Social influence Flashcards
Factors affecting conformity to a group
- Group size
- Dissenter
- Unanimity
- Social support
- Personality
(persuading ppl to eat healthy)
In reference to social research, explain effect on the economy
- Social influence research tells us how behav and attitudes can be changes. Eg, through minority influence
- Ppl eating more healthily, leads to ppl being more healthy.
- This saves health care resources, means less time off work…
Using the role of minority influence is social change, advice pressure groups
- Consistent, flexible, non-dogmatic
- Augmentation principle- not acting out of self interest
Explain how social influence research helps us to understand social change
- Minorities: Consistent, flexible, non-dogmatic, snowball effect
- Dictation can bring about social change: through power and process of obedience
- Moscovici et al - how helped us understand
Dealing w/ ethical issues in SI research
- Debriefing
- Prior general consent
- Presumptive/retrospective consent
Difference between conformity and obedience (2)
- Conformity occurs among those of equal status, obedience occurs within a hierarchy
- Ppl conform due to NSI/ISI, but obey bcs feel have to
- Obedience occurs in response to an explicit order, conformity occurs in response to implicit pressure
Describe one way in which deception has been dealt with in social influence research.
(Total 2 marks)
Deception has been dealt with by: • Presumptive consent • Prior general consent • Retrospective consent • Debriefing.
Explain what is meant by compliance.
(Total 3 marks)
- Compliance is where the individual changes his or her own behaviour to fit in with the group. They may not necessarily agree with the behaviour / belief but they go along with it publicly. It is not a permanent form of social influence; it lasts only as long as the group is present. Here the type of conformity is likely to be linked to NSI.
- For example: Compliance is where you go along with the group to fit in (1 mark) even if you don’t really believe their view point (2nd mark for elaboration) for example, in Asch’s study, many of the naïve participants went along with the wrong answer so as not to look stupid (example to illustrate the point as 3rd mark).
Briefly explain how two factors might affect whether or not Lisa and Sean will conform to the rest of the group.
(Total 4 marks)
- If the group size (1) is large / small this will increase / decrease the likelihood that Lisa and Sean will conform to the group (1).
- Social support may affect conformity (1). As Lisa and Sean agree with each other, this will decrease the likelihood that they will conform to the rest of the group (1).
why people resist pressure to conform.
- Having an internal locus of control
* Social support of ally
Explain what is meant by locus of control.
Total 4 marks
- Locus of control is how much a person believes that they have control over events that happen in their lives.
- This is usually measured along a scale with internal control at one end and external control at the other. -Internal control refers to those people who see that they have a great deal of control over their own behaviour and will take responsibility for their own actions.
- External control refers to those who believe that their behaviour is controlled by other forces such as luck or fate.
Outline normative social influence as an explanation for conformity.
- People agree with the opinion of the majority in order to be liked and gain approval/acceptance/avoid rejection/avoid ridicule.
- This often leads to compliance which is where people will agree publicly with the group but privately they do not change their personal opinions.
Using your knowledge of locus of control, identify which boy is most likely to resist the social influence of his friends. Explain why
- He believes that people are successful due to hard work and determination
- Daniel is less likely to rely on the opinion of others in the class, making him more immune to social influence
- Daniel will see himself as more of a leader than a follower, making him less likely to follow the majority
- Daniel will not seek social approval as much as those who are externals
Explain how Tom’s refusal to take part might affect Daniel’s (internal) and Matthew’s (external) ability to resist social influence
- Tom’s refusal will increase their ability to resist social influence/they will be less likely to take part in the play.
- Tom acts as social support/presence of a role model of non-conformity
- Tom may not affect Daniel due to Daniel’s internal locus of control
- Tom may affect Matthew due to Matthew’s external locus of control
Outline research into the effect of situational variables on obedience and discuss what this tells us about why people obey.
• Proximity - Milgram - teacher and the learner were in the same room, obedience decreased;
touch proximity condition; experimenter leaves the room, obedience decreased
• Location - Milgram – run-down office block vs Yale; Hofling hospital location
• Uniform - Bickman – more likely to obey a man dressed as a guard. In Milgram’s experiment the experimenter wore a grey lab coat
