SOCIAL INFLUENCE EVALUATION Flashcards
strength of jenness’ study
pps conformed to group answer when in ambiguous situation
this supports idea that ppl conform when answer isnt clear due to ISI
strength of aschs’ study
lab setting
weakness of asch
some people are more concerned with being liked than others
suggests individual differences affect conformity
therefore, 1 general theory doesnt explain
strength of zimbardos’
mcdermott ( 2019 )
argues pps behaved as if the prison was real
behaviours were similar as behaviours recorded irl
suggests findings did replicate social roles
INTERNAL VALIDITY
strength 2 of zimbardo
positive impact on society
experiment has altered how prisons are run
juveniles no longer housed with adults when awaiting trial
weakness of zimbardos’
low ecological validity
argued pps were play acting based on stereotypes
one guard followed movie
suggests findings tells us little about social roles irl
strength 2 of milgram
temporal validity
french documentary 2019
80% went to highest voltage
supports original findings show results can be replicated
weakness of milgrams
ethical issue
pps decieved of shocks
pps were distressed
strength 3 of milgram
BICKMANS UNIFORM
shows people are more likely to obey authority figure.
supports situational factors have influence
weakness 2 milgram
reduced internal validity
pps may have figured pps werent being shocked, especially with variations due to pps maybe changing their behaviour?
strength of dispositional explanations of obedience
research supports
milgram and elms 1966
interviewed and all obedient people scored high on F Scale
evidence theres a link between personality and obedience
weakness of dispositional explanations
explanations are reductionist
pre war germany, people were racist despite the fact they different in personality types
alternative explanations more likely to explain
weakness 2 of dispositional explanations
adorno found correlations between authoraranism and obediance
doesnt prove one causes other
cant state harsh parenting causes auth personality ( cause and effect )
strength social psychological obediance
a filming of milgrams study was shown to students
they were asked to blame
most blamed experimenter, who was then seen as legitimate of authority figure
supports explanation of obediance
strength 2 social psychological
explanations can explain obedience in real life war crimes: holocaust
they can be understood through hierarchy and delegating
we can apply real world applications
weakness of social psychological
german reserve police shot civillians, even after being ordered to assign to other duties
not all behaviours explained by agentic states
strength of resisting social influence
holland repeated milgrams study and measured locus of control
37% internal resist
23% external went to 450V
resistance and loc have a relationship
increases validity
weakness of resisting social influence
twenge 2004
analysed LOC over 40 years
people have become more resistant to obedience but also more external
contradicts idea externals are obedient
strength of minority influence
Miscovici’s blue green slide
found consistent minority persuades majority
supports idea that consistent view is a requirement
strength 2 of minority influence
one variation of miscovici was pps writing answers down
more agreement w minority
supports idea that minority causes deeper processing in private
weakness of minority influence
lacks external validity
many studies in minority influence uses artificial tasks
suggests limited explanations
strength of social change
helps society
change can influence things eg: recycling
beneficial
strength 2 of social change
nolan conducted study hanging messages on californian doors
c1- “ most residents reducing energy”
c2- “pls reduce energy”
c1 reduced energy more, showing conformity can lead to social change due to NSI
weakness of social change
some people resist social change
a study found pps were less likely to behave greener because they did not want to be part of minority
therefore, minority may be ineffective if perception is negative
