Social Influence Researchers

Question 1

Lucas et al (explanations of conformity) + for (variables affecting conformity)

Answer 1

+ supporting evidence for ISI:
math problems- students conform to majority when questions difficult or if rate math ability as poor- desire to be right

Question 2

Asch (explanations of conformity)

Answer 2

+ supporting evidence for NSI:
line judgement task- on 12 critical trials 37% conform to wrong answers even when correct answer was obvious- avoid rejection

Question 3

Shute (explanations of conformity)

Answer 3

• dual process model fails to account of individual differences and locus of control: Shute- ELOC more likely to conform

Question 4

Deutsch and Gerard- (explanations of conformity)

Answer 4

• alternative reasons of why ppl conform other than NSI and ISI: Deutsch and Gerard- x7 more conformity when group members belong to ppts in group than out group- incomplete explanation

Question 5

Neto (variables affecting conformity)

Answer 5

women more concerned about social relationships and being accepted than men. - Asch’s findings ungeneralisable

Question 6

Smith and Bond (variables affecting conformity)

Answer 6

collectivist cultures have higher levels of conformity- Asch’s findings ungeneralisable

Question 7

Perrin and Spencer (variables affecting conformity)

Answer 7

repeated Asch’s study several decades later and found much lower rates of conformity compared to Asch’s original study (conformity was found on only one trial out of a total of 396 trials).

Question 8

Zimbardo

Answer 8

Stanford prison exp
Aim: to investigate extent to which ppl conform to role of guard or prisoner in role playing simulation of real life

Question 9

Cohn (Zimbardo’s prison exp)

Answer 9

Females have more empathy so would’ve showed less conformity as can relate more to the victim

Question 10

Zimbardo (his prison exp)

Answer 10

Exaggerated influence of situation - only 1/3 of guards behaved in a brutal manner / remainder tried to help : situational pressure to conform is moderated by personality factors

Question 11

Milgram

Answer 11

Study into obedience
Aim: whether ordinary ppl (not just German soldiers in WWII) would obey an authority figure even when the figure was unjust + they were required to injure another person

Question 12

Orne and Holland (Milgrams study)

Answer 12

Argued ppts were ‘going along with the act’ when administering electric shocks - demand characteristics

Question 13

Milgram and agentic state

Answer 13

Interviewed ppts during debrief stage + asked why obeyed experiment - related that tent knew it was wrong but felt exp was responsible for their actions

Question 14

Milgram and legitimacy of authority

Answer 14

He conducted several variations of his study - replaced authority figure w/ member of public - obedience decreased - more likely to obey who we consider legitimate

Question 15

Dambrun and Vatine (psych explanations of obedience)

Answer 15

Pots who have most electric shocks in torture simulation hold experimenter and victim responsible rather than themselves - agentic shift

Question 16

Milgram and proximity

Answer 16

When experimenter in the room as ppt 65% obedience- when experimenter give instructions via telephone 20.5%

Question 17

Milgram and location

Answer 17

Milgram conducted variation of his exp in Rundown office block -48% obeyed to 450v compared with 65% in prestigious university (Yale)

Question 18

Bickman’s field experiment + uniform

Answer 18

In New York: asked passers by to complete tasks such as picking up rubbish or lending money to a stranger for a parking meter. When experimenter dressed as security guard-92% obeyed request to lend money. When experimenter wore normal clothes-58% obeyed

Question 19

Hoffling (situational variables into obedience)

Answer 19

Over 95% of nurses obeyed to administering unreasonable (double maximum) dosage of unknown drug despite instructions being delivered over the phone - LOA overrides proximity

Question 20

Bushman (situational variables)

Answer 20

Carried out similar experiments to Bickman- female confed who told ppl to give change to stranger for parking meter- police style uniform- obedience higher than casual clothing or business attire + shows appropriateness of setting due to police attire more obedience

Question 21

Adorno

Answer 21

Argued that authoritarian personality is a collection of traits developed as a result of strict upbringing which may have included physical punishment
- found ppl with higher scores on F- scale more conscious of own and others status and showed excessive respect for those in positions of authority

Question 22

Elms and Milgram (dispositional explanations of obedience)

Answer 22

Follow up interviews on ppts of Milgrams shock exp - F scales measure if they have AP- more obedient had higher scores

Question 23

Rotter:

Answer 23

Proposed that individuals with ILOC would be better at resisting social pressures (conform/obey)
- act independently
- feel in control of situations
- feel they have a choice to obey or not
- less concerned with social approval - will not conform to win approval

Question 24

Blass (resisting conformity)

Answer 24

Found Ppl with ILOC more likely to resist obeying than those with ELOC

Question 25

Oliver and Oliner (resisting social influence)

Answer 25

Found rescuers of Jews from the Nazis during the Holocaust had ILOC compared to non rescuers

Question 26

Avtgis (resistance to social influence)

Answer 26

Meta analysis on conformity studies like Asch - those who scored higher on ELOC more easily persuaded so more likely to conform - plausible that those w/ ILOC r less likely to look to others when deciding how to beh - allow them to resist pressures to conform/obey

Question 27

Asch (resistance to social influence)

Answer 27

Conformity dropped to 5.5% from 35% when one ally confederate gave an answer different to other confederates and resisted majority- minority felt more confident in decisions and rejecting majority

Question 28

Milgram (resisting social influence)

Answer 28

1/3 ppts genuine. 2 disobedient confess who refused to continue shocking the learner and withdrew - encourage disobedience in genuine ppt- only 10% continued to 450v

Question 29

Moscovici et al (minority influence)

Answer 29

Group of 6 females - two confeds - 36 blue coloured slides projected onto a wall - ppts asked to judge the colour of each slide.
3 conditions: consistently incorrect - 8.4% conformity, inconsistently. 1.25% and control

Question 30

Wood et al (minority influence)

Answer 30

Meta analysis of 100 studies similar to Moscovici’s - found minorities who were consistent were most influential

Question 31

Nemeth (minority influence) + (process of social change)

Answer 31

Created groups: (3 ppts and 1 confed ) where confed had to decide how much compensation to pay victim of ski lift accident- when consistent confed argued for low amount and refused to change his position - no effect on majority. When compromised a little and suggest higher amount- minority changed their opinion to lower amount

Question 32

Neto (minority influence)

Answer 32

Moscovici used only female ppt - women more concerned abt social rs and being accepted so r more conformist - findings cannot be generalised to males and not applicable to wider population