social influence

Question 1

Norm formation
Sherif’s studies using autokinesis – how do they illustrate the development of group norms?

Answer 1

(convergence of judgements about movement to group mean, norms internalized)

i. When confronted with an unstructured and ambiguous stimulus,
1. people nevertheless develop a stable internal frame of reference to judge the stimulus
2. however when confronted judgements with others, personal judgements is abandoned and converged to fit the others (group judgements)

Question 2

Conformity
what is Conformity

Answer 2

acting according to (real or imagined) group pressure

Question 3

Conformity
Asch’s studies (visual discrimination task)

Answer 3

a) 36.8% gives incorrect responses
b) In one of Asch’s conformity experiments, naïve subject experienced uneasiness and conflict after hearing five people before him give a wrong answer
c) Asch (1955) ‘That reasonably intelligent and well-meaning young people are willing to call white black is a matter of concern. It raises questions about our ways of education and about the values that guide our conduct.’

Question 4

Conformity
Which factors influence conformity?

Answer 4

size of the majority (larger size, mor conformility)
unanimity:
no support more conformity
genuine support can brake animity since social influence concerns attitudes and opinions
true support can leads to largest decrease in conformity

Question 5

Review obedience to authority
Milgram’s studies on obedience
Which factors/parameters that were varied in the studies influence obedience?

Answer 5

(e.g., distance to learner)

Question 6

conformity
why do people conform

Answer 6

dependency perspective and normative and informational social influence

dependency perspective
group members are cognitively and socially dependent on each other, because opinion helps them to calidate their opinions (social reality) to move the group towards its goals (group locomotion)

normative influence: the desire to be liked
informational influence: the desire to be right
making the group salient increase desire to be part of group and thus increase conformity
factors increase the credibility of the majority as a valid source of reality and lead to more conformity