Social Influence Flashcards
1
Q
CONFORMITY PART 1
A
2
Q
What is conformity?
A
Changing behaviours in response to real/ perceived group pressure to fit the implicit social rules, consequently yielding to majority influence
3
Q
Who argued that there were 3 types of conformity?
A
Kelman (1958)
4
Q
What are the three types of conformity?
A
- Compliance
- identification
- Internalisation
5
Q
What is compliance conformity?
A
- Go along with idea publicly, disagree privately
- Temporary + depends of group pressure
- To be liked
6
Q
What is identification conformity?
A
- Conform publicly, changing privately depends on how we identify with group
- Temporary change
- To be liked as want acceptance in group
7
Q
What is internalisation conformity?
A
- Publicly + privately change views
- Long term change
- To be liked
8
Q
Who conducted the line test research study?
A
Soloman Asch (1951)
9
Q
What was the aim of Asch’s line study?
A
Investigate the extent to which social pressure from a majority group could affect a person to conform in an unambigous situation
10
Q
What conditions were there for Asch’s line study?
A
- Lab setting
- Sample= 50 males from Swarthmore college
- Ppts told it was a visual perception study
- Each group had 7 confederates + 1 ppt
11
Q
What were the procedures for Asch’s line study?
A
- Presented with 2 photos, one with a line, one with 3 lines (1 line was same length as singular line)
- Asked to select which line was closest in length to original line
- Ppt sat 2nd to last (See everyone’s answer)
- 1st all gave right answers, then started getting them wrong
- 18 total trials
12 critical trials
12
Q
Why did Asch’s control group for his line study complete the task without confederates?
A
- See if task was clear
- Measure if peer pressure affects results (see C+E)
13
Q
What were the results of Asch’s line study?
A
- 74% ppts conformed on at least 1 critical trial
- 32% (on average) ppts conformed to critical trials
- Compared less than 1% to control group
14
Q
What were the conclusions of Asch’s line study?
A
- Ppts knew giving wrong answer but gave it anyway (NSI + don’t want to face rejection)
15
Q
What 3 variables did Asch change on his line study?
A
- Group size
- Unanimity
- Task difficulty
16
Q
How did Asch vary group size and what were the results?
A
Varied number of confederates that gave the incorrect answer in different trials from 2-16
- 3 confederates= 31.8%
- 7 confederates= 37.1% (declined beyond)
17
Q
How did Asch vary unanimity in 2 ways and what were the results?
A
One confederate gave correct answer throughout
- Decreased to 5% conformity
One confederate gave dif wrong answer
- Decrease to 9% conformity
18
Q
How did Asch vary task difficulty and what were the results?
A
Lines were more similar in length, so harder to judge different
- Conformity rate increased
19
Q
Why does group size affect conformity?
A
People become suspicious after 7
Ppts may catch on that everyone is saying wrong answer
20
Q
Why does unanimity affect conformity?
A
Ppts feel they have ally (not facing social rejection alone)
Ppts feel they can disagree with majority if someone else has
21
Q
Why does task difficulty affect conformity?
A
Looking to be right (ISI) as don’t know answer so looking for guidance
22
Q
Why does Asch’s line study have high internal validity?
A
P= High internal validity
E= Standardised procedure, control group, clear unambiguous task
E= Control of EV, so able to establish C+E between confederate influence & conformity level
L= Asch was accurately measuring conformity
23
Q
Why does Asch’s line study have good applicability?
A
P= Good applicability
E= See in schools when children copy off one another
E= Shows peer pressure understandment in children
L= Useful study
24
Q
Why is Asch’s experiment not generalisable?
A
P= Not generalisable
E= Used american male students
E= Not representative of women/ other countries
L= Only tells us about conformity in this demographic
25
What ethical issues did Asch's line study have?
P= Ethical issues
E= Ppts deceived as thought it was vision test + with other ppts
E= Couldn't give conformed consent
L= Lied to ppts
26
Who proposed the 2 reasons why people conform?
Deutsch & Gerard (1955)
27
What were the 2 reasons why people conform?
1. To be liked
2. To be right
28
What is normative social influence?
- Want to be liked (socially rewarding + don't want to risk social punishment
29
Is normative social influence:
Emotional or cognitive?
Transient or permanent?
Emotional
Transient (depends on the group)
30
What type of conformity does normative social influence relate to?
Compliance-> publicly for social acceptance
31
What is informational social influence?
Want to be right (gain knowledge of what is right)
32
Is informational social influence:
Emotional or cognitive?
Transient or permanent?
Cognitive
Permanent
33
What type of conformity does informational social influence relate to?
Internalisation-> changing publicly + privately
34
What experiment did Jenness (1932) do related to conformity (white beans)?
- Fill jar with 811 white beans
- Asked 101 psychology students individually how many beans in jar
- Ppts divided into groups of 3 to guess estimate through discussion
- Ppts allowed chance to change original number after discussion
- Nearly all ppts changed original answer
- Males changed by 256 beans
- Females changed by 382 beans
35
What research evidence is there to support the idea of normative social influence?
P= Supporting evidence
E= Asch found ppts conformed to not be ridiculed
E= Had the need to be liked/ social approval
L= Valid explanation
36
What research evidence is there to support the idea of informational social influence?
P= Supporting evidence
E= Jenness found nearly all ppts changed answers after discussion
E= If not sure of answer, we look to others for guidance
L= Valid explanation
37
How is both explanations of conformity overlooking the importance of dispositional factors in conformity a limitation?
P= Overlook importance of dispositional factors
E= People with internal LoC may be less likely to conform
E= Individuals less likely to seek approval from others
L= NSI + ISI may be overly simplistic in assuming all people conform for same 2 reasons
38
How may the 2 explanations of conformity not be distinct + separate from each other?
P= Not distinct + separate from each other
E= Deutsh & Gerard-> conform to be right or liked
E= Both involved as could look for guidance as well as seeking group approval
L= Questions that 2 processes proposed are always independent of each other
39
CONFORMITY PART 2
40
Who conducted the Stanford Prison Experiment?
Phillip Zimbardo
41
What was the aim of the Stanford Prison Experiment?
Investigate whether the brutality reported among guards in American prisons was due to the sadistic personalities of the guards or had more to do with the prison env.
42
What were the procedures of the Stanford Prison Experiment?
- Controlled ppt observation simulating prison in basement
- Sample= males at uni (volunteered)
- Randomly assigned to roles
- Assessed for psychological abnormalities
- Guards told could create fear but no physical violence
43
How was the experience for the prisoners as real as possible in the Stanford Prison Experiment?
- Addressed by number
- Arrested outside homes
- Degradation
44
How was the experience for the guards as real as possible in the Stanford Prison Experiment?
- Carki uniform with sunglasses
- Given batons as violent threat
45
What were the findings to show the guards conformed to their roles?
- Degraded prisoners (shouting, insulting)
- Dehumanise
- Made prisoners clean toilets with bare hands
- Woke them up to do counts/ exercise
46
What were the findings to show the prisoners conformed to their roles?
- Felt like they lost identity + became number (416)
- Followed orders
- Felt helpless as couldn't leave
47
What are some ethical issues from the BPS Ethical guidelines?
1. Harm to ppts
2. Informed consent
3. Deception
4. Right to withdraw
5. Debrief
48
Why was the Stanford Prison Experiment ethical due to the debrief after?
P= Debrief
E= Ppts had thorough debrief at end + told what/ why they were doing study
E= Serves an educational function + allows researchers to correct misconceptions
49
Why was the Stanford Prison Experiment unethical due to harm?
P= Harm
E= Prisoners experienced psychological stress during
E= Ppts should leave experiment in same way the entered, but had high levels of distress
50
Why does Zimbardo's Prison Experiment have practical applications?
P= Practical applications
E= Guards + prisoners conformed to their roles
E= Insight into why horrific events occur + suggests 'good' people can do 'evil' things due to situational cues
L= Research highly useful in understanding how behaviours occur
51
Why do the findings of Zimbardo's Prison Experiment have internal validity?
P= Internal validity
E= Random allocation + tested for psychological abnormalities
E= Controlled for ppt variables
L= Shows C+E between roles and behaviour change
52
Why is Zimbardo's Prison Experiment not generalisable?
P= Not generalisable
E= Only male students at Stanford uni
E= Androcentric sample (21 male ppts, reducing population validity)
L= Not generalised for whole population
53
Why were the findings of the Zimbardo Prison Experiment not reliable?
P= Not reliable
E= Reicher & Haslam-> conducted same experiment, guards reluctant to show authority
E= Experiment could be replicated, but findings showed little consistency
L= Not reliable as results not consistent
54
Why does Zimbardo's Prison Experiment lack internal validity?
P= Lack internal validity
E= Zimbardo played prison superintendent
E= Loss of ethical responsibility + directly influences ppts behaviour
L= Tells us little of true extent of conform to roles
55
OBEDIENCE PART 1
56
What is obedience?
Individual acts in response to a direct explicit order from a legitimate authority figure (behaviour changes in response to direct request)
57
Who did an experiment on obedience?
Milgram
58
What was the aim of Milgram's research study?
Investigate level of obedience when told an authoritive figure to give electric shock
59
What were the things in Milgram's research study?
- Set in lab (controlled env.)
- Controlled observation (no IV in research study)
- 40 ppts (men aged 20-50, New Haven area, volunteer sample)
60
What were the methods used in Milgram's research study?
- 2 confederates (experimenter + 'learner')
- Ppts always teacher (thought role was selected randomly)
- Told to administer electric shocks
- Shocks started at 15V + increase to 450V (increase every 15V)
- If learner refused shock, experimenter gave teacher verbal prods
61
What were the verbal prods used in Milgram's research study?
1. Please continue/ please go on
2. The experiment requires that you continue
3. It is absolutely essential that you continue
4. You have no other choice, you must go on
5. Whether the learner likes it or not, you must go on until he has learnt all the word pairs correctly, so please go on
62
At what voltage did the 'learner' in Milgram's research study stop providing answers?
300V
63
What were the results from Milgram's research study?
100% ppts went to 300V
65% ppts went to 450V
64
What signs/ symptoms did ppts develop as they were giving electric shocks to the 'learner'?
- Anxiety (sweating/ ask for reassurance)
- Nervous laughter
- Epileptic fit/ seizure (high levels of stress from fight/ flight)
65
What were the conclusions from Milgram's research study?
People likely to follow orders given by authority figure (extent of killing innocent being)
Situation ppts in influenced them to obey (overemphasise role of dispositional factors in dispositional obedience)
66
Why does Milgram's study have high reliability?
P= High reliability
E= Burger-> Replicated experiment but said 'learner' had heart problem (found similar results to Milgram)
E= Consistent research results
L= Research credible + people likely to obey even when consequence severe
67
Why does Milgram's study have low generalisability?
P= Low generalisability
E= Sample only males
E= Doesn't apply to females (androcentric)
C= Milgram did another study with 40 females + obedience rate was 65%
L= Findings had consistency (generalisable research)
68
Why does Milgram's study have high reliability?
P= High reliability
E= Burger-> replicated study + told ppts 'learner' had heart problem (found similar findings to Milgram)
E= Consistent research results
L= Milgram's research findings credible + likely to obey even when consequences severe
69
How dos Milgram's research have real world applications?
P= Real world applications
E= The My Lai Massacre
E= Milgram's research provided better understanding to blind obedience + committing atrocious acts due to situational factors
L= Research improved knowledge of behaviour to try ensure that obedience isn't blind
70
Why does Milgram's research have high validity?
P= Controlled observation + deception to ppts
E= Ppts asked how painful last shocks were after experiment and said 13.42/14
E= Controlled for demand characteristics
L= High validity
71
Why did Milgram's research have low ecological validity?
P= Low ecological validity
E= Done in lab, controlled for EV
E= Doesn't say how people act in real-world situations
L= Lack of mundane realism as unnatural behaviour of buzzing
72
Why was Milgram's research study unethical?
P= Unethical due to deception
E= Ppts told they give actual shocks to 'learner'
E= Didn't know true aim, so couldn't fully consent
C= Fully debrief after experiment + shown 'learner' (show alive)
L= Somewhat ethical as couldn't show true aim otherwise DC shown
73
AGENTIC STATE THEORY
74
What does situational mean?
Influence of external, situation factors of human behaviour
75
What was the % of obedience in Milgram's variation study after a confederate presses the lever on behalf of the ppt
92.5%
76
What was the % of obedience in Milgram's variation study after the teacher and learner are seated in the same room?
40%
77
What was the % of obedience in Milgram's variation study when the teacher has to hold the learner's hand on the shock?
30%
78
What was the % of obedience in Milgram's variation study when the experimenter gives the order via phone?
21%
79
What was the % of obedience in Milgram's variation study when the location is a run-down building?
47.5%
80
What was the % of obedience in Milgram's variation study when the experimenter is called away and replaced by a person in 'normal' clothes?
20%
81
What is an autonomous state?
Mental state where individuals see themselves as responsible for their own actions/ decisions
82
What are the characteristics of an autonomous state?
- Act independently
- Personal responsibility
- Accountability
83
What is an agentic state?
Mental state where individuals see themselves as agents carrying out the orders of an authority figure rather than acting according to their own free will
84
What are the characteristics of an agentic state?
- Act on behalf of someone else
- Less personal responsibility
- Unthinkingly following orders
- Own moral code diminishes
85
What happens when we are given an order from a perceived legitimate authority?
Experience agentic shift
- Demonstrate diffusion of responsibility
86
What is agentic shift?
Moving from an autonomous state to an agentic state
87
Where can we see agentic shift in Milgram's research?
Ppt asked if they were responsible if learner died (carried on when assured not)
88
What is diffusion of responsibility?
Individuals in group feel less personal responsibility for actions as they believe others will step in
89
What is moral strain?
Discomfort/ anxiety experienced when they are asked to act against their moral values/ ethical beliefs
90
When do people feel moral strain?
In agentic state, people may be willing to carry out acts of destructive obedience
- Orders go against out conscience
91
What evidence of moral strain is seen in Milgram's ppts?
- Hesitation
- Asking questions
- Destress
- High anxiety levels
- Nervous laughing
92
What are binding factors?
Aspects of situation that help individuals minimise/ ignore moral strain they feel when obeying orders that conflict with personal beliefs
93
When do binding factors come into play?
When faced with an order that creates moral strain, making us want to stop/ disobey but feel that we can't
94
What binding factors come into play which keep us in the agentic state?
1. Pressures of the authority figure/ surroundings
2. Legitimacy of the authority figure
95
When did Milgram report individuals ignoring or minimising the damaging effects of their behaviour due to binding factors?
- Ppts sifted the responsibility to victims
- Denying the damage they were doing to victims
96
What supporting evidence is there for the agentic state theory?
P= Supporting evidence
E= Holfing-> 21/22 nurses obeyed a telephone order of unknown medication given by unknown doctor
E= Agentic state as doctor responsible if something goes wrong, so diffused line of responsibility
L= Valid theory
97
What opposing evidence is there for the agentic state theory?
P= Research to contradict
E= Rank & Jacobson-> 16/18 nurses disobeyed orders of known medication given by phone
E= More aware of effects, so remained in autonomous state + didn't undergo agentic shift
L= Lack validity
98
What does deterministic mean?
Suggests the individual doesn't have conscious control over behaviour
99
What is biological determinism?
Idea that all human behaviour is innate + determined by genes
100
What is environmental determinism?
Behaviour is determined/ caused by forces outside the individual
- Caused by experience
101
What is psychic determinism?
Human behaviour is result of childhood experiences + innate drivers
102
How is agency theory presented as a deterministic explanation?
P= Deterministic explanation
E= Behaviour down to situation + pressure from authorities figure
E= Env. determinism says everyone will be obedient
L= Use carefully to understand but not excuse behaviour
103
How can agentic state theory be applied to real life situations?
P= Educate public on dangers of destructive obedience
E= Holocaust memorial day observed each year
E= ordinary people unthinkingly become ppts in atrocities (educate so events don't happen)
L= Good insight into human behaviour in context of obedience
104
LEGITIMACY OF AUTHORITY
105
What is a social hierarchy?
System where individuals/ groups are ranked one above the other in terms of status/ authority
106
What does the term socialised mean?
Subtly taught things through interactions/ experiences
107
What is the power to punish?
Perceived/ actual ability of an authority figure to administer consequences for disobedience
108
What is authority?
The amount of 'social power' held by the individual
109
When do we see authority figures as 'legitimate'?
1. We trust them
2. Have the power to punish
110
How can the legitimacy of authority be recognised?
Through visual cues that act as symbols of power
E.g. uniform, lab coat
111
What supporting evidence is there for the legitimacy of authority?
P= Supporting evidence
E= Variation of Milgram, when experimenter wore normal clothes obedience rates dropped to 20%
E= Lab coat acts as symbol of power
L= Valid
112
What opposing evidence is there for the legitimacy of authority?
P= Opposing evidence
E= Rank and Jacobson-> nurses given order by known doctor via phone to administer known drug (only 2/18 obeyed)
E= Disobeyed even though they had less hierarchal power
L= Questions validity
113
What debates are there to oppose the legitimacy of authority?
P= Deterministic explanation of behaviour
E= Behaviour is entirely down to who is giving order?
E= Problem as accountability blurred lines
L= Need to be careful it isn't used as an excuse
114
What is a strength of the legitimacy of authority involving applicability?
P= Applicable to real-life examples
E= German soldiers gathered millions of jews in gas chamber
E= Soldiers expected to obey every order given by superiors
L= Useful in explaining obedience + take steps to stop occurrence
115
SITUATIONAL VARIABLES
116
What factors did Milgram change in his original study to assess how it affected rates of obedience?
1. Location
2. Proximity x2
3. Uniform
117
How was location investigated by Milgram and what were the results?
Moved study to rundown office in Bridgeport
Drop to 48%
118
How was proximity 1 investigated by Milgram and what were the results?
Ppts put into same room as teacher
Drop to 40%
119
How was proximity 2 investigated by Milgram and what were the results?
Experimenter left room + gave instructions via telephone
Drop to 20.5%
120
How was uniform investigated by Milgram and what were the results?
Experimenter called away for phone call at beginning and replaced with confederate wearing everyday clothes
Drop to 20%
121
How does the location of Milgram's study impact the legitimacy of authority?
1. Affect perception of how credible authority figure is
2. Whether person is seen as having authority over us in that particular situation
122
What are different ways of proximity?
1. How close the authority figure is
2. How close we are to the 'victim' of our actions
123
Why does obedience increase when the authority figure is closer to us?
Greater sense of pressure
Could face more consequences for disobeying
124
Why does obedience decrease when we are closer to the 'victim' of our actions?
More accountable (harder to deny)
125
What are buffers?
Any aspects that can protect the individual from the emotional impact of their actions
126
What does uniform act as?
A symbol of authority + an indicator that they have power over us
127
How does uniform relate to legitimacy of authority and agentic state theory?
Binding factor remaining us in agentic state
Look at uniform to see whether they are perceived as authority
128
What supporting evidence is there for situational variables impacting obedience?
P= Supporting evidence
E= Milgram isolated dif. variables to see impact
E= Evidence gives validity to theory
C= Lacks ecological validity due to control env.
L= Findings tell us little about effects of situational variables in real world
129
Why may obedience be influenced by other factors (not situational variables)?
P= Influenced by other factors
E= Elms & Milgram-> ppts obeyed the Experimenter's orders scored high on F scale
E= Obedience is dispositional (down to individual characteristics)
L= Need to consider situational variables + dispositional factors
130
Why do situational variables for obedience present deterministic explanation?
P= Deterministic
E= Says down to env.
E= No conscious control, so not accountable for actions
L= Good explanation to understand, but not excuse for behaviour
131
What practical applications are there for situational variables impact on obedience?
P= Practical applications
E= Police being more visible on streets
E= Maintain order + obey the law
L= Knowledge gained is highly useful
132
AUTHORITARIAN PERSONALITY
133
Who proposed a dispositional explanation of obedience?
Adorno (1950)
134
What does a dispositional explanation for obedience mean?
A person's personality can be associated with a higher tendency for obedience
135
What characteristics are highly associated with having an authoritarian personality?
1. Hostile to those of inferior stance
2. Submissive to those of higher social stance
3. Rigid in ops/ beliefs
4. Holding traditional views
5. Prejudiced against minority groups
136
How did Adorno propose those with an authoritarian personality develop it?
Very strict upbringing with orderly harsh + critical parents
137
What did Adorno base his theory of the authoritarian personality on?
Own correlational research from a questionnaire called the F-scale
(F= fascism)
138
How did Adorno conduct his correlational research?
- Sent F-scale questionnaire to 2000 American ppts (dif ages/ profession)
- Conducted clinic interviews about aspects of childhood
- These measures were correlated
139
What was Adornos results from his correlational research?
- Identified set of characteristics which they called authoritarian personality
(1. Hostile to those of inferior status, obedient to those of higher status, 2. Rigid in ops, 3. Traditional in views)
- Strong link between authoritarianism + prejudiced views
- Scored highly= stronger upbringings
140
Why can the F-scale not be generalisable?
Endocentric
- All American ppts
- Although, they were dif ages/ professions
141
Why does the F-scale have reduced internal validity?
- Qualitative data
- No C + E established as no IV (data was correlated)
142
What evidence is there to support that an authoritarian personality may be associated with obedience?
P= Supporting evidence
E= Elms & Milgram-> ppts more obedient score higher on F-scale
E= More obedient= more authoritarian personality
C= Findings correlated due to no C+E
L= Theory may not be valid
143
What opposing evidence is there for the authoritarian personality theory?
P= Dispositional explanations can't account for large scale prejudice
E= Levels of antisemitism demonstrated in Holocaust
E= Says due to personality but not everyone has same personality
L= Theory is limited in explaining obedience
144
Why can the authoritarian personality be seen as deterministic?
P= Deterministic
E= Says personality is shaped by childhood experience
E= Psychic determinism (accountability?)
L= Need to consider potential implications it raises
145
Where can we see evidence of authoritarianism in real world politics?
P= Evidence in real world political events
E= Donald Trumps rise in popularity
E= Shows more right wing views appealing those that demonstrate authoritarianism
L= Authoritarian personality explanation of obedience may be useful in understanding political events
146
RESISTING SOCIAL INFLUENCE
147
What is social support?
Perception of assistance + solidarity available from others
148
Why does social support help people resist normative social influence?
They feel they aren't alone in going against a majority
149
What does dispositional mean?
Inherent qualities, traits, attributes of an individual that influence their behaviour, thoughts, emotions
150
Is social support a dispositional or situation explanation and why?
Situational
- Depends on the social context + presence of others
151
What evidence is there to support the idea of social support (conformity)?
P= Asch variation of unanimity
E= Dissenter led to decrease in conformity from 32% to 5.5%
C= SS more complex as dissenter gave wrong answer and conformity from 32% to 9%
E= If conform again so did ppt
L= Reduces the fear of social rejection
152
Who was the locus of control proposed by?
Rotter (1966)
153
What is a 'locus of control'?
How much control a person feels they have over their own behaviour
154
How does someone have an internal locus of control?
- Perceived high level of control over behaviour
- More likely to take responsibility for own actions
155
How does someone have an external locus of control?
- Perceived little control over behaviour
- Less likely to take responsibility for own actions
156
Does having an internal or external locus of control make you more able to resist social influence?
Internal
- Less conformity
- Less obedience
- Base decisions on own beliefs
- Self confident
- Higher intelligence
- Behave independently
157
What evidence is there to support locus of control as an explanation of independent behaviour?
P= Research evidence
E= Oliner & Oliner asked WW2 survivors who protected jews found 406 rescuers who resisted orders had high internal LoC
E= Believe had higher control over behaviour
L= Theory has validity
158
What evidence is there to oppose locus control as an explanation of obedience?
P= Opposing evidence
E= Twenge et al analysed data from obedience over 40 years-> ppt became more resistant to obedience + more external
E= Explanation says more external is more obedient, don't account for locus of control being obedient
L= Evidence to contradict may question validity
159
Social support evaluation (situational)
P= SS offers situational explanation (resit SI due to others joining)
E= Can't account for individual differences as assumes all people behaviour is the same
E= Research shows behaviour isn't same
L= Also need dispositional factors that may influence social influence
160
Locus of control evaluation (dispositional)
P= LoC offers dispositional explanation (resist SI due to personality)
E= Exp. suggests behave in predictable way based on single personality trait
C= Holland did Milgram's baseline study + measured ppts ILOC/ ELOC, 37% ILOC continued to high shock
L= LOC predisposes us to being more/ less resistant to SI, suggests situational factors may potentially have impact
161
MINORITY INFLUENCE
162
What is minority influence?
A small group rejects the established norm of the majority, causing them to change their beliefs + behaviours
163
Who called the rejection of majority norms to change beliefs conversion?
Moscovici
164
What type of conformity does minority influence lead to?
Internalisation
- Views change privately + publicly
165
Is minority influence NSI or ISI?
Informational social influence
- Want to be right as leaving majority
166
Is minority influence a quick or slow process?
Slow- Need to overcome pressures of majority
167
What locus of control would someone in a minority likely have?
Internal
- Self confident, responsibility for actions
- Make judgment on ideas
168
What 3 features are there for a persuasive minority (CCF)?
1. Consistence
2. Commitment
3. Flexibility
169
What is consistency and why is it persuasive?
Maintaining the same viewpoint, not changing your ideas
Creates doubt in majority
170
What is diachronic consistency?
Consistency over time
171
What is synchronic consistency?
Consistency between members
172
What is commitment and why is it persuasive?
Being dedicated to your cause + willing to sacrifice for it
Augmentation principle-> risks involved in putting forward point (take more seriously)
173
What is flexibility and why is it persuasive?
Being willing to compromise + be open to other ideas
Seem more reasonable/ approachable
174
What was Moscovici et al (1969) blue-green study to demonstrate?
Consistency
175
What sample was used and how many people were in each group in Moscovici's blue-green study?
32 groups of 6 women
- All given eye tests to ensure not colour blind
6 women, (2 confederates in each group)
176
What were the procedures for Moscovici's blue-green study?
- Ppts shown 36 slides which were dif shades of blue + asked to state colour of each slide
- Consistent condition= 2 confederates answered green for every slide
- Inconsistent condition= confederates answered green 24 times, blue 12 times
- Control group of all ppts
177
What were the results of Moscovici's blue-green study?
- 0.25% of control group answered green (rest blue)
- Consistent group= 8.42% trials results ppts answering green, 32% agreed at least ones
- Inconsistent group= 1.25% trials resulted in ppts answering green
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What was Nemeth (1986) mock jury trying to demonstrate?
Flexibility
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Summarise Nemeth's mock jury experiment to measure flexibility in a minority influence?
- Groups of 3 ppts + 1 conf. decided on compensation to give to victim of ski-lift injury
- When conf. said low number + refused to change, no effect of majority
- When conf. compromised + moved towards majority position, majority also compromised + changed views
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What evidence from Moscovici is there to support the idea of minority influence?
P= Supporting evidence
E= 32% ppts answered green at least once in consistent condition
E= Supports consistency as maintained the same view point created doubt in minority
L= Validity to processes playing a role in minority influence
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What evidence from Nermeth is there to support the idea of minority influence?
P= Supporting evidence
E= When compromised, ppts changed their view and also compromised
E= Supports flexibility as willing to be open to ideas as seen more approachable
L= Validity to processes playing a role in minority influence
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How does research into minority influence has real-world applications?
P= Real-world applications
E= Clark-> Students roleplayed as jurors on a film (12 Angry Men), 1 juror tried to convince 11 of innocence, students more persuaded when heard consistent persuasive arguments
E= Could cause implications in trying to make fair decision
L= Knowledge gained about process involved has proved highly useful in real scenarios
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Why does the research collected in minority influence experiments have low mundane realism?
P= Experiments artificial in nature
E= Moscovici tasks of saying a colour wouldn't be done in real life
E= Lacks mundane realism
L= Research may tell us little about how + why it occurs in real world settings
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What other explanations may there be for minority influence other than CCF?
P= May be other factors that CCF
E= Maas et al-> homosexual minority arguing for rights were less persuasive than heterosexual minority
E= Identification also affect whether we are influenced by majority
L= Minority influence is complex phenomenon involving mixture of factors
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SOCIAL CHANGE
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What is social change?
Ways in which a society develops over time to replace beliefs, attitudes + behaviour with new norms
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What would happen if there was no minority to help with social change?
- No change occurs as majority is everyone
- Minority needs to question majority to think in different ways
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What are the 3 characteristics of a persuasive minority?
1. Commitment
2. Consistency
3. Flexibility
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How did the suffragettes use the 3 characteristics to be a persuasive minority?
1. Commitment= threw in front of horse, chained to railings, hunger strikes
2. Consistency= always saying the same thing of wanting the vote
3. Flexibility= did peaceful processes and hunger strikes
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How does change need to occur on a societal level?
Views and behaviour of the minority needs to be adopted by majority
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What is the snowball effect?
Need to convince a small amount of people first, then gains more momentum as more + more people join overtime
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What type of conformity do the 1st few people who are influenced by the minority likely to show?
Internalisation-> they think it's right + stand out from majority (informational social influence)
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What explanation of social influence might people show after the minority grows support + gets bigger?
Normative social influence as people likely to comply in order to be liked
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What is social cryptoamnesia?
Failure to give credit to minorities for their role in provoking social change
E.g. social change came about but some have no memory of event leading to change
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How does social change come about?
1. Draw attention to issue
2. Minority exerts influence by being consistent, committed, flexible
3. People question status quo + think further
4. Snowball effect occurs
5. Social cryptomnesia occurs (internalisation)
6. Legal reforms implemented
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How was drawing attention part of social change for civil rights?
- 1950s, black segregation everywhere (neighbourhoods, schools)
- Civil rights marches drew attention to situation
- ILOC as believe can make change
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How was minority influence part of social change for the civil rights?
- Many marches + people taking part
- Minority of population, civil rights activists displayed consistency of message (diachronic + synchronic)
- Freedom riders beaten (majority were influenced by opinions of minority due to personal sacrifice)-> seem committed
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How was deeper processing part of social change for the civil rights?
- Attention provokes + commitment shown with consistency of message
- Many people who accepted status quo began to think about how actually unjust
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How was the snowball effect part of social change for the civil rights?
- Civil rights movement took place over years + gained momentum
- Initially gained from ISI + believe minority is right + morally justified (internalisation)
- Support increases + minority grow to majority (NSI meant more people follow)
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How was social cryptoamnesia part of social change for the civil rights?
- Social change occurred + South has changed
- People 'lost' their memories of events
- Equal rights of black + white embedded and issue forgotten
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How was legal reforms part of social change for the civil rights?
- Civil rights activist (Martin Luther King) press for changes that got attention of US government
- 1964-> US civil rights act passed (prohibited discrimination, show obedience as SI cemented change in society
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What does diachronic mean?
Evolve and change overtime
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What does synchronic mean?
Amongst the minority
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What research is there to support the idea of social change?
P= Supporting evidence of role of SI processes in creating social change
E= Nolan et al did experiment to see if NSI reduce energy consumption (messages placed on doors to conserve energy + significant decrease in energy use)
E= Shows we feel like we're doing what everyone else is doing (NSI)
L= Validity in role of SI process in social change
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What evidence is there to show that other factors than consistency & commitment impact how influential a minority is?
P= Other factors
E= Mass & Clarke ppt watched debate on gay rights between minority heterosexual + homosexual group-> people swayed by minority heterosexual group
E= Extent to which we identify with minority has significant factor
L= Role of minorities more complex than whether being consistent/ committed
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Why is social change not being fully testable a problem?
P= Process involved in social change not fully testable
E= Slow process overtime (hard to measure), many elements so hard to isolate variable
E= Can't establish C + E
L= Can't conclusively + scientifically verify their roles
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P= Not always minority causing 'deeper processing'
E= Mackie-> discover that majority don't think in same way then examine own stance
E= NSI makes us question what we think
L= Minority influence not always needed for change
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