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AS Psychology > Social Influence > Flashcards

Social Influence Flashcards

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1
Q

What is conformity?

A

A type of social influence involving a change in our behaviour or our attitudes in response to the influence of others or social pressure. This pressure can be real or imagined.

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2
Q

What are social norms?

A

A certain situation that is seen as correct or normal or a behaviour in a social group

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3
Q

Give one REASON why we conform

A

Normative social influence- when we conform to fit in with the group because we wish to gain the approval of others and don’t want to appear foolish.

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4
Q

Give another REASON why we conform

A

Informational social influence- when we conform because we are unsure of the situation and are uncertain about how to behave or think, we look to others with more information for guidance in order to be right.

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5
Q

Give one TYPE of conformity

A

Compliance- when someone conforms publicly but inside doesn’t agree with it. Most superficial type of conformity. e.g bullying

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6
Q

Give another TYPE of conformity

A

Internalisation- when someone conforms publicly and privately because it is consistent with their own values/ deepest type

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7
Q

Give the last TYPE of conformity

A

Identification- an individual conforms inside and out to fit into a group- often temporary e.g to get new friends

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8
Q

Which explanation and type of conformity is backed by the research study by Asch?

A

Normative- compliance/ identification- Asch

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9
Q

Which explanation and type of conformity is backed by the research study by Sherif?

A

Informational- Internalisation- Sherif

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10
Q

Discuss Soloman Asch’s(1951) research into conformity

aim

A

A- To investigate the extent to which social pressure from a majority group could affect a person to conform

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11
Q

Discuss Soloman Asch’s(1951) research into conformity

procedure

A

P- Lab experiment
Used line judgement task
Put one participant with seven confederates who had pre-planned answers
Had to state outloud which line was closest to the target line
Out of 18 trials the confederates gave 12 wrong answers

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12
Q

Discuss Soloman Asch’s(1951) research into conformity

Results and conclusion

A

Results-
Measured the number if times each participant conformed to view
32%- conformed to incorrect majority
75%- conformed on at least one trial
conclusion-
Did not want to be ridiculed- normative
Believed the group’s answer- informational

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13
Q

Discuss Sherif’s (1935) research into conformity

aim

A

To demonstrate that people conform to group norms when they are put in an ambiguous situation

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14
Q

Discuss Sherif’s (1935) research into conformity

procedure

A

P-
Lab experiment
Used auto kinetic effect
Participants were individually tested their estimates on how far the light moved varied considerably (e.g 20cm-80cm)
Groups of 3
Put 2 people who had similar estimates with someone who didn’t/ had to say outloud what they thought it was

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15
Q

Discuss Sherif’s (1935) research into conformity

Results and conclusion

A

F-
Over the trials groups converged to a common estimate
conformed to view of the other two
Conformed to group agreement
C-
Ambiguous sitation- a person will look to others who know more for guidance
Lack appropriate information/ observing others can provide this information

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16
Q

EVALUATION

Sherrif and Asch

A 
-Lacked ecological/population validity 
In a lab 
Participants were strangers
results might be different- not valid
\+Reliable- both conformed
- Deception 
Necessary as they would not conform 
Gave debrief 
\+ extraneous variables were controlled to make sure conformity is because of group presence
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17
Q

What other factors effect conformity according to Asch?

give explanation

A

Group size- conformity increases as group increases
with three confederates it increased to 30%
Unamity of the majority- Breaking the unconformity can be major factor in reducing conformity levels / another person who gave same person confromirty dropped to 3.5%
Difficulty of task

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18
Q

Discuss Zimbardo’s (1974) research into conforming to social roles
(Aim)

A

To see whether people will conform to new social roles

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19
Q

Discuss Zimbardo’s (1974) research into conforming to social roles
(Procedures )

A

All male middle class students from Stanford university
Volunteered and randomly allocated into two groups:
the prison guards and the prisoners (were there to be a week)
were arrested unexpectedly and taken to university/ referred to by number not name

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20
Q

Discuss Zimbardo’s (1974) research into conforming to social roles
(Results)

A

Called off after 6 days
Guards had become too brutal
2 prisoners had a nervous breakdown/ one went on hunger strike
Prisoners became apathetic

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21
Q

Discuss Zimbardo’s (1974) research into conforming to social roles
(Conclusion
3 points )

A

Conformed to social roles. Each role requires different behaviours.
If you are given a new role you change your behaviour to suit it
Deindividuation- a state when you become so immersed In the social norms of the group that you lose your sense of identity and personal responsibility- did not feel what happened was down to them personally- it was group norm

22
Q

EVALUATION
Zimabrdo et al
2 strengths

A

+
managed to maintain some degree of control and validity/ tightly controlled with random roles
Study still had ecological validity- arrested from house
+
The data was qualitative like observation interviews and questionnaires

23
Q

EVALUATION
Zimabrdo et al
2 weaknesses

A
  • unrepresentative- lacks population validity
    cant generalise
    -
    ecological validity
    not totally accurate- wasn’t forced homosexuality/ racism and beatings
    sentence was only to be 2 weeks / not a meaningful comparison
24
Q

Give 4 ethical issues related to Zimbardo’s study

A

Deception- they were not told they would be arrested/ wanted it to be realistic and a surprise
Informed consent- not told what part they would be until last minute / debrief at the end
Protection from harm- guards could have done anything/ nobody will have been able to stop them/ did not prevent physical/ psychological harm- he did abandon the study
Right to withdraw- they could not have withdrawn be used they were in prison

25
Q

Give a definition of obedience

A

A type of a social whereby somebody acts in response to a direct order from a figure with perceived authority. The person receiving the order it made to respond in a way that they would not otherwise have done without authority

26
Q

Give 5 differences between conformity and obedience

A

No one directly tells the other person what to do- C
There is a direct request to change our behaviour- O

It is usually a group one people- usually one person
Could be friends/peers- has authority
Usually doing the same thing- does not always act in the same way as us

27
Q

Give 3 real life examples of the dangers of obedience

A

The mai lai massacre- 1968 Vietnam war
Lieutntrnnt Calley- ordered them to shoot innocent civilians
Abu Ghraib- Physical, psychological and sexual abuse in the -Abu Ghraib prison by prisoners who were following orders
The holocaust

28
Q

Discuss Milgram’s study into obedience

Aim

A

To test out the ‘Germans are different’ theory- a character defect that made them likely to obey

29
Q

Discuss Milgram’s study into obedience

Procedure

A

P- there were 500 participants split into two
Half were teachers/ half were learners
Learners were confederates- had electrodes on their arms
Of learner got an answer wrong they were electricuted

30
Q

Discuss Milgram’s study into obedience
(Findings)
(Conclusion)

A

F- All participants shocked up to 300 volts and 65% of them went up to 450- dangerous voltage
315- silence
C- majority of people obey even when it hurts another person

31
Q

EVALUATION

Milgram study

A
  • Ethical issues such as deception
    Not too real implications of the study
    +deception was necessary in order for it to work
  • Lacks ecological validity
    Not in a natural environment
    30% of participants knew that sounds were fake
32
Q

Identify and explain three situational factors which canaffect obedience

A

Proximity- When teacher and leaner were in the same room obedience levels fell to 40%, this is because they could see the ‘pain’ that the leaner was in
Location- in the laboratory it gave them confidence in the integrity of the people/ fell to 48% when the study took part in the random run down office/
uniform- 72% beggR Busniess executive 48%

33
Q

What is the disposition explanation for obedience?

A

The explanation of behaviour that is influenced by the individual’s personality

34
Q

What is the authoritarian personality?

A

A personality type who is very obedient to those who have power over them E
Extreme respect for authority
Dismissive to those who are inferior
Is measured by the F Sacle

35
Q

Discuss the Adorno research into the authoritarian personality (Aim)

A

A- to investigate the causes of anti semitism

36
Q

Discuss the Adorno research into the authoritarian personality

A

P-
Participants were 2,000 white American middle classes
In a study which looked at their unconscious attitudes towards racial groups
F Scale was used, e.g obedience and respect for authority are the most important virtues

37
Q

Discuss the Adorno research into the authoritarian personality
Findings

A

Those who scored high on the F scale were characterised as showing excessive respect and obedient to those of higher stratus. Had distinctive stereotypes about other groups.

Positive correlation between authoritarian and prejudice

38
Q

Discuss the Adorno research into the authoritarian personality
Conclusion

A

Adorno concluded that people with an authoritarian person,aptly are more likely to be obedient to authority.
Everything is right or wrong. Have conventional attitudes towards sex, race and gender.

39
Q

EVALUATION

Adorno Authortarian

A

-
Link between obedience and personality is merely a correlation not a cause
Correlation between predudjufe and authority
Does not follow that one causes the other
-
The sample was in the research study was bias.
The F-Scale measures the tendency towards an extreme form of right-wing ideology, politically biased/ cant be used across the political spectrum
-Cannot be generalised to whole population
lacks population validity- same class
-
Metholoigcal problems
ticking the same line of boxes down one side of the page

40
Q

What is social change?

A

Social change is when a society adopts a new belief or way of believing that then becomes widely accepted as the norm through the influence of the minority

41
Q

Discuss the research by Moscovici on the role of the minority of social change
(Aim)

A

To investigate the process of innovation by looking at how a consistent minority affect the opinions of a larger group, possibly creating doubt and leading them to question and alter their views

42
Q

Discuss the research by Moscovici on the role of the minority of social change
(Procedure)

A

All female group- given eye test to check they were not colour blind.
Grouped into a group of 4 participants and two confederates.
36 slides- different shades of blue, there were two groups:
First group- confederatesa

43
Q

Discuss the research by Moscovici on the role of the minority of social change
(Findings)

A

In the consistent group 8.42% of trials resulted in P’s answering green (agreeing with the minority)
32% of the P’s agreed at once
Inconsistent group- 1.25% of trials resulted in P’s answering green
C- minorities can change the opinion of the majority, particularly if they are consistent

44
Q

Give 3 behavioural characteristics that the minority have to influence the majority

A

Consistency- being resiliant, a clear view, not contradicting themselves
Commitment- taking risks, never giving up, putting time in
Flexibility- being more understandable, more considerate and taking other views into account

45
Q

What is the snowball effect? (Van Avermaet 1996)

A

When a minority view gains some support the view becomes more and more popular until the minority becomes the majority

46
Q

What is social cryptoamnesia? (Perez 1995)

A

Ideas are taken in by the minority until it is the norm

47
Q

How did the suffragette movement use the behavioural characteristics?

A 
Consistency- went on for half a century 
Flexibility- agreed to postpone their campaigning to help with the war effort 
Commitment- committed for 60 years 
Went to prison 
Snowball effect- spread across countries
48
Q

How did the black American civil rights movement use the behavioural characteristics?

A

Consistency- did not stop the boycott until it was changed after 381 days
Flexibility- taxi drivers lowered their pay,went so it was the same as the bus
Commitment- R.P was arrested for the cause
Snowball effect- leaflets

49
Q

Learning theory

What is operant conditioning?

A

Learning by reinforcement

50
Q

What are the two types of reinforcement?

A

Positive- when a behaviour results in the addition of something pleasant/
Negative reinforcement- when behaviour results in the subtraction of something unpleasant/ doing homework to avoid detention

51
Q

Describe classical conditioning (using the three stages)

A

Before conditioning:
Unconditioned stimulus (Food) ->unconditioned response (happy baby)
During conditioning:
Mother (neutral stimulus)-> Food (unconditioned stimulus) -> unconditioned response (happy baby)
After conditioning:
Conditioned stimulus (Mother)-> conditioned response (Happy baby)

AS Psychology (6 decks)

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