Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Psychology P1 > Social Influence > Flashcards

Social Influence Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
AP® Psychology flashcards Psychology 101 flashcards GRE® Psychology flashcards
1
Q

What is conformity

A

A change in a persons behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group of people - Aronson 2011

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Outlin Asch’s baseline procedure

A

Procedure to assess what extent people would conform to the opinion of others
Had pick up stimulus line from comparison lines

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Outline Asch’s baseline findings

A

Conformed to confederates answers 36.8%
25% of the participants never conformed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What variables did Asch investigate ?

A

Group size
Unanimity
Task difficulty

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

How did Asch vary group size, what were the results and why?

A

Varied group size from 1-15
Found curvilinear relationship
Increased to 3 (31.8%) then plateau
Shows most people very sensitive to view of others.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

How did Asch vary unamity, what were the results and why?

A

Dissenting confederate added.
Conformity reduced to 1/4 of before.
Frees naïve participant from the social pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

How did Asch vary task difficulty, what were the results and why?

A

Stimulus line and comparison lines closer in length
Conformity increased
More informational social influence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Why is Asch’s research using an artificial task and stimulus a weakness?

A

Demand characteristics as they would have been aware they were in experiment
Not ‘groupy’ groups - Fiske (2014)
Do not resemble every day life

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Why does Asch Research have limited application?

A

123 men = androcentric
American= individualistic culture
Neto (1995) research suggests women are more conformist
Smith and bond (1996) research shows collectivist cultures (eg China) are more conformist
Doesn’t tell us about conformity for women and other cultures

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What provides research support for Asch ?

A

Lucas et al
Gave ppt easy to hard maths questions
Conformity increased when questions were harder
Supports Asch claim that as task difficulty increases, conformity increases.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the weakness of Lucas et als research into conformity?

A

Found conformity to be more complicated then Asch suggested
Less conformity when participants were confident in maths ability
There is an individual factors that interact with situational factors. Asch didn’t predict this .

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Who proposed the types of conformity ?

A

Kelman 1958

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What are the three types of conformity ?

A

Internalisation
Identification
Compliance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is compliance ?

A

No change in private view
Superficial change
Because of group pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is identification?

A

Change behaviour to be apart of group we identify with and seek approval from
May change in private too
Agree with some aspects of the groups norms

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is internalisation?

A

Genuinely accepting group norms.
Private and public change
Usually permanent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are the explanations for conformity?

A

informational
Normative

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Who proposed the explanations for conformity?

A

Deutsch and Gerard

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is information social influence ?

A

Cognitive process
Believe others know better, have more information
Results in internalisation
Occurs in crisis new and ambiguous situations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What is normative social influence ?

A

Emotional process
Follow group norms to be liked / accepted
Results in compliance
With strangers or friends, stressful situations

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What is the research support for normative social influence?

A

Asch’s interviews of participants
Some said they conformed as scared of disapproval from group
When participants wrote answers down conformity fell to 12.8% ( as no normative group pressure )
Some conformity is to be liked and not rejected by a group

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What are the individual differences involved in types and explanations for conformity ?

A

nAffiliators- concerned with being liked more than others
McGhee and Teevan found they are more likely to conform
NSI underlines conformity for some people more then others so individual difference must be accounted for.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

What is the research support for information social influence?

A

Lucas (2006) found participants conformed more when maths questions were more difficult
As participants relied on others for info.
These are the results ISI would predict

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Why is it hard to make the distinction between informational social influence and normative social influence?

A

for example in Asch’s unamity variation,
Does dissenter…
A) reduce power of NSI - as provides social support
B) reduce power of ISI as shows an alternative view
Hard to separate and most likely function together in real life

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

4 evaluation points for types and explanations for conformity

A

Research support for NSI
Research support for ISI
Is it ISI or NSI
Individual differences

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

4 evaluation points for Asch

A

Artificial task and stimuli
Research support
More complex?
Limited application

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Outline the procedure of the Stanford prison experiment

A

Zimbardo 1973

Mock prison in basement of Stanford university
21 students - randomly allocated roles

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

How were the participants of the Stanford prison experiment encouraged to conform by UNIFORM?

A

Guards - wooden club , reflective sun glasses
Prisoners- smock , cap , number ID

to show a loss of personal identity
Example of deindividualisation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

How were the participants of the Stanford prison experiment encouraged to conform by instructions ?

A

Prisoners ‘apply for parole’ to leave
Guards reminded of their power

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Outline the findings of the Stanford prison experiment

A

Guards became progressively more brutal.
Prisoners rebelled then became depressed
Guards carried out head counts at night
1 prisoner released early as showed signs of psychological disturbance
Put prisoners in the ‘hole’
Stopped after 6 days instead of 14.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

What did Zimbardo conclude from the findings of his experiment?

A

Social roles have very strong influence on behaviour
The participants actually behaved as if they were in a prison

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

4 evaluation points for Zimbardo - conformity to social roles

A

High control
Exaggerates power of roles
Lack of realism
Did they actually know it was fake ?

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

How does the SFE demonstrate high control?

A

Randomly allocated roles
Participants didn’t choose then self
Behaviour due to role rather then individual difference ( eg leaders picking guard)
High internal validity = confidence when drawing conclusions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

How did Zimbardo exaggerate the power of roles ?

A

Fromm (1973) said
1/3 brutal, 1/3 fair, 1/3 nice ( eg by offering cigarettes )
Most guards able to resist situational pressure
Zimbardo overstated his view and minimised the impact of dispositional factors.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Why do some psychologists argue that the SFE lacked realism?

A

Argued participants were just play acting
For example , a guard claimed he was basing his role off a film character, cool hand like .
Therefore tells us little about conformity to social roles in actual prisons

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

How could it be argued that the SFE did feel like a real prison to participants?

A

McDermott (2019)
Argues prisoners did behave as if the prison was real to them.
90% of convos about prison
Impossible to leave SFE until ‘sentences’ over.
Prisoner 416 said he thought it was a real prison ran by psychologists
So SPE did replicate social roles on prisons

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

Why did Milgram conduct his research?

A

To see if Germans were different to Americans.
To assess obedience to authority figure.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

Outline Milgram’s baseline procedure

A

40 American men thought they were participating in memory study

Teacher = real participant
Learner = confederate
Experimenter
Rigged draw to see who would take each role.
Every time learner made error, ppt instructed to deliver progressively higher shocksz
Labelled from slight to intense shock
Used standardised prods

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Outline Milgram’s baseline findings

A

All went to 300v ( intense shock)
5 ppt stopped at this point
65% continued to 450v ( full obedience)
Qualitative data from observations- showed signs of a anxiety and tension eg sweating

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

What did the students predict the outcome of Milgram’s experiment would be?

A

Only 3% would be fully obedient

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

What did Milgram conclude after his study?

A

Germans weren’t different
Suspected factors can affect obedience and he later investigated this.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

What is the research support for Milgram ?

A

French documentary did game show that replicated Milgram’s experiment
80% continued to max shock
Also showed similar behaviour to Milgram’s participants (eg sweating)
Beauvois et al
Therefore Milgram’s experiment not due to chance.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
43
Q

What was the 4th standardised prod in Milgram’s experiment?

A

You have no other choice, you must go on.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
44
Q

What is the alternative explanation for Milgram’s findings?

A

Haslam et al. (2014)
Found that when prod 4 ( you must continue, you have no other choice) was reached, all participants then disobeyed
He suggested this was because of social identity theory as before prod 4 participants identified with scientific aims
Therefore SIT more valid explanation and even Milgram agreed that this was a reason for obedience and the obedience wasn’t blind.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
45
Q

How does Milgram’s experiment have low internal validity?

A

Participants realised that shocks were fake so were play acting.
Perry (2013) listened to tapes of the experiment and found that only 1/2 of participants thought experiment was real and only 1/3 of these obeyed.
Demand characteristics.

46
Q

How was Milgram’s experiment replicated ?

A

Sheridan and King (1972)
Milgram like study with puppy
Despite animal being in distress.
54% of men and 100% of women administered ‘fatal’ shock
Participants behaved the same even when they knew shocks were real.

47
Q

What situational variables did Milgram study?

A

Proximity
Uniform
Location

48
Q

How did Milgram vary the proximity and what were the findings?

A

T and L in same room - down to 40%
Touch proximity ( forcing learners hand on plate) - down to 30 %
Remote instruction by phone - 20.5%

Psychological distance from consequence and authority figure affects obedience.

49
Q

How did Milgram vary the location and what were the findings?

A

Run down office - 47.5% obedience
Yale gave study legitimacy and authority
Experimenter more legit
Still high as identification with ‘scientific nature’

50
Q

How did Milgram vary the uniform and what were the findings?

A

In baseline experimenter wore grey lab coat
Obedience = 20% when experimenter replaced with member of public ( confederate)
Uniform encourages obedience as it’s a widely accepted symbol of authority

51
Q

What is the research support for Milgram’s Variations ?

A

Bickman ( 1974 ) field experiment in NYC
Milkman , man in suit, security guard
Asked passersby to do task (eg pick up litter’)
2x more likely to obey security guard then suit
Supports view that uniform has powerful affect on obedience.

52
Q

How do Milgram’s variations have low internal validity?

A

many aware that procedure was fake
More likely in variations as extra manipulation
Eg member of public variation very contrived ( Milgram admitted)
Participants worked out aim so play acted
Demand characteristics

53
Q

How was Milgram’s Variations cross culturally replicated ?

A

Meeus and Raaijmakers 1986
ordered participants to say stressful things to interviewee (90% obeyed)

When orderer leaves room , obedience decreased dramatically .
replicates proximity findings

Not just limited to American men and valid across cultures.

54
Q

What is a weakness of the cross cultural replications of Milgram’s study?

A

Not actually very cross cultural
Smith and bond 1998 identified 2 replications in collectivist cultures between 1968-86
Most studies in countries similar to US eg Australia , similar notions about role of authority
Therefore not appropriate to apply findings to people in other cultures.

55
Q

4 evaluation points for Milgram’s study

A

Research support
Alternative explanation
Low internal validity
Replicated with Puppy

56
Q

4 evaluation points for situational variables in obedience

A

Research support
Low internal validity
Cross cultural replications
Not very cross cultural

57
Q

What are the situational explanations for obedience?

A

Agentic state
Legitimacy of authority

58
Q

What is the agentic state?

A

Mental state where we feel no personal responsibility for our actions as we believe our selfs to be acting (agents) for an authority figure.
Freeing us from morals.

59
Q

What is the autonomous state?

A

When we are free to act according to our own morals, values and conscience
Responsible for our own actions

60
Q

What is the agentic shift ?

A

The shift from autonomous state to agentic state

61
Q

What are binding factors ?

A

Aspects of a situation that allow a person to ignore/minimise damaging effect of behaviour
Reduce ‘ moral strain ‘

62
Q

What is an an example of a binding factor ?

A

Minimisation
Victim blaming

63
Q

2 evaluation points for agentic state

A

Research support
Limited explanation

64
Q

What is the research support for the agentic state?

A

In Milgram’s study ,
When participants asked who is responsible the experimenter replied I am
They then continued to give shocks
The participant was the experimenter’s agent so acted more easily.

65
Q

Why is the agentic state a limited explanation?

A

Cannot explain Rank and Jacobson’s nurse study findings.
16/18 disobeyed even though there was a clear authority figure taking blame
They still remained autonomous
Agentic shift can only explain some incidences of obedience.

66
Q

What is meant by legitimacy of authority ?

A

How credible an authority figure is perceived to be. Created by hierarchical nature of society ( eg police and teachers)
Some people entitled to expect obedience
Acceptance of LOA is learned in childhood

67
Q

What is meant by destructive authority?

A

Problems arise when authority is used destructively
Eg Hitler and Stalin

68
Q

2 evaluation points for legitimacy of authority

A

Explains cultural difference
Cannot explain all disobedience

69
Q

How does the legitimacy of authority explanation explain cultural difference?

A

In Milgram style study
16% of Australian women obeyed
85% of German participants obeyed
Related to how LOA is taught to be accepted . Reflects how societies are structured and how children are raised.

70
Q

Why can’t the legitimacy of authority explanation explain all instances of disobedience?

A

cannot explain disobedience when there is a clear authority figure
Eg in Rank and Jacobsons study, 16/18 nurses disobeyed even though doctor was an accepted LOA figure.

Some people may just be more obedient because of innate tendencies

71
Q

What is the authoritarian personality?

A

Extreme respect and submissiveness to authority figure
View society as wearier then in past so need strong leaders to enforce traditional values
Show contempt for those with inferior social status
Inflexible outlook
Absolutionist thinking . Uncomfortable with uncertainty
‘Other’ people responsible for ills of society ( easy target for Nazis)

72
Q

What are the origins of the authoritarian personality ?

A

Forms in childhood because of harsh parenting
Severe critism, expectation of absolute loyalty and strict discipline.
Conditions of worth
Displaced onto others ( as a way of scapegoating)
Psychodynamic explanation

73
Q

Outline Adorno’s research procedure

A

Used f scale on 2000 middle class white Americans
Measures unconscious bias to ethnic groups
Eg ‘ obedience and respect for authority are the most important virtues for children to learn’

74
Q

What were the characteristics of those who scored high on the f scale in adornos research?

A

High scores = identify with strong people, contemptuous for the weak. Conscious of status, respect for higher status
(Obedient traits)
Certain cognitive style. Absolutionist thinking. Fixed stereotypes about other groups
Positive correlation between AP and prejudice

75
Q

What is the research support for dispositional explanation?

A

Milgram and Elm interviewed small sample (20) from Milgram’s original study who had been fully obedient
They completed the f scale and scored higher then a comparison group
Supports Adorno’s view that AP and obedience are related.

76
Q

What is the weakness of the research support for the dispositional explanation?

A

When data from Milgram’s and Elms interviews was analysed
They found participants has a number of characteristics that are unusual for authoritarians
For example, not glorifying fathers, not strict child hood, not hostile to mother

Therefore the link is complex

77
Q

How is the disposition explanation limited?

A

For example, in prewar Germany
Very antisemitic
They couldn’t all have AP
So may be social identity theory
Scapegoated out group of Jews

78
Q

How is the dispositional explanation politically biased ?

A

Only measured right wing AP
Christie and Jahoda said it ignores left wing AP eg Russian Bolshevism and Chinese Maoism
Left and right wing have lots in common - both emphasis importance of authority
Not comprehensive for the hole political spectrum

79
Q

How does social support help people resist conformity?

A

Pressure to conform can be resisted if other people are not conforming
Even if they do not give the same answer / opinion
Someone not following majority is the model of independent behaviour
Dissent gives rise to more dissent
Frees naïve participant

80
Q

How does social support help people resist obedience?

A

When with disobedient confederate obedience 10%
‘Model’ of dissent
Challenges legitimacy of authority
Frees participant

81
Q

4 evaluation points for dispositional explanation

A

Research support
Unusual characteristics
Limited explanation
Political bias

82
Q

2 evaluation points for social support

A

Research support
Research support for dissenting peers

83
Q

What is the real world research support for social support?

A

Albrecht et al (2006) evaluated 8 week study to help pregnant teens resist peer pressure to smoke
With older mentor (‘buddy’) less likely to give into peer pressure then control group
Social support can help young people and help intervention

84
Q

What is the research support for dissenting peers?

A

Gamson et al. Asked participants to gather evidence that would be used for an oil companies smear campaign .
Found less obedience then Milgram’s participants as participants in group
Peer support can undermine LOA figure

85
Q

Outline locus of control

A

Rotter (1966) proposed LOC
What directs events in our lives
External - controlled by environment
Internal - controlled by self

86
Q

What is the locus of control continuum ?

A

High internal one end
High external other
Low internal and external in middle

87
Q

What is the link between locus of control and resistance to social influence ?

A

High internal = more resistent as take personal responsibility so act on own beliefs . More self confident and less need for social approval .
Traits of leaders

88
Q

2 evaluation points for locus of control

A

Research support
Contradictory evidence

89
Q

What is the research support for locus of control and obedience ?

A

Holland (1967) replicated Milgram’s baseline measured if externals or intervals
37% disobeyed - internal
23% disobeyed - external
Internals have greater resistance
Shows obedience and locus and control are at least partly related
Increase validity

90
Q

What is the contradictory evidence for locus of control ?

A

Challenges link
Twenge et al. (2004) analysed data from 40 years of American LOC studies
Found people are more external but more resistant
Not valid and must be another factor affecting resistance.

91
Q

What is minority influence ?

A

Small group influencing big group
Leads to internalisation

92
Q

What are the 3 processes involved in minority influence?

A

Commitment
Consistency
Flexibility

93
Q

What is consistency in minority influence?

A

Consistent in their views so majority rethinks
Synchronic- saying same thing/message
Diachronic- saying same thing over time
To attract attention of majority

94
Q

What is commitment in minority influence ?

A

Personal sacrifices to show commitment and attract attention
Have to have some risk involve to reinforce message.
Augmentation principle

95
Q

What is flexibility in minority influence ?

A

Nemeth (1986) said consistency can appear dogmatic, rigid and off putting
So minority have to be prepared to adapt, accept counter arguments and be reasonable

96
Q

How does the the minority become the majority ?

A

Deeper processing
Snowball affect = rate of conversion increases
Minority becomes majority

97
Q

4 evaluation points for minority influence

A

Research support
Artificial task
Research support for deeper processing
More complex in real world

98
Q

What is the research support for consistency?

A

Moscovici et al. Blue / green slide study showed consistent minority had a greater affect.
Wood et al.s meta analysis of 100 similar studies also show consistency is influential
Present consistent is important

99
Q

How is using an artificial task a weakness of minority influence research ?

A

Outcomes of the studies have no importance unlike political campaigning or Jury
Research lacks external validity so limited application

100
Q

What is the research support for deeper processing ?

A

Martin 2003
Participants exposed to a minority viewpoint likely to resist conflicting view .
Shows minority message has been more deeply processed then majority view so has a more enduring affect.

101
Q

What is a counter argument for research support into deeper processing ?

A

Makes clear distinctions between majority and minority
Real world social situations are more complicated
For example, majority often have power and status and minorities have to be commuted as they face hostile opposition
Features that aren’t apart or minority research so very limited application to real life.

102
Q

4 evaluation points for minority influence

A

Research support for consistency
Artificial tasks
Research support for deeper processing
Makes clear distinctions

103
Q

What is the research support for normative social influence creating social change?

A

Research shows social influence campaigns based on psychological research do work.
Nolan et al (2008) - change energy habits.
Messages inclining other people vs no mention of other people
Energy usage decrease in group who were exposed to messages mentioning others
Shows majority influence can lead to social change

104
Q

What is the counter argument for research support for normative social influence creating social change?

A

Studies show behaviour isn’t always change by social norms
Foxcraft et al (2015) reviewed social norm interventions - 70 studies where approach was used to reduce student alcohol usage.
Small reduction in quantity and no effect on frequency
Doesn’t always work to create social change.

105
Q

How does minority influence explain change?

A

Nemeth claims social change is due to a type of thinking .
Divergent thinking encourages new ideas
Dissenting minorities are valuable
As they stimulate new ideas and open minds

106
Q

What is a weakness of the role of deeper processing ?

A

May not play a role in minority influence
Mackie (1987) suggested that deeper processing for majority occurs as minority think why do most people not share my views
Casts doubt on its validity as an explanation for social change

107
Q

What are the lessons from obedience research ?

A

Milgram - disobedient role model - teacher refuses to give shock and obedience plummets .
Zimbardo (2007) says obedience creates social change through gradual commitment. Small instructions being obeyed makes it more difficult to resist .
‘Drift into new behaviour’

108
Q

4 evaluation points for social influence and social change

A

Research support for Normative social influence creating social change
NSI doesn’t always work
Minority influence explains change
Role of deeper processing

109
Q

What are the lessons from conformity research?

A

Dissenter in Asch breaks majority power and this can lead to social change
Used in environmental and health campaigns by appealing to NSI
‘Bin it- others do’

110
Q

How does social influence create social change

A

Drawing attention
Consistency
Deeper processing
Augmentation principle
Snowball effect
Social cryptonesia

Psychology P1 (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2024 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions