Social Influence Flashcards
define conformity
a change in opinion or behaviour because of real or imagined group pressure from the majority group of people
define obedience
a form of social influence in which an individual follows a direct order . the person issuing the order is usually a figure of authority , who has the power to punish when obedient behaviour is not forthcoming
define minority influence
a form of social influence in which a minority of people (sometimes just one person ) persuade others to adopt their beliefs attitudes or behaviours.
what are the three types of conformity in order of shallowest to deepest?
-compliance
-Identification
-internalisation
define compliance
-this type of conformity involves simply going along with others in public but privately not changing personal opinions and or behaviour.
-compliance results in only a superficial change
-it is also temporary , a particular behaviour or opinion stops as soon as the group is no longer present
define identification
-sometimes we conform to the opinions / behaviour of a group when we value being part of it .
-this is a moderate type of conformity
-we identify with the group so we want to be part of it
this may mean we publicly change our opinions /
-behaviours to achieve this goal even if we don’t privately agree with everything the group stands for
define internalisation
-internalisation occurs when a person genuinely accepts the group norms
-this is a deep type of conformity
-this results in private as well as a public change of opinions/ behaviours .
-this change is likely to be permanent because attitudes have been internalised . i.e. becomes part of the way a person thinks
-the change in opinions/ behaviour persists even in the absence of group members
who developed the two process theory?
Deutsch and Gerrard (1955)
define ISI (informational social influence)
an explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe it is correct . we accept it because we want to be correct as well . this may lead to internalisation.
it is more likely to happen in situations that are new to a person so you don’t know what is right or in situations where there is some ambiguity so it isn’t clear what is right
define NSI (normative social influence)
An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we want to be accepted , gain social approval , and be liked . this may lead to compliance
it is most likely to occur in situations with strangers where u may feel conscious about rejection
define type
a type is a way in which people conform
define explanation
an explanation is a reason why people conform
what was the aim of Asch’s experiment?
Asch conducted an experiment to investigate the extent to which social pressure from a majority group could affect a person to conform.
He wanted to measure the strength of the conformity effect using an unambiguous task.
what was the procedure for Asch’s experiment?
-123 ALL MALE American undergraduates were tested in groups of 6-8
-they were told it was a “psychological experiment “ about visual judgements
-each group contained only 1 real participant and the others were confederates.
-Asch showed a series of lines to the participants who were asked to say out loud which line (1,2,3) matches the standard line
-participants always answered in the same order with the real participant answering last or second last
-the confederates were instructed to give the same incorrect answer on 12 of the 18 trials , these were called ‘critical trials’.
what were the results of Asch’s experiment?
-on 12 critical trials the naïve participant gave a wrong answer 36.8% of the time.
-75% of participants conformed at least once.
what is the conclusion of Asch’s trial?
-normative social influence had led to conformity
-the real participants agreed with the opinion of the group because they wished to be accepted by them.
-as the control trial proved that the task was was easy participants clearly only conformed to fit in with the group .
what is meant by critical trial in Asch’s experiment?
confederate were instructed to give the same incorrect answer on 12 of the 18 trials
how did Asch prove the task was unambiguous and easy? (not open to interpretation)
he conducted a control trail with no confederates and showed people only make mistakes 0.7-1% of the time.
what were the three variations of Asch’s research?
group size
unanimity
task difficulty
what were the affects of altering group size in Asch’s experiment?
he found that with three confederates conformity to the wrong answer rose to 31.8%.
however the addition of further confederates made little diffrence .
This suggests that a SMALL MAJORITY is not sufficient for influence to be exerted but at the other extreme there is no need for a majority or more than three
what were the affects of unanimity in Asch’s research?
the presence of a dissenting confederate (somebody who disagreed with the other confederates) meant that conformity was reduced by a 1/4 from the level it was when the majority was unanimous.
the presence of a dissenter enabled the naive participant to behave independently.
this suggests that the influence of the majority depends to some extent of the group being unanimous (all saying the same thing).
This type of conformity was more likely to be internalisation because he would have identified more strongly with someone who originally shared his opinion.
what were the affects of Asch’s research after altering task difficulty?
Asch made the line judging tasks more difficult by making the stimulus line and comparison lines more difficult in length .
he found that conformity increased under these conditions
this suggests that informational social influence plays a greater role when the task becomes harder .
this is because the situation is more ambiguous so we are more likely to look for other people for guidance to assume that they are right and we are wrong.
evaluating ethical issues in Asch’s study
-the participants were deceived as they believed the confederates were also participants who were asked to take part in a “visual line judgement task”
-this is a limitation as the participants could of not have their true informed consent to take part in the study .
-the benefits of this study could outweigh the ethical cost-> it highlighted people’s susceptibility to group conformity and the values affecting it.
-HOWEVER the experiment would not of worked without deception , although deception could put participants of taking part in future studies.
limitations of internal validity in Asch’s study (artificial study)
-Asch’s experiment was artificial
-participants knew they were in a study and may have gone along with the demands of the situation (demand characteristics)
-the tasked identifying lines is tribal and there was no reason not to conform
-this means Asch’s results may not be valid because conformity in the real world has consequences
strengths of the internal validity of Asch’s study (lab experiment)
-there was a high degree of control in Asch’s research meaning that he could study the factors affecting conformity.
-using a lab experiment meant that the variables were easy to manipulate to test factors affecting conformity
limitation of external validity in Asch’s study (cultural differences )
-there are important cultural differences in conformity yet Asch only tested American males
-smith et al (1998) found that the average conformity rate in individualist cultures was 25% while the average conformity rate in collective cultures was 37% .
-Neto (1995) suggested women were more conformist than men due to their concern for social relationships.
-this shows that Asch’s findings can only be generalised to American men (low population validity)
limitations of external validity in Asch’s research (temporal validity)
Asch’s findings may not be true today as the research took place at a time when conformity was high
-Asch’s study was conducted in the 50s
Perrin and Spencer(1980) replicated Asch’s study in the 1980 and found that they only had one conforming response in 396 trials .
-this suggests that conformity levels change over time and that Asch’s research could be regarded as a “child of its time” rather than a universal phenomenon .
-the study has low temporal validity
what experiment did Zimbardo conduct?
The Stanford prison experiment (SPE) 1973
what was the aim of the Stanford prison experiment?
To assess how strongly an individual conforms to their social role .
what was the procedure of the Stanford prison experiment?
-they recruited 21 “emotionally stable” volunteers students who were determined by psychological testing
-participants were randomly assigned role of prisoner or guard
-prisoners were arrested in their homes to increase realism
-upon arrival they were strip searched deloused and issued a uniform and a number
-every effort was made to de-individualise the participants
-prisoners named were never used only their numbers
-guards had their own uniforms and sunglasses that blocked out their eyes
-guards were told they have complete power over the prisoners and could do what they needed to do to keep the prison in order (short of physical violence)
what were the results of the Stanford prison experiment?
-within three days the prisoners rebelled against their treatment ripping uniforms and shouting at guards
-guards harassed prisoners by conducting frequent headcounts sometimes in the middle of the night and making toilet trips a privilege.
-guards took up their roles with enthusiasm , the guards showed PATHOLOGY OF POWER-(they enjoyed the absolute control they had over the prisoners )
their behaviour threatened the prisoners psychological and physical health
-after the rebellion was put down the prisoners became subdued anxious and depressed
-five prisoners had to be released because of extreme reactions to the situation. 2 were released as they showed signs of psychological disturbance
-one prisoner went on hunger strike and guards attempted to force feed him and punished him by putting him in the hole a tiny dark closet.
-THE STUDY WAS STOPPED AFTER SIX DAYS INSTEAD OF THE PLANNED 8 DAYS
what was the conclusion of the Stanford prison experiment?
The simulation revealed the power of the situation to influence people’s behaviour .
Guards prisoners and researchers all confined to their social roles within the prison .
The more the guards identified with their roles the more brutal and aggressive their behaviour became.
limitation of the Stanford prison experiment (contradicting findings)
there is research from Reicher and Haslam (2006) that contradicts Zimbardo’s findings
-they found that it was prisoners who eventually took control of the mock prison and harassed guards because the guards had failed to develop a shared social identity as a cohesive group (social identity theory)
-this shows that zimbardos findings have not been replicated in a modern and more ethical setting
COUNTER ARGUMENT: This experiment was televised so the participants may not of acted the way they would of if the cameras weren’t there -> may of acted closer to Zimbardo’s findings
evaluating ethical issues of the Stanford prison experiment
there were ethical issues with Zimbardo’s research:
-when a prisoner asked to leave he depended as the superintendent not the lead psychologist compromising their right to withdraw .
-there were also issues with psychological and physical harm ag embarrassment of being made to strip and sleep deprivation due to headcounts.
These issues occurred because Zimbardo’s played a dual role as the super intending and lead researcher.
COUNTER ARGUMENT: however participants were fully informed of what the research would entail . he also screened participants before the study to ensure they were psychologically stable
strengths of the Stanford prison experiment (variables)
there was a high control of variables in the research
-only emotionally stable individuals were chosen and randomly assigned to prisoner or guard
this helped rule out any individual differences that could of effected the results
limitations of Zimbardo’s research (external validity)
there was a lack of realism in the research
-participants were okay acting rather than conforming to a role
-their performances were based on stereotypes eg cool hand Luke film .
this affects the internal validity of the results.
COUNTER ARGUMENT: however 90% of the prisoners conversations were about prison life so we can assume it felt real to them .
prisoner 416 claimed it was a “prison run by psychologists”
limitations of Zimbardo’s research (dispositional factors)
zimbardo over exaggerated the power of the situation to influence behaviour and ignored dispositional factors (personality).
-only a minority of the guards were brutal others tried to help prisoners .
his conclusion that people conform due to the situation may not be valid.
evaluate the reliability of Asch’s study
Asch used a standardised procedure which means that the findings can be replicated , increasing their reliability.
what was the aim of Milgram’s experiment (1963)?
To measure the extent to which people are willing to obey a figure of authority who asks them to do something which conflicts with their personal conscience using a laboratory based procedure.
what was the method/procedure of Milgram’s experiment?
-recruited 40 male participants who volunteered through newspaper advertisement .
-everyone was payed 4.50 and told they would receive this even if they quit during the study.
-two confederates - an experimenter (the authority figure) and the “learner”
-teachers were instructed that they must administer an increasingly strong electric shocks to the “learner” each time he got a question wrong
what happens if the “teacher” asks to stop the experiment in Milgram’s study?
The experimenter (the authority figure) uses prompts such as :
“please continue”
“the experiment requires that you continue”
“it’s a absolutely essential that you continue”
“you have no other choice you must go on “
how is the procedure standardised in the Milgram study?
The experimenter uses the same prompts such as “it’s absolutely essential that you continue” when the teacher (participant) asks to stop the study.
why did the voltage levels go up in 15 volt increments in the Milgram study?
They went up in 15 volt increments to a maximum of 450 volts in order to create a gradual commitment.
what were the results of Milgram’s study?
-participants continued to the maximum voltage of 450 volts , far beyond what was marked - “danger severe shock”
-All participants shocked to 300 Volts
-only 12.5% of participants stopped at the point where the learner first objected
-14 defied the experiment after 300 volts (remaining autonomous )
-26 obeyed to the end and gave 450 vaults (agentic shift)
what qualitative data was collected for the results of Milgram’s experiment and how ?
qualitative data was collected using observations
- participants showed signs of extreme tension , many were seen to :
sweat
tremble
stutter
bite their lips
groan
dig their nails into their hands
THREE PARTICIPANTS HAD FULL BLOWN UNCONTROLLABLE SEIZURES
did the participants receive a debrief after Milgram’s study
All participants were debriefed and assured their behaviour was normal.
they were sent a follow up questionnaire and 84% reported they felt glad they participated
what was the conclusion of Milgram’s study into obedience?
-That ordinary people are surprisingly obedient to authority even when being ask to inflict pain onto others and behave in an inhumane manner.
-Therefore elucidating that it is not evil people who commit atrocities it is in fact , ordinary people obeying orders
-Crimes against humanity may be the result of situational factors rather than dispositional factors
-Agency theory is apparent in this study.
Why is agency theory present in Milgram’s study?
-14 participants defied the experimenter after 300 volts . showing that they remained in an autonomous state .
-26 participants obeyed to the end and gave 450 volts showing they were in an agentic state.
evaluate the internal validity of Milgram’s research
Milgrams study appeared to have high internal validity . It took place in a laboratory. The situation appeared real to participants as evidenced by their severe reactions to the experiment e.g seizures
COUNTER ARGUMENT - However many of the participants worked out the procedure was faked . This can then become a limitation as it is unclear whether the results are genuinely due to obedience or because the participants saw through the deception and acted accordingly.
explain the ethical issue of deception in Milgram’s experiment
-Deception was an ethical issue in milgrams experiment .
yes
-the participants were led to believe that the true aim of the experiment was to show how punishment affects learning. However the true aim is to investigate obedience to an authority figure .
-They were also deceived into thinking that they were actually administering real electric shocks to the “learner”. however they were not
COUNTER ARGUMENT- If the participants were told the true aims of the study , they may or acted differently.
explain the ethical issue of protection for harm in Milgram’s experiment
-Milgram failed to protect his participants from harm.
-Participants were led to believe they had rendered somebody unconscious or killed them . Three participants had full blown seizures and there were signs of extreme tension in most participants.
-this causes ethical issues as they feel guilty and upset they were harmed psychologically and physically in some cases with the seizures.
COUNTER ARGUMENT- there was a thorough debrief at the end and 84% of participants said they were pleased to have taken part .
THEY MET THE UNHARMED LEARNER AT THE END
what is a strength of Milgram’s study into obedience?
-A strength of Milgram’s study is that it has been recently replicated.
-A 2010 French reality Tv show partially replicated Milgram’s research .
-participants were paid to give electric shocks (fake) to the other participants (actors) when ordered to by the presenter.
-the results were that they were almost identical to Milgram’s. Participants appeared nervous and showed signs of anxiety.
This supports Milgram’s original findings and conclusions about authority as it demonstrates his findings weren’t just a one off chance
what are the explanations for obedience?
agency theory
what is the agency theory?
Milgram beloved that we exist in two different states -
the autonomous state
the agentic state
what is the autonomous state?
in the autonomous state we show free will and make our own choices and decisions , we feel responsibility for our own actions.
what is the agentic state?
in the agentic state we follow instructions from someone we perceive has legitimate authority over us . We feel no personal responsibility for their actions
what happens when we are asked to do something we view as immoral?
we experience moral strain , once we have shifted into an obedient state we feel relieved of the strain and displace responsibility into the authority figure.
what is legitimacy of authority?
-legitimacy of authority is an explanation for obedience which suggests that we are more likely to obey people who we perceive to have authority over us .
This authority is justified by the individuals position of power within w social hierarchy.
what is a consequence of legitimacy of authority?
a consequence is that some people are granted the power to punish others .
we give up some of our independence to people we trust to exercise their authority properly .
we learned to accept authority during childhood from parents and teachers.
