Social Influence Studies Flashcards
Support for ISI-Lucas-Method
He asked students to give answers to mathematical problems that were easy or more difficult
Support for ISI-Lucas-Results
There was greater conformity to conform to incorrect answers when they were difficult rather when they were easy questions. Shows why people conform in situations where they do not know the answer
Conformity-Asch-Method
He showed participants two large white cards at a time. One card was a standard line and on the other card there were 3 comparison lines. One of the 3 lines were the same length as the standard line, and the other two were clearly wrong. The participant was asked which line matched the standard line. 123 Male American Undergraduate students took part, and they were tested in a group with 6 to 8 confederate. On the first few trails, the confederates gave the right answer, but then they started to make errors.
Conformity-Asch-Results
36.8% of participants gave a wrong answer. 25% did not conform, 75% conformed at least once
Conformity-Asch-Evaluation
- Dated
- Artificial task
- Limited Application
- Ethical Issues
Conformity to Social Roles-Zimbardo-Method
He set up a mock prison in the basement of Stanford’s psychology department. He advertised for students to take part and chose those who were emotionally stable. They were randomly assigned the roles of guards and prisoners. The prisoners were arrested in their homes,blindfolded,strip searched, deloused and then given a uniform and number. The guards had their own uniform and were told that they had complete power over the prisoners, even deciding when they could use to toilet.
Conformity to Social Roles-Zimbardo-Results
After a slow start, the guards took to their role. The behaviour became a risk to the prisoners health, so the experiment was stopped after 6 days, not adter 14. Within 2 days, the prisoners rebelled against their treatment, they ripped their uniform and shouted and swore at the guards. The guards employed a divide and conquer tactic, sometimes by playing prisoners against each other. They constantly harassed the prisoners, and reminded them that they were always being monitored. The guards punished even the smallest misdemeanour. After the rebellion was put down, the prisoners became subdued. One was released on day 1 as he showed signs of disturbance. 2 more were released on day 4. One prisioner went on a hunger strike. The guards attempted to force feed him, and then punished him by putting in the “hole”, a small dark closet. He was then shunned by the other prisoners. The guards become more and more aggressive as they identified with their roles, with some enjoying the power they had
Conformity to Social Roles-Zimbardo-Evaluation
+Control over some variables
- Lack of Realism
- Role of Dispositional influences
- Ethical Issues
Obedience-Milgram-Method
40 Male participants were recruited through newspaper adverts. They were told that they were taking part in a memory study. They were 20-50 and they had a variety of jobs. They were paid $4.50 when they arrived at the lab. There was a rigged draw for the role of teacher and learner. They were always the teacher, and Mr Wallace (a confederate) was always the learner. The learner was strapped into a chair in another room and wired with electrodes. The teacher was required to give electric shocks to the learner when they got the question wrong. Before the experiment, the shocks were demonstrated to the teacher, and Mr Wallace told the experimenter (a man in a white coat) that he had a heart condition. Thereafter, the shocks were fake. The shocks started at 15V, and rose by 15v To 450V. At 300V, the learner pounded on the wall and gave no response. After the 315V shock, he again pounded on the wall, but it was silent after that. When the teacher turned to the experimenter for advice, he told him to take no response as a wrong answer. If the teacher was unsure, the experimenter would reply with either
- Please continue
- The experiment requires you to continue
- It is absolutely essential that you continue
- You have no other choice, you must go on
Obedience-Milgram-Results
No one stopped before 300V. 5 stopped at 300V. 65% continued to 450V. Participants showed extreme anxiety, stress and 3 had a full blown uncontrollable seizure
Obedience-Milgram-Evaluation
+Low Internal Validity
+Good External Validity
+Supporting Replication-The Game of Death
-Ethical Issues
Obedience-Milgrams Variations-Results
65%-Original Study
47.5%-Change of location to a run down office
40%-Teacher and Learner in same room
30%-Teacher forces learners hand on to plate
20.5%-Experimenter gave orders by phone
20%-Experimenter was played by a member of public
Obedience-Milgrams Variations-Evaluation
+Supporting Researcher
-Lacks Internal Validity
+/-Cross Cultural Applications
Research to Support Milgram-Bickman-Method
He had three confederates dress up in 3 different outfits. Jacket and tie, A milkman and a security guard. They stood in the street and asked passers by to perform tasks such as picking up litter
Research to Support Milgram-Bickman-Results
People were twice as likely to obey the security guard than the one dressed in the jacket and tie
