Social Influence Flashcards
How many participants were involved in Asch’s study + what were their characteristics?
123 American males.
What were Asch’s participants told they’d be doing?
Told they’d be taking part in a visual perception task.
What did the task in Asch’s experiment involve?
Two white cards were displayed, first showed the standard line + the second card showed three comparison lines, one of which matched the standard. Participants had to say which comparison line matched the standard.
How many confederates + participants were in each of the groups, in Asch’s study?
7-9, with one naive participant.
Where was the participant always sat in Asch’s study?
Either last, or next to last in the group.
What were the findings of Asch’s experiment?
The naive participant agreed with the incorrect answer (said by confeds) 36.8% of the time, 75% of participants conformed at least once - 25% didn’t at all.
What was the aim of Asch’s experiment?
To asses to what extent people would conform to the opinion of others, even in a situation where the answer is unambiguous.
What is the conclusion of Asch’s experiment?
Asch concluded that participants exhibited a ‘distortion of action’ - they knew what the right answer was, but conformed to avoid ridicule.
What is the definition of conformity?
A change in a person’s behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person/group of people.
Why is Group Size one of the variations?
To test whether the size of the group was more important than the agreement of the group, in affecting conformity.
How did conformity change with Group Size?
It increased up until a certain point = curvilinear relationship -> the conformity levelled off when there were more than 3 confederates.
What was the percentage conformity with: - 3 confeds + 1 participant - 1 confed + 1 participant?
- 3 confeds + 1 participant = 31.8% conformity. - 1 confed + 1 participant = 4% conformity.
What does the change in conformity with Group Size suggest?
Increase in group size = increase pressure to conform due to normative social influence. + People are sensitive to the views of others.
What is unanimity?
The extent to which all the members of the group agree.
What are Asch’s three variations?
Group Size, Unanimity, Task Difficulty.
Why was Unanimity a variation?
Asch wondered if the presence of a non-conforming person would affect the naive participants conformity.
What was the percentage conformity when there was one confederate who: - Gave the right answer always. - Gave a different wrong answer to the majority. - Gave the right answer sometimes, and the wrong answer sometimes?
- Right answer always: 5.5% conformity. - Different wrong answer: 9%. - Right answer sometimes + wrong answer sometimes: 25% conformity.
How many trials were in Asch’s experiment and how many did confederates give a wrong answer on?
18 trials. + 12 ‘critical trials’.
What does the change in conformity with Unanimity suggest?
That the influence of the majority depends, to a large extent, on being unanimous + non-conformity is more likely when cracks are perceived in the majority’s unanimous view.
Why was Task Difficulty a variation?
Asch wanted to know whether making the task harder would affect the degree of conformity.
How did Asch make the task harder + how did that affect conformity?
By making the comparison and standard lines more similar. Conformity increased.
What does the change in conformity with Task Difficulty suggest?
That informational social influence plays a role when the task becomes harder - because the situation is more ambiguous = more likely to look to others for guidance.
Limitations of Asch?
- The task + situation were artificial. - Low population validity.
Strengths of Asch?
- Research support. - High control.
Who suggested that there were 3 types of conformity + what are they?
Kelman (1958). Compliance, internalisation + identification.
What is compliance?
Where individuals change their opinions/behaviour to fit in with the group - they do not privately change their personal opinions/behaviour.
What does compliance not result in?
A permanent change in behaviour = the opinions/behaviour will stop as soon as group pressure stops.
Example of compliance?
Laughing at a joke you didn’t find funny because others are laughing.
What is identification?
Where individuals conform to the opinions/behaviours of a group because there is something about that group they value.
What happens in identification?
A person publicly and privately changes their opinions/behaviour to be accepted - even if they don’t agree with all aspects of the group.
What does identification not result in?
A permanent change = opinions/behaviour may not be maintained when the individual leaves the group.
Example of identification?
Smoking because friends do - even smoking alone as a result, but stopping smoking when that individual leaves that group of friends.
What is internalisation?
When a person genuinely accepts the groups norms -> results in a public + private change of opinions/behaviour.
What does internalisation result in and why?
A permanent change - because the attitudes have been internalised = become a part of the persons beliefs.
Example of internalisation?
A student goes vegan when sharing a flat with vegans at university may adopt those views + continue to be vegan for the rest of their life.
Who developed the theory arguing that there are two main reasons why people conform?
Deutsch & Gerard (1955)
What is informational social influence + what motivates it?
Motivated by the need to be right - In situations where the correct behaviour is ambiguous, we look to the majority for guidance on how to behave.
What type of conformity does ISI result in + why?
Internalisation = it is more likely to lead to a change in our personal opinions + there is a public, private and permanent change.
What is normative social influence + what is it motivated by?
Motivated by the desire to be accepted - We are inclined to conform to the group to gain acceptance.
When does NSI occur?
When we think the group can reward (accept) or punish (reject) us.
What does NSI result in + why?
Compliance = we may change our behaviour/opinions publicly in order to be accepted or liked, but privately we do not change.
When else may NSI be more pronounced?
In stressful situations where people have a greater need for social support.
Strengths of NSI + ISI?
NSI = Research support from Asch. ISI = Research support from Lucas art Al.
Limitations of NSI + ISI?
NSI = Individual differences in NSI. NSI + ISI = Unclear whether ISI or NSI is at work in studies.
What are social roles + what are they accompanied by?
‘Parts’ people play as members of various social groups (e.g, parent) - Accompanied by expectations of what is appropriate.
What may social roles with strong expectations cause?
Conformity because our perception of how we should act in a role may change our behaviour.
What type of conformity for does conformity to social roles involve?
Identification.
What is the aim of Zimbardo’s study?
To investigate the extent to which people would conform to the roles of guard + prisoner in a role play situation of prison life.
Why did Zimbardo create the study?
Zimbardo wanted to know why there had been many prison riots in America in 1970 + why the guards behaved brutally.
When was Zimbardo’s study + where was it set up?
1973, in a mock prison set up by Zimbardo, in the basement of the psychology department at Stanford University.
What type of study was Zimbardo’s study?
Observational study.
How many participants in Zimbardo’s study and what were there characteristics? + What happened before the study started?
24 male students - They were psychologically + physically screened/tested as ‘emotionally stable’.
How were the roles allocated in Zimbardo’s study?
Participants were randomly allocated the roles of guard and prisoner.
How did the participants get to Zimbardo’s mock prison?
They were arrested by local police + taken to ‘prison’.
What role did Zimbardo take on?
The superintendent, as well as the experimenter.
What was the prisoner’s uniform?
Loose smock, cap to cover their hair + they were identified by a number.
What was the guards uniform?
Khaki guards uniform, wooden club, handcuffs + mirror shades.
What did the uniforms in Zimbardo’s study cause?
A loss of identity (=de-individuation) + meant they would be more likely to conform to their role.
How were prisoners encouraged to identify with their role?
Several procedures, such as: rather than leaving the study early, they could apply for parole.
How were guards encouraged to identify with their role?
By being reminded that they had complete power over the prisoners.
What happened within the first few days with the guards?
They grew increasingly abusive - harassing prisoners, e.g: conducted frequent headcounts, sometimes at night.
What happened initially with the prisoners?
They had an initial rebellion, within 2 days: prisoners ripped their uniforms + shouted and swore at guards.
What happened after the prisoners initial rebellion?
Guards fully conformed to their role: they become aggressive + authoritative. Prisoners also fully conformed to their role: they became passive + obedient.
What did one of the prisoners do in Zimbardo’s study + what did the guards do?
Went on hunger strike - Guards tried to force-feed him + punished him by putting him in ‘the hole’ (a tiny dark closet).
When did Zimbardo end the study + how long was it meant to last?
6 days instead of the intended 14 days.
What did the prisoners start to do by the end of the study?
Refer to themselves by their numbers, even when not talking to guards + some prisoners had mental breakdowns.
Conclusions of Zimbardo’s study?
Social roles appear to have a strong influence on individuals behaviour - such roles are very easily taken on by participants.
What did volunteers in Zimbardo’s study do?
(E.g: prison chaplain) They found themselves behaving as if they were in prison instead of a study.
Strengths of Zimbardo’s study?
- High control. - Can be used to explain real life situations.
Limitations of Zimbardo’s study?
- Low ecological validity. - Low population validity.
Definition of obedience?
A form of social influence in which an individual follows a direct order - typically ordered by an authority figure.
What was the aim of Milgrams study?
To investigate whether ordinary American people would obey an unjust order from a person in authority to inflict pain on another person.
What + when did Milgram decide to research?
After the Holocaust - why Hitlers orders had been followed by the German people.
How many participants in Milgrams study + what were their characteristics?
40 male, 20-50 year old, volunteers - all American.
How were Milgrams participants recruited?
Through a newspaper advert/mail shot + they were paid $4.50 for participating.
What were Milgrams participants told?
That they were taking part in a study on memory.
Where was Milgrams study conducted?
In a lab at Yale University.
How were roles allocated in Milgrams study + what was the method participants were told?
Participants were allocated the role of ‘teacher’ + were told the ‘learner’ (confederate) had to memorise word pairs.
Who was the confederate in the room in Milgram’s study and what were they wearing?
An ‘experimenter’, white lab coat.
What did the ‘teacher’ do in Milgram’s study + what were the participants told to do?
Tested the ‘learner’ on their ability to correctly remember the word pairs - they were told to administer electric shocks using a generator each time the ‘learner’ got an answer wrong.
