Social influence Flashcards

Question

Conclusion of Stanford prison experiment

Answer 1

-Social roles appear to have a strong influence over individuals behaviour. The guards became brutal and the prisoners became submissive -Roles were easily taken on by all participants. Even volunteers who came to perform specific functions (such as the 'prison chaplain') found themselves behaving as if they were in a real prison rather than a psychological study

Answer 2

(+)High control - over key variables such as selection of ptps. For example, emotionally stable individuals were chosen and randomly assigned to the role of prisoner or guard. This is one way that researchers controlled individual personality differences as an explanation of the findings. Strength as we can be confident that the findings are not being affected by confounding variables and that it is caused to the roles they were allocated to. This increases the internal validity and increases confidence in the conclusions about social roles.

Answer 3

Many aspects of Zimardo's prison that doesn't reflect real-life such as the maximum anticipated prison sentence being two weeks, lack of racism/abuse, threats of violence and ultimately the ptps could have asked to leave the study if they had wanted to. Banuazizi et al (1975) argued that ptps were merely play acting rather than conforming to role. Ptps performances were based heavily on stereotypes of how prisoners and guards are supposed to behave e.g. one of the guards claimed he based his role on a film character. Limitation as it may be difficult to generalise these finding to real-life.

Answer 4

McDermott (2019) argued that participants did behave as if the prison was real to them. For example, 90% of prisoners private conversations (which were monitored) were about prison life. Amongst themselves, they discussed how it was impossible to leave the SPE before their 'sentences' were over. 'Prisoner 416' later explained how he believed the prison was a real one but ran by psychologists rather than the government. Strength of SPE because it suggests the study did replicate the social roles of prisoners and guards in a real prison, giving the study a high degree of internal validity.

Answer 5

The ptps were male American students and therefore not representative of all people as it may be the case that males or male students will behave differently in this environment (i.e. more/less likely to conform to these roles) compared to other types of people. Limitation as the results are difficult to generalise and may not explain the extent to which all people conform to social roles, for example females or people that are not students (low external validity)

Answer 6

(+)High control (-)Low ecological validity (+)Counter - McDermott (-)Low population validity

Answer 7

carrying out the instructions of an authority figure e.g. following the orders of a police officer. It is assumed that without such an order the person wouldn't have acted in this way.

Answer 8

-40 volunteers (American men) -Told they were taking part in a study in the role of punishment on learning (real aim was to test obedience to authority) -Lab at Yale -Ptps were allocated role of 'teacher' and were told 'learners' (confederates) had to memorise word pairs. The allocation of roles was always fixed to ensure the real ptp was always the teacher. -teacher tested learner by giving them the first word of the word pair -teacher was told to administer an electric shock each time the learner got it wrong. The shocks started at a low voltage but this was increased for each wrong answer to a max of 450v - enough to kill -The shocks were not real but ptps did not know this and believed that they were real -the experimenter was dressed in a white lab coat and overseeing the ptp in the same room (also a confederate) -When the teacher became hesitant about administering the electric shocks, the experimenter would encourage him to continue by giving a series of prods such as 'please continue' and 'you have no other choice, you must go on'

Answer 9

-All ptps administered shocks of at least 300v despite some of them being extremely anxious whilst doing so. -65% of ptp obeyed instructions to administer the full 450v -Ptps showed signs of extreme tension including sweating, trembling and digging their nails into their hands. -Three ptps had 'full-blown uncontrollable seizures' -Suggests that under certain circumstances ptps will obey an authority figure, even when they feel uncomfortable doing so

Answer 10

(+)High control (-)Low ecological validity (-)Low population validity (-)Historical bias

Answer 11

uses the experimental method so has high control over EV's (e.g. the instructions given to ptps and the appearance of the experimenter) and can establish cause and effect. When using experimental method, researcher can be more confident that it is the IV (presence of researcher and the verbal prods he gave) that causes the DV (the number of ptps that gave the learner an electric shock of 450v). Strengths because we can be confident that results about obedience are not being affected by confounding variables and are therefore internally valid

Answer 12

Experiment was conducted in an unfamiliar controlled environment and the task was artificial because it involved giving strangers electric shocks which is not a normal everyday task. Limitation as the results may be difficult to generalise to real life situations of obedience such as following orders from your boss at work. (low external validity). However, it could be argued that the ptps did react to the situation as if it was real. For example, many of them showed signs of stress such as sweating and trembling and therefore it could be argued that the study has ecological validity to an extent.

Answer 13

Ptps in Milgram's study were all American males and therefore were not representative of all people. For example, it could be argued that Americans or males are more/less obedient compared to other people. Limitation because the results about obedience may not be generalisable to the behaviour of others for example females or people from other countries.

Answer 14

Milgram's study was conducted in 1963 when people may have been more obedient and conformist due to the fear created by the cold war. As it is unethical to repeat this study, it is impossible to know whether we would get the same results today. Limitation of Milgram's research because the findings of this study may not be generalisable outside of 1960's America and might not inform us of why people obey in contemporary society.

Answer 15

He deceived his ptps in many ways: they didn't know they weren't giving real electric shocks or that the learner and experimenter were actually confederates or the real aim of the study or that it was fixed that they were the teacher. Participants therefore could not give informed consent. Milgram also did not protect his participants from psychological harm as they became very stressed at the thought of giving a stranger an electric shock. For example, ... Limitation because it would go against the current BPS guidelines for conducting psychological research.

Answer 16

Milgram would have argued that it was necessary to deceive his ptps because if they knew the real aim of the study, this would cause them to change their behaviour and show demand characteristics (e.g. not obey) and therefore finding about obedience would not be valid as they would suggest that people are less obedient than they actually are.

Answer 17

-original = authority figure wore a white lab coat (65% obeyed) -Variation = authority figure wore no uniform (ordinary clothes) -> 20% went to full 450v -uniforms encourage obedience as they are recognised symbols of authority. We accept that someone in uniform is entitled to expect obedience because their authority is legitimate. Someone without uniform has less right to expect our obedience.

Answer 18

-Experiment at Yale uni (65% went to full 450v) -Variation: in run down offices (47.5% went to full 450v) -The prestigious uni environment gave Milgram's study LOA -More obedient in original as they perceived that the experimenter shared this legitimacy and that obedience was expected. When the location does not have integrity this lowers peoples confidence in the authority figure as it reduces their legitimacy. However, the obedience was still quite high in the offices because the ptps perceived the 'scientific' nature of this procedure

Answer 19

-original: teacher and learner in different rooms + teacher and authority figure in the same room (65%) -V1: Teacher and learner in the same room (40% 450v) -V2: Teacher and learner in the same room (teacher forces learners hand onto shock plate) = 30% went to 450v -V3: Teacher and authority figure in different rooms = 21% went to 450v and some even lied to the experimenter and kept giving the weakest shock level

Answer 20

-Decreased proximity allows people to psychologically distance themselves from the consequences of their actions. -For example, when the teacher and leaner were physically separated (baseline study) the teacher was less aware of the harm they were causing to the other person so they were more obedient -This may be because when the teacher is in closer proximity, they can experience the learners anguish more directly and are therefore less likely to experience the agentic state

Answer 21

(+)Research support (-)Population validity (+)High control (-)Low internal validity

Answer 22

Other studies have demonstrated the influence of situational variables on obedience. For example, Bickman (1974) conducted a field experiment in New York City where he had 3 confederates dressed in different outfits - a jacket and tie, a milk mans outfit and a security guards uniform. The confederates individually stood on the street and asked passer-by to perform tasks such as picking up litter or handing over a coin for the parking meter. Ptps were twice as likely to obey the confederate dressed as a security guard than in a jacket and tie. Supports the claim that uniform does have a powerful effect on obedience.

Answer 23

All American males and therefore not representative of all people. For example, it could be that Americans or males are more/less obedient compared to other people. Limitation as the results about location affecting obedience may not be generalisable to the behaviour of others, for example females or people from other countries. (low external)

Answer 24

strength of Milgrams research into factors affecting obedience is that he uses experimental method so therefore has high control over extraneous variable (e.g. the instructions given to ptps and the appearance of experimenter) and can establish cause and effect. When using this method, the experimenter can be confident that it is the IV (experimenter wearing uniform or no uniform) that causes the DV (the number of ptps that gave the learner a shock of 450v). Strength because we can be confident that results uniform affecting obedience are not affected by confounding variable and are therefore internally valid

Answer 25

Ptps may have been aware the procedure was faked. Orne and Holland (1968) made this a criticism of his baseline study and argued it is even more likely in his variations because of the extra manipulation of variable. For example, when the experimenter was replaced by a 'member of the public'. Even Milgram recognised that this situation was so contrived that some ptps may have worked out the truth. Limitation because in all his studies in all his studies it is unclear weather the findings are genuinely due to the operation of obedience or because of demand characteristics.

Answer 26

1)Agentic state 2)Autonomous state 3)Binding factors - aspects of the situation that allow the person to ignore or minimise the damaging effect of their behaviour and thus reduce the moral strain they are feeling. Strategies could include shifting the responsibility to the victim or denying the damage they were doing to victims

Answer 27

-Mental state where a person does not feel responsible for their own actions -Instead they believe that they are acting for an authority figure i.e. as their agent -An agent is someone who acts for or in place of another -An agent does experience a high degree of anxiety when they realise what they are doing is wrong, but feel powerless to disobey

Answer 28

-opposite of the agentic state -they are free to behave according to their own principles and feels a sense of responsibility for their own actions -The process of shifting responsibility of ones own actions onto someone else is called the 'agentic shift'. Milgram suggested that this occurs when a person perceives someone else as an authority figure. The AF has greater power because they hold a higher position in a social hierarchy. In most social groups, when one person is in charge, others defer to the legitimate authority of this person and shift from autonomy to agency.

Answer 29

(+)Research support for agentic state (-)contradictory evidence (+)LOA supported by Milgram (-)Low ecological validity

Answer 30

Supported by Hoflings research. 22 nurses were asked to administer a double dose of a drug they had never heard of to a patient (the max dose was stated on the bottle). This order was made down the phone by a doctor they had never met. 21 out of 22 nurses went to administer the drug even though this was against the rules without a doctors signature. This suggests that they were in the agentic state where they do not believe themselves to be responsible, but attribute responsibility to the authority i.e. the doctor, giving the order. Strength because it provides evidence to suggest that the agentic state is a valid explanation for obedience and that Milgram's conclusion was also valid.