Social Influence

Question 1

Types of conformity: Compliance:

Answer 1

Superficial type of conformity, individual conforms publicly but privately disagree. E.g. bullying

Question 2

Types of conformity: identification:

Answer 2

Individual adopts the views/behaviours of a group both publicly and privately.
Sense of group membership.
Has elements of compliance and internalisation (due to desire of acceptance )
Not permanent, no conformity when away from group

Question 3

Types of conformity: internalisation:

Answer 3

Conversion or true change of private views to match a group.
The attitudes become a part of the individuals own beliefs.
Not dependant on group presence.

Question 4

Conformity test: Asch 1951: outline the amount of trials overall, how many were rigged and how many were correctly conformed:

Answer 4

18 total trials.
6 incorrectly unanimous.
12 correctly unanimous.

Question 5

Conformity test: Asch 1951: how many participants:

Answer 5

123 total participants.

Question 6

Conformity test: Asch 1951: how many never conformed? (%)

Answer 6

26%

Question 7

Conformity test: Asch 1951: how many conformed incorrectly at least once? (%)

Answer 7

74%

Question 8

Conformity test: Asch 1951: how many conformed every time? (%)

Answer 8

5%

Question 9

Conformity test: Asch 1951: some reasons for not conforming: (3 reasons)

Answer 9

• conformed due to desire to not be a minority
• did not want to upset experimenter
• some doubt of their own perception

Question 10

Conformity test: Asch 1951: what were the group sizes tested and their corresponding conformity rate?

Answer 10

Group no. %
1 3%
2 13%
3 33%

Question 11

Conformity test: Asch 1951: by what percentage did dissenters drop the % rate of conformity?

Answer 11

37% down to 5.5%

Question 12

Conformity test: Asch 1951: why do dissenters have such a radical affect on conformity?

Answer 12

They break the chain of unanimity, no matter where they occur in the line of answers.

Question 13

Conformity test: Asch 1951: what individual differences could affect conformity?

Answer 13

Lower self esteem: leads to a higher level of conformity.

Question 14

Conformity test: Asch 1951: what type of experiment was it?

Answer 14

Laboratory experiment.

Question 15

Conformity test: Asch 1951: why was Asch’s study not an accurate reflection of conformity in a natural situation?

Answer 15

It was an unreal task.

Question 16

Conformity test: Asch 1951: what did Asch’s study lack?

Answer 16

Ecological validity.

Question 17

Conformity test: Asch 1951: why did Asch’s study lack ecological validity?

Answer 17

It was a lab exp hence it could not present a real life situation.
Also, the unrealistic task would present an issue because no one is asked to measure a line on a daily basis.

Question 18

Conformity test: Asch 1951: who did a variation?

Answer 18

Perrin and Spencer (1980)

Question 19

Conformity test: Asch 1951: in Perrin and Spencer’s variation why were there lower levels of conformity?

Answer 19

Lower levels due to the use of engineering students who tend to be more confident in ability to measure.

Question 20

Define normative social influence:

Answer 20

Is based on a desire to be liked by other members of the group. We conform so that others will accept and approve of us. This type of influence only produces public compliance.

Question 21

Define informational social influence:

Answer 21

Informational social influence is based on the desire to be right and involves looking to others for the most appropriate ways to think or behave when we are unsure. It can result in private acceptance of the group’s position as well as public compliance.

Question 22

Zimbardo: stanford prison experiment (1973): how many initial possible participants? How did they apply?

Answer 22

There were 75 they were volunteers.

Question 23

Zimbardo: stanford prison experiment (1973): how many participants were selected and after what?

Answer 23

24- they had been judged to be emotionally stable, physically healthy and normal to average.

Question 24

Zimbardo: stanford prison experiment (1973): what happened to begin with?

Answer 24

Rebellion, quelled by guards.

Question 25

Zimbardo: stanford prison experiment (1973): what did all guards display at some point?

Answer 25

All guards displayed abusive behaviour at least once- authoritarian style punishments.

Question 26

Milgram- what did he do ?

Answer 26

40 male vols
Role of punishment in learning was to be studied (deception - ethical issue)
Experimenter - would tell part to continue no matter what objection was brought up
Part - normal vol
Student - Confederate who would play along until the scream would start playing over the speaker to part
Teacher had to ask students questions and then if the answer was wrong they would shock them

Question 27

Milgram- findings

Answer 27

65% gave shocks to and including 450

Only 12.5% stopped at 300

Question 28

Milgram- ethical issues

Answer 28

Harm to parts due to mental damage possibly occuring e.g. trauma
Deception
Not a true right to withdraw
3 parts had a seizure

Question 29

Milgram- validity

Answer 29

Ecological validity lack due to lab exp

unrealistic situation/ no mundane realism

Question 30

Lack of internal validity milgram bad

Answer 30

Demand characteristics due to part working out real aim

It was carried out at a prestigious university no one would be hurt badly there

Question 31

There is internal validity milgram

Answer 31

Real objective study in believable setting

Parts did protest prior to continuing after getting assurance of who wo

Question 32

Lack of external validity milgram

Answer 32

Yale - cannot be generalised

Artificial

Question 33

There is external validity milgram

Answer 33

Ecological in the run down office people still went to 400v

Question 34

Other milgram experiments and percentages

Answer 34

Run down office 48 % Vs the 65% of original

Teacher in ro