Topic 1: Social

Question 1

Give the key question for social psychology.

Key question

Answer 1

What makes people commit acts of terrorism against fellow human beings?

Question 2

Explain what is meant by “terrorism”.

Key question

Answer 2

the use or threat of action to influence a government or intimidate the public for a political or religious cause.

Question 3

Why is this an important key question for today’s society?

Key question

Answer 3

On a social level, terrorism affects our public safety.
On an individual level, terrorism affects our quality and enjoyment of life.

Question 4

What is meant by the term obedience?

Obedience

Answer 4

Following direct orders from someone in authority. For example, obedience is a form of social influence/ people who are obedient may be in the agentic state.

Question 5

What was the aim of Milgram’s original study.

Milgram

Question 6

Where was Milgram’s experiment carried out?

Answer 6

Yale University

Question 7

What were ppt told the study was about?

Milgram

Answer 7

To see the effect of punishment on learning.

Question 8

What did the experimenter do to encourage the ppts to carry on in Milgram’s studies?

Answer 8

They had 4 promts:
“Please continue”
“The experiment requires that you continue”
“It is absolutely essential that you continue”
“You have no other choice, you must go on”

Question 9

how does agency theory explain milgram’s findings?

Answer 9

• Ppts went through the agentic shift as they were following orders given by an authority figure.
• They were also put under moral strain due to administering the shocks which is what caused the nervous laughter out of stress.
• They also differed the responsibility to the experimenter as a defense mechanism to rationalise what they were doing.

Question 9

what is meant by ‘agency theory’

Answer 9

people will obey authority when they believe that authority will take responsibility for their actions

Question 10

What is the Autonomous State?

Answer 10

When we act as individuals and of our own free will. We make our own decisions and we follow our conscience .
We take responsibility for our actions.

Question 11

What is the Agentic State?

Answer 11

When we give up our free will in order to follow the orders of an authority figure.
We become an ‘agent’ of the authority figure and defer responsibility onto them.

Question 12

What is Moral Strain?

Answer 12

Negative feelings we experience when pressured to do something that goes against our values and moral compass. Conflict between autonomous and agentic state.

Question 13

Who proposed the Social Impact Theory?

Answer 13

Bibb Latané

Question 14

what is meant by ‘social impact theory’?

Question 15

define ‘source’

Question 16

define ‘target’

Question 17

what is social impact determined by?

Answer 17

strength
immediacy
numbers

Question 18

define ‘strength’

Question 19

define ‘immediacy’

Question 20

define ‘number’

Question 21

what is the multiplicative effect?

Question 22

what is the divisional effect?

Question 23

what is the law of diminishing returns?

Question 24

What is an Internal Locus of Control?

Answer 24

The belief that you are in control of what you do and what happens to you.

Take greater responsibility for their actions.

Less likely to be obedient as they believe they can control their own actions.

Question 25

What is an External Locus of Control?

Answer 25

The belief that what happens to you is determined more by the situation and people around them, circumstances they believe are out of their control.

Take less responsibility for their actions.

More likely to be obedient as they believe behaviour is out of their control.

Question 26

define ‘prejudice’

Question 27

Define discrimination.

Question 28

Which locus of control is likely to be more affected by authority figures?

Answer 28

external

Question 29

Who proposed Social Identity Theory?

Answer 29

Taijfel and Turner (1979)

Question 30

What does Social Identity theory propose about prejudice?

Answer 30

The mere existence of 2 groups can cause conflict.

Question 31

What are the 3 processes in Social Identity Theory?

Answer 31

Social categorisation
Social Identification
Social Comparison

Question 32

What is Social Categorisation?

Answer 32

The process of separating individuals into one of two groups: in-group or out-group.
SIT says this is a basic characteristic of human thought.
Does not need competition.

Question 33

What is Social Identification?

Answer 33

It is the process of showing your identification with the group.
They might take on the beliefs, norms and attitudes of the in-group along with the way they dress or talk.

Question 34

What is Social Comparison?

Answer 34

The individual’s identity becomes linked to the identity of the in-group. People start to see their in-group as better than the out-group.

Question 35

What is In-group favouristism?

Answer 35

Showing preferential treatment to members of the in-group. Seeing in-group members as superior to out-group members.

Achievements are attributed to internal factors (eg because they are more intelligent)

Failures are attributed to external factors (eg situational factors)

Question 36

What is out-group bias?

Answer 36

Discrimination towards members of the out-group. May react with fear, hostility, suspicion or contempt.

Achievements are attributed to external factors.
Failures are attributed to internal factors.

Question 37

What did Realistic Conflict Theory propose about prejudice?

Answer 37

That prejudice arises from conflict between groups.

Question 38

What did RCT says created conflict?

Answer 38

Competition for the same scarce/ valued resources.

Question 39

What did Sherif believe could reduce inter-group hostility?

Answer 39

Superordinate goals