SOCIAL INFLUENCE QUESTIONS Flashcards
Outline the SPE study
a mock prison was set up in the basement of the psychology department. The prisoners were unexpectedly arrested at home and on entry to the ‘prison’ they were put through a delousing procedure.
State three factors which affect obedience and how they affect obedience
Proximity - this being the distance between the person giving the orders and the person taking it
Location - whether or not its in a professional setting or a place in which professionalism and power is present
The power of the uniform - which therefore shows authority as the uniform of a police officer vs a normal outfit shows a difference in power , control and the rate of obedience.
State three factors which affects conformity according to Asch
Group size , The unanimity of the majority and The difficulty of the task
Name three types of social influence
conformity , compliance and obedience
Explain three types of conformity
Compliance , Identification , Internalisation
What is conformity?
is a form of social influence that results from exposure to the majority position and leads to compliance with that position. It is the tendency for people to adopt the behaviour, attitudes and values of other members of a reference group
What is informational social influence?
is a form of influence, which is the result of a desire to be right - looking to others as a way of gaining evidence about reality.
Name one research which provides support for normative social influence
Linkenbach and Perkins (2003) / Schultz (2008)
Outline one research which supports informational social influence
Wittenbrink and Henley (1996)
What is McCarthyism?
This is the fear of being seen as a communist
Outline one study which supports the notion that Asch’s research is a ‘child of its time’
Perrin and spencer
What is one issue with Asch’s sample?
One issue is that it was androcentric
Who carried out the SPE?
Zimbardo
Outline the SPE study
a mock prison was set up in the basement of the psychology department. The prisoners were unexpectedly arrested at home and on entry to the ‘prison’ they were put through a delousing procedure.
What conclusion did the research make from the SPE?
participants who were randomly assigned to roles of prisoner or guard gradually assumed those new identities in a simulated prison setting, despite their awareness of its experimental nature.
Was the SPE ethical? Justify
the Stanford prison experiment has received a few ethical criticisms. This firstly refers to the mental effect this situation has caused people to go through.
Outline Banuazizi and Movahedi study
argued that the behaviour of participants in the SPE was more a consequence of demand characteristics than conformity to roles.
How can we apply findings from SPE to Abu Ghraib?
Zimbardo argues that the conformity to social role effect can also be used to explain events in Abu Ghraib.
Outline one study into situational factors affecting obedience
Milgram (1973)
What do Allen and Levine say about social support?
the researchers suggest that a correct first answer, in confirming the participants own judgment, produces an initial commitment to the correct response that endures even though other group members disagree.
Outline the historical event where we see the use of social support to resist obedience.
The Rosenstrasse protest
Which 3 behavioural styles must the minority adopt to convince the majority?
They are consistency, flexibility and commitment
What is the boomerang effect?
this is where you tell someone to do something one way but do the complete opposite
What is the boomerang effect?
the boomerang effect refers to the unintended consequences of an attempt to persuade resulting in the adoption of an opposing position instead.
