Social Influence Flashcards
Conformity def
A form of social influence that changes a persons thinking as a result of group pressure which may be real or imagined
Normative social influence
Conforming due to a need to be liked
Informational social influence
Conforming to get ana newer correct
Aim of Aschs study in 1955
Investigate the respond to group pressure in a situation where the group is clearly wrong
Method of aschs study
123 American male students were naive participants and were tested in a group of 6-7 confederates. They were asked to state which line is longer, participants were always at the end of the line.
Results of aschs study
12 critical trials naive participants agreed with the wrong answer 36.5% times. Considerable individual differences 25% never confirmed and 75% confirmed at least once
Conclusion of aschs study
People are influence by group pressure even when involved in a task which has a clear cut answer. Results show a high level of independence which shows that people can resist the pressure to conform
Weaknesses of aschs study
Different cultures America is individualistic China is collectivistic hence only applys to individualistic cultures
Artificial task hence lack of external validity
Unnatural setting lack validity
1950s time period was conformistic due to senator McCartyh
Strengths of aschs study
Lab so controls EVS hence study searched what it was meant to
Asch could change the IV so when they performed the task alone there was on,y 1% error rate. 36.8% error rate in group setting
Social factors. In conformity and def are
Conformity due to features of surroundings and others people
Group size, task difficulty and anonymity are social factors
Dispostional factors in social influence
Dispositional factors due to your personalities
Personality and expertise are dispositonal
Locus of control
Sense we each have about what directs our lives . Internals believe they are most responsible and externals believe outside factors are reliable
Milgrams study aim
Investigate whether in certain circumstances a normal person would administer an electric shock to someone led it told so by an authority figure
Method of milgrams study
40 male volunteers who were tricked about the true aim of the study and though the man they were electrocuting was a participant. Each participant experience a small shock so they knew it was true. Every time the actor got an answer wrong they were ordered to go one shock higher. The scientist would only say go on with the test and don’t disrupt it
Results of milgrams study
No participant stopped below 300 volts. 12.5% stopped at 300 when the learner ponder on the wall. 65% went to the full 450 shocks
Observations indicated participants went through extreme tension and even seizures
Conclusions of milgrams
13 factors affected the results were white coat verbal prods money proximity and fear of disruption or going back on their word
Weaknesses of milgrams study
Lacked realism, Gina perry listened to tapes and concluded participants realised it wasn’t real but went along with it anyway. Lacks validity
Ethical issues, people had seizures, deception, lack of consent. Therapy is needed
3 social factors that affected milgrams study (Agency Theory)
Authority- we obey due to fear of punishment and social expectations such as upbringing
Culture - in a collectivistic culture you will care about the other person hence obedience is less
Proximity- proximity to teacher is greater so more obedience but if proximity to learner is more there is less obedience
Weakness of agency theory
Doesn’t explain why there isn’t 100% obedience , in milgrams study 35% of participants didn’t fully obey hence social factors can not fully explain obedience
Provides excuses for people who blindly follow destructive order. Offensive to holocaust survivors, ignored the role of racism and prejudice to the holocuast. Means it is potentially dangerous as it excuses people of guilt.
Strength of the agency theory is
Research supports it, Blatt and Schmitt showed students a film of milgrams study and students blamed the experimenter. They recognise legitimate authority therefore supporting there agency theory.