social influence

Question 1

Define social influence

Answer 1

The process whereby attitudes and behaviour are influenced by the real or implied presence of other people

Question 2

What is compliance

Answer 2

A surface change in behaviour where cognitions don’t change, attempts to persuade an individual to accept a request to respond in a desired way

Question 3

What is reciprocity

Answer 3

Giving benefits back to those who give benefits

Question 4

Describe the foot in door technique

Answer 4

Asking a smaller request that everyone would agree to, followed by the target large request

Question 5

Describe the door in face technique

Answer 5

Larger request that most people will reject, followed by a smaller request

Question 6

Give two reasons the door in face technique works

Answer 6

Reciprocal concessions (participant understands that a concession has been made) and social responsibility and guilt (accepting second request alleviates negative emotions arising from declining first)

Question 7

Describe low balling technique

Answer 7

Withholding the negative aspect of the request until after the participant agrees. Relies on the fact that people don’t like to change their minds

Question 8

Define obedience

Answer 8

The performance of an action in direct response to an order from a figure of authority

Question 9

Describe the outline of Milgram’s obedience study

Answer 9

Participant ordered by researcher to test a ‘confederate’ who was in a different room. Every time the confederate answered wrong the pp delivered an electric shock.

Question 10

Name three things Milgram proposed were reasons for participants obedience during the Milgram obedience study

Answer 10

Agentic state - pps distanced themselves from the study to feel no sense of responsibility
Dehumanisation of the victim - pps couldn’t see the confederate
slippery slope - because they started low the pps felt ike they had to carry on

Question 11

Name the ethical concerns in the Milgram obedience study x3

Answer 11

harm, deception, insufficient briefing,

Question 12

Name the methodological criticisms of Milgrams obedience study

Answer 12

Researcher improvised and said coercive prompts, only 50% thought confederate was receiving shocks, participant in the room with the researcher so wants to help by finishing study, Milgram misrepresented debrief procedures

Question 13

Define conformity

Answer 13

A deep-seated change in behaviour as cognitions change

Question 14

Describe Sherif’s group norms study

Answer 14

Researcher asked participants to say how far a light moves in inches. Participants give their answer and confederate says 4”. Researcher asks again and participants give answers closer to 4”

Question 15

Describe Asch’s study of conformity

Answer 15

He asked pps what line matched the length of a line on a card. The confederates said the wrong answer on the third trial. 3/4 conformed at one point

Question 16

Does size of majority matter

Answer 16

7 people is the optimal point of majority. After this it plateaus

Question 17

Can an ally reduce conformity

Answer 17

1 supporting partner reduced conformity. This person didn’t have to agree with the participant just give a different answer from the rest.

Question 18

Why do people conform x3

Answer 18

1. ) informational influence - looking to others for help
2. ) Normative social influence - fear of appearing foolish
3. ) Referent informational influence - people derive identity from majority response

Question 19

What are the criticism of Asch’s conformity study

Answer 19

1. ) may show resistance as more pps didn’t conform than did.
2. ) demand characteristics
3. ) If we cared more about the stimuli we may conform less
4. ) The majority would be the minority in real life as they are providing weird answers

Question 20

Describe Moscovic’s study into minority influence

Answer 20

Blue slides were called green by 2 confederates in a group of 6. Confederates either always said the slides were green or inconsistently said they were green. When they were consistent 8% of pps said they were green, when inconsistent 1.25% said green

Question 21

How should minority act to make a majority conform

Answer 21

They need to provide a alternative, clear and confident view point. They should appear unbiased (not paid) and give evidence of personal sacrifice. They should also be flexible so the message can accommodate the needs of others.

Question 22

What is latent influence

Answer 22

Causes a convesion effect where majority consider the view point of minority over time. They align their attitudes and behaviour with minority.