Social Influence

Question 1

Asch

Answer 1

Comparison lines study
75% of participants conformed at least once.
Participants only conformed to avoid rejection (NSI)
variations: group size, unanimity and task difficulty.

Question 2

Perrin & Spencer (contradicts Asch)

Answer 2

repeat Asch’s study: engineering students
Found conformity was less
Suggests: ‘Asch effect’ not consistent, not fundamental

Question 3

Zimbardo

Answer 3

Prison Study
Guards: enthusiastic, threatening, harassing
Prisoners: depressed
Everyone: conformed to roles

Question 4

Milgram

Answer 4

Obedience study: electric shocks 
40 males: 15 - 400 volts  but prompts were given 
300 volts: none 
450 volts: 65% 
Variables: Proximity, location, uniform

Question 5

Bickman (supports Milgram)

Answer 5

3 confeds in uniform
complied in uniform: 92%
complied not uniform: 49%
Shows: legitimate authority

Question 6

Ardono

Answer 6

Developed F-Scale measure authoritarian personality
Found: 450 volts = 65%
had high scores of F scale
results: dispositional

Question 7

Moscovici

Answer 7

Colour Slides
2 confeds in large room w/ participants
Confeds: green 36 slides = 8% conformity
24 slide = 1 % conformity
Minorities consistent to achieve conformity (ISI)

Question 8

Bond and Smith (group size)

Answer 8

Meta-analysis: cross-cultural studies
Conformed: indian teachers in Fiji = 58% (collectivist)
Belgian students = 14% (individualist)
Both cultures emphasise opposite things

Question 9

Kim and Markus (support for Bond and Smith)

Answer 9

Found: failure to conform = positive in individualist
negative in collectivist
50% greater in collectivist

Question 10

Parks (Application to Social Change)

Answer 10

Example of disobedient role model as she disobeyed laws in the American civil rights movement

Question 11

Crutchfield

Answer 11

Found people w/ greater self-esteem and intelligence are less likely to conform

Question 12

Eagly (Individual differences)

Answer 12

Women = greater conformity
Studies on “masculine” content
Men seen as more knowledgable
.˙. v/ knowledgable = less affected by influence

Question 13

De Young et al (Individual differences)

Answer 13

Considered personality dimensions,

individuals w/ higher conscientiousness/agreeableness = more conformist than low scorers

Question 14

Deutsch and Gerard

Answer 14

Extended Asch’s research
used several conditions to show importance of NSI
same judgement of other group members available
.˙. groups diffs focus on NSI: Face-to-face situation, Anonymous Situation

Question 15

Sherif

Answer 15

Auto-kinetic effect
Spot of light in dark room (seemed to move but was still
Groups of 3 = common estimate
Ambiguous situation = look to others who seem to have more knowledge

Question 16

Reicher and Haslam

Answer 16

BBC - Similar to Zimbardos Prison Study 
Guards: did not conform to roles 
Prisoners: increasingly identified 
Results saw by everyone = reduced mundane realism 
.˙. encouraged to behave calmly

Question 17

Internalisation

Answer 17

accepting the majority views as your own

Question 18

Compliance

Answer 18

going along with things even if you disagree with them

Question 19

Identification

Answer 19

doing whats expected of you to fulfil a role

Question 20

Group size

Answer 20

Asch: 2 confeds, participant conform 14%
3 confeds, participant conformed 32%
bigger the group the very small majorities resisted

Question 21

Unanimity

Answer 21

Asch: the participant had a confed supporter, conformity rates dropped 5.5%

Question 22

Task Difficulty

Answer 22

Asch: more difficult more conformity