- zimbardo Stanford prison experiment 1973 ?
The study was stopped after 6 days
- 1 in 3 guards became aggressive and sadistic
- prisoners held rebellious
Was like participants had forgotten they were in a psychological experiment
Zimbardo - at the 2 day mark how many prisoners had left and why ?
After 2 days 5 prisoners had left due to extreme anxiety and rage
What did zimbardo conclude?
Concluded that people will conform to social roles if given the right cues showing people can be made to conform to social roles people conform unthinkly to social roles and order’s prescribed by authority
What is the key researcher for situational variables affecting obedience ?
Milgram
What was the name of the experiment that Milgrams conducted when investigating situational variables affecting obedience?
Milgrams electric shock experiment
What year was Milgrams shock experiment?
1963
Milgrams shock experiment 1963 - Aim ?
After the atrocities that the Nazis committed in World War II, wanted to see if the soldiers were just acting upon order mindlessly and if so could ordinary American citizens do the same and obey beyond their morals
Milgram 1963 - sample ?
40 ordinary and healthy male US citizens
Milgram 1963 - Procedure ?
- Participants believed that the study was on how punishment affects learning.
- The participant was then introduced. To the confederates first the experimenter and then a ,an who was introduced as another participant (he was a confederate)
- The participant and the confederate drew lots on who would be either the teacher or leaner - rigged as participant was always be the teacher
- Learner and teacher placed in separate room with a intcom box and wall between them was tested on his ability to remember word pairs - and the participant (teacher) was told to give the learner an electric shock every-time got question wrong
- The electric shocks increased in strength in 15 V intervals with a max of 450v on the 450 it had lots of danger and warning signs.
Milgram 1963 - what was learners reaction to electric shocks ?
Up until 300v the learner was silent/slightly vocal at 300v learner ponded on wall and screamed + did this again at 315v but after that the learner said/did nothing.
Milgram 1963 - what did the experimenter do when the teacher asked to stop ?
After hearing no response or distress the teacher would ask to shop however the experimenter gave a series of verbal prompts to make the learner continue
Milgram 1963 - example of verbal prompt that the experimenter said to the participant ?
“ you have no choice you must go on”
Milgram 1963 - findings/results ?
All participants went to 300v only 5 stopping at 300 v
- 65% went to 450v = 26/40 participants
Milgram 1963 - findings, how many participants went to 300v
All participants went to 300v
Milgram 1963 - How many participants out of 49 went all the way to the max voltage of 450v + what percentage is this ?
26/40 so 65%
Milgram 1963 - To investigate to affect situational factors have on obedience Milgram conducted variations what are the 4 main variations.
- Proximity - to both victim and authority
- Location
- Uniform
- Presence of allies
Milgram 1963 - way to remember Milgrams variations- please let us pray ?
Please - proximity
Let - location
Us - uniform
Pray - presence of allies
Milgrams variations - what are the two kinds of proximity he tested ?
Proximity to victim
Proximity to authority
Milgram variations - Procedure and findings of proximity of victim variation ?
When the learner was in the same room as a participant obedience drop to 40%, and then to a further 30% when the teacher was told to force learners hand on to electric plate
Milgram variations - Procedure and findings of proximity of authority variation ?
When experimenters orders were over the phone obedience to max Volts dropped to 21%
Milgram variations - Procedure and findings of location variation ?
Milgram conducted same experiment in run down office block rather than at Yale university
Obedience dropped to 48%
Milgram variations - Procedure and findings of uniform variation?
The experimenter wore normal clothing instead of usual white lab coat obedience dropped to 20%
Milgram variations - Procedure and findings and of presence of allies variation ?
Put in room with two other “teachers”
1. They either both rebelled - dropped to 10%
2. Or they both obeyed - rose to 92%
Milgram variations - 21% obedience ?
Proximity of authority - experiment to gave orders and prompts over phone
Milgram variations - 20% obedience
Uniform - When experimenter wore normal clothing
Milgram variations - 48% obedience ?
Location - run down office
Milgram variations - 40 then to 30%
Proximity of victim - in the same room and then forced to place learners hand directly on plate
Milgram variations - 10% obedience
Allies - presence of 2 allies rebelling
Milgram variations - 92% obedience
Allies - presence of two allies obeying
Name of Research that showed Milgram study to be unethical?
Perry
What did Perry find ? - milgram - situational variables affecting obedience
Found that when it came to prompts the experimenter would often use more than 4 verbal prods and even found one time when 26 prompts were used
Why is what Perry found important ? - milgram - situational variables affecting obedience
As much as 26 verbals prompts used means that the right to withdraw was severely compromised
Milgram study electric shock experiment 1963 - number of participants that has uncontrollable seizures?
3 participants has uncontrolled seizures
Situational explanations for obedience legitimacy of authority - how does milgrams variations support legitimacy of authority ?
- Location - when experiment was in run down office obedience dropped to 48%
- Uniform - when experimenter didn’t wear his white lab coat obedience dropped to 20%
Supports the legitimacy of authority particularly the idea of institutional framework, institutional framework is what validates authority acts as a sort of evidence when the authority seemed to lack legitimacy (no uniform or run down office instead of Yale) obedience dropped supporting legitimacy of authority as a situational explanation for obedience. Obedience is higher in a situation where the is legitimate authority
Situational explanations for obedience agentic state - how does milgrams variations support the agentic state theory ?
Proximity to victim - when learner was in the same room as teacher obedience dropped to 40% and then to a further 30% when the teacher was asked to place learners hand directly on electric plate
- suggests that the participant was feeling moral strain as it was harder to shift the blame onto authority -consequences of actions are clearly visible, binding factors don’t work and participants feel more guilt so can’t mindlessly obey
Milgram electric shock experiment - evidence against situational explanations ?
While 65% did conform to the max voltage the was still 35% who didn’t if it was all down to situational factors surly obedience would be 100% but instead 35% unaccounted for suggests dispositional factors
Dispositional explanations for obedience authoritarian, personality - who created the F scale ?
Adorno
Dispositional explanations for obedience authoritarian, personality - What did Adorno say the F scale was ?
Way of identifying a right wing personality
Or authoritarian personality
Dispositional explanations for obedience authoritarian, personality - name of research on the authoritarian personality?
Elms and Milgram
Dispositional explanations for obedience authoritarian, personality, - procedure of elms and Milgram ?
Used participants who were particularly obedient in the shock experiment had them do F scales
Dispositional explanations for obedience - what did elms and Milgram find that supports authoritarian personality ?
Looked participants who in the shock experiment and found the ones who were particularly obedient had higher F scores - supporting authoritarian personality
Dispositional explanations for obedience evaluation - what did elms and Milgram find that goes against authoritarian personality and what does this show ?
Found no link between F scores and relationship with parents showing that it may not be parents who are mostly responsible for an authoritarian personality
Explanations for resistance to social influence social support - How does Asch variations findings support social support as an explanation?
Asch found that obedience dropped to 5% when participants had an ally - a confederate that gave the right answer
Explanations for resistance to social influence social support - How does milgrams variations findings support social support as an explanation?
Milgram did a variation on presence of allies
- when the two other learners rebelled obedience dropped to 10%
- when the other two learners obeyed it rose to 92%
Explanations for resistance to social influence locus of control - name of key research that provides supporting evidence?
Avtigis
Explanations for resistance to social influence locus of control - what did avtgis do and find ?
Conducted a meta analysis of studies that looked at locus of control and resistance to social influence and found a pattern
- those with high LOC more likely to conform/obey
Minority influence - name of key study for minority influence characteristics?
Moscovici
Minority influence- Moscovici procedure ?
Two conditions - the confederates are the minority and aim to convice majority (participants) to agree with their veiw.
1. Confederates called blue cards green every time on 36/36 trials
2. Confederates called the blue cards green 2/3 of the time so 24/36
1 is the consistent group and 2 is the inconsistent group
Minority influence- Moscovici findings ?
Condition 1 - 100% of time, minority said blue card green = 8% green answers from participants
Condition 2 - about two thirds of the time the minority said blue card is green = 1.25% green answers
Minority influence - Moscovici conclusion?
Condition with the Most consistent minority had most green answers
Shows that a minority must be consistent
Minority influence - Problems with Moscovici ?
Low population validity- used only female participants from a certain area and demographic = paris
