Social influence - 2

Question 1

Zimbardo’s experiment

Answer 1

• Demonstrated the powerful influence of social roles on behaviour
• participants quickly adopted roles of prisoners and guards, their behaviour became increasingly aggressive and abusive.

Question 2

BBC Prison Study

Answer 2

• replicates Zimbardo’s experiment that aimed to investigate the role of situational factors in conformity
• suggested that personality factors may also play a role.

Question 3

Difference Between Conformity and Obedience

Answer 3

Conformity: Changing one’s behaviour to fit in with a group.

Obedience: Following orders from an authority figure.

Question 4

Milgram’s Study of Obedience

Answer 4

• demonstrated the powerful influence of authority figures on behaviour
• electic shocks

Question 5

Situational Variables Affecting Obedience

Answer 5

Proximity
Location
Uniform
(Bushman, Bickman)

Question 6

Explanations for Obedience

Answer 6

Agentic state
Authoritarian personality

Question 7

Authoritarian personality

Answer 7

People with an authoritarian personality are more likely to obey authority figures.
- Adorno Fscale

Question 8

Agentic state

Answer 8

People may shift responsibility to the authority figure.

Question 9

Features of authoritarian personality

Answer 9

• submissive to authority figures
• tend to be hostile towards those who are different from them