Social Psychology Flashcards
Define conformity
the adjustment of individual behaviours, attitudes and beliefs to a group standard
What factors affect conformity
Group size (greater in bigger groups sizes)
Presence of a dissenter (reduces conformity)
Culture (greater in collectivistic cultures)
What did Asch’s case study in 1956 involve and describe
Conformity
Participants were given a very simple ‘vision test’ comparing lengths of lines and the subject was put in a room with many experimenters who all chose the wrong answer.
The majority of subjects conformed with the group consensus
In the control group (the subject undertook the vision test alone), less than 1% conformed
Define obedience
the compliance with commands given by an authority figure
What factors influence obedience
Remoteness of the victim
Closeness and legitimacy of the authority figure
Diffusion of responsibility: obedience increases when someone else administers the shocks
Not personal characteristics
What did Milgram’s study in 1974 demonstrate and involve
Obedience
The participants of the study were asked to give electric shocks of increasing intensity as the actor got more and more questions wrong
Even when the shock level reached lethal levels and the actor seemed unconscious or dead, the majority of participants still obeyed the command to deliver a shock
Define social loafing
the tendency for people to expend less individual effort when working in a group than when working alone
When is social loafing more likely to occur
The person believes that individual performance is not being monitored
The task (goal) or the group has less value or meaning to the person
The person generally displays low motivation to strive for success
The person expects that other group members will display high effort
In which gender group does social loafing occur more in
All-male groups
When may social loafing disappear
Individual performance is monitored
Members highly value their group or the task goal
Groups are smaller
Members are of similar competence
What is individualism
prioritisation or emphasis of the individual over the entire group
What is group polarisation
tendency for people to make decisions that are more extreme when they are in a group as opposed to a decision made alone or independently
What is group think
the tendency of group members to suspend critical thinking because they are striving to seek agreement
When is groupthink more likely to occur
When the group: Is under high stress to reach a decision Is insulated from outside input Has a directive leader Has high cohesiveness
What is bystander apathy and what experiment was used to demonstrate it
The more people that are present, the less likely they are to help
Darley and Latane
Outline the 5-step bystander decision process
1) Notice the event
2) Decide if the event is really an emergency (social comparison)
3) Assuming responsibility to intervene
Diffusion of Responsibility: believing that someone else will help
4) Self-efficacy in dealing with the situation
5) Decision to help (based on cost-benefit analysis e.g. danger)
What is social comparison
look to see how others are responding
How may one reduce restraints on helping (bystander effect)
Reduce ambiguity and increase responsibility
Enhance concern for self image
How may one socialise altruism
Teaching moral inclusion
Modelling helping behaviour
Attributing helpful behaviour to altruistic motives
Education about barriers to helping
What did Darlye and Latane’s study in 1968 demonstrate and involve
Bystander effect
One student in the adjacent room had a ‘seizure’
When the participants were by themselves, the majority of subjects helped
But when the subjects were in a group of 4, only around 30% helped
When in groups of more than 4, almost no one helped
What are the types of leadership style
Autocratic or authoritarian style
Participative or democratic style
Laissez-faire or free rein style§
What is authoritarian style leadership
All decision-making powers are centralized in the leader
They do not entertain any suggestions or initiatives from subordinates.
What is the democratic style leadership
Leaders make decisions after consulting a group
What is the free-rein style leadership
a leader allows maximum freedom to subordinates
What is cognitive dissonance
Conflict/unease created by two opposing opinions.
What are the ways in which dissonance can be resolved
Change behaviour
Acquire new information
Reduce the importance of cognition
