Social Influence Flashcards
What is a type?
a type is a way in which people conform
What is an explanation?
an explanation is a reason why people conform
name the 3 types of conformity
compliance,identification,internalisation
name the 2 explanations for conformity
normative social influence and informational social influence
define compliance
to appear to agree with others whilst disagreeing in private
define identification
to want to be perceived to belong, fitting into social standards
define internalisation
to agree with others both in private and in public
define normative social influence(NSI)
the need to be liked and the need to fit in
define informational social influence(NSI)
the need to be correct/right
define conformity
conformity is the tendency to change beliefs, attitudes and actions to fit in and get approval
Describe Asch’s study on conformity.
-1951, to investigate levels of conformity in group situations.
-lab study, naive pp with 7 confederates, had to state aloud their answers, answer was obvious
-real pp sat at the end of the row and gave answer last to clearly see conformity
-12/18 trials confederates gave wrong answer
-studied NSI
-found 75% conformed at least once, and 32% consistently conformed
Describe Asch’s ‘Variables affecting conformity’ studies.
-Group size: added more confederates, 3% with 1C, 13% with 2C and 33% with 3C
-Unanimity: if one C disagrees with majority + gives correct answer conformity falls to 5.5% due to social support
-Task difficulty: made more difficulty by making lines similar in length, conformity increased due to ISI
Describe Zimbardo’s study on conformity to social roles.
-1973, Stanford prison basement, aim to investigate whether prison guards were brutal due to their sadistic personalities(disposition) or the situation
-24 males, recruited through ad, pps either guards or prisoners
-pps had to be mentally and physically stable
-prisoners arrested by real police, fingerprinted, stripped ect, given uniform and a number to DEHUMANISE them
-strict rules
-guards had sunglasses to avoid eyecontact, uniforms, handcuffs, clubs ect
-all conformed to roles quickly, 2 days in prisoners revolted against treatment
-6days in experiment was cancelled due to mental health
-found extreme behaviour of previously stable students suggests prison env have the situational power to change behaviour to conform to social roles
Describe Milgram’s study on obedience.
-1963, aim to investigate why German soldiers followed Hitler’s orders and killed innocent Jews, he wanted to know if it was normal to obey such awful orders.
-selected pps via newspaper ad, MALE, at Yale uni
-pp(always teacher) paired with ‘learner’ aka Mr Wallace(a confederate)
-Pp met Mr Wallace who stated he had heart problems to make more believable
-had to give shocks to learner if answered incorrectly (15V to 450V) , pps didn’t know these were fake
-at 180V Mr W shouted he couldn’t take the pain, 300V begged to be released, 315V silenced
-pp asked for advice and was given prods from researcher
-found 100% of pps went to 300V and 65% went to 450V
Briefly describe Hoffling Et Al’s study.
-1966- obedient nurses
-22 nurses recived call from Dr to administer 20mg of Astrofen(fake drug) labelled 10mg is max.
-field study=more ecologically valid
-no consultation available
-21/22 obeyed
Briefly describe the 3 SITUATIONAL variables affecting obedience
Milgram:
-proximity=closeness between person giving and receiving order, decreases obedience rates, learner+teacher in same room rates fell from 65% to 40%
-location=venue moved from uni to seedy offices in another town, obedience decreases, Yale is prestigious and maybe pps don’t feel free but in seedy offices they don’t feel they have to follow rules
Bickman:
-uniform=orders to 153 random pps in NYC, researchers dressed in 1/3 ways, guard, civillian, milk man. Found guard=80%, civillian and milk man= 40%
What are the 2 social psychological explanations for obedience? Describe these.
-Legitimacy of Authority = an explanation for obedience which suggests we’re more likely to obey people who we perceive to have authority over us
-Agentic state = when individuals obey an order even if they’re aware its wrong because they feel they’re acting for an authority figure so feel no responsibility for their actions
Describe the dispositional/internal explanation for obedience.
The Authoritarian personality = a dispositional explanation proposed by Adorno in 1950, it describes a type of personality that is especially susceptible to obeying authority.
Identify some features of the AP.
-submissive to superiors
-dismissive of inferiors
-highly prejudiced
Explain how an AP develops.
Having a harsh parenting style in childhood such as strict discipline, criticism of failings and impossibly high standards. The child then can’t express their feelings to parents so they express them to others they see as weaker then themselves.
What measures the AP?
The F-scale. in 1950 Adorno measured 2000 middle class white males + their unconscious attitudes towards other racial groups using the F-scale.
People with an AP identified with strong people and were contemptuous of the weak.
Give some limitations of the F-Scale.
-Has acquiescence bias: all questions are worded in the same direction
-Is politically biased: is very right wing, it doesn’t account for left wing authoritarianism
Give 2 explanations why people are able to resist social influence.
-Social Support: this is when the presence of people helps others resist the pressures of conforming or obeying.
-Locus of Control: describes a person’s perception of their control over behaviours, successes, failures, and events. 2 types = Internal (believe they are responsible for what happens to them + that they direct their own lives) and External (believe outside forces direct their lives and they don’t have control over their life).
What is minority influence?
Minority influence is a form of social influence in which a minority persuades others to adopt their beliefs, attitudes or behaviours so the majority moves to the position of the minority.
