Topic 1: Social Flashcards
Give the key question for social psychology.
Key question
What makes people commit acts of terrorism against fellow human beings?
Explain what is meant by “terrorism”.
Key question
the use or threat of action to influence a government or intimidate the public for a political or religious cause.
Why is this an important key question for today’s society?
Key question
On a social level, terrorism affects our public safety.
On an individual level, terrorism affects our quality and enjoyment of life.
What is meant by the term obedience?
Obedience
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.
What was the aim of Milgram’s original study.
Milgram
Where was Milgram’s experiment carried out?
Yale University
What were ppt told the study was about?
Milgram
To see the effect of punishment on learning.
What did the experimenter do to encourage the ppts to carry on in Milgram’s studies?
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”
how does agency theory explain milgram’s findings?
- 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.
what is meant by ‘agency theory’
people will obey authority when they believe that authority will take responsibility for their actions
What is the Autonomous State?
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.
What is the Agentic State?
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.
What is Moral Strain?
Negative feelings we experience when pressured to do something that goes against our values and moral compass. Conflict between autonomous and agentic state.
Who proposed the Social Impact Theory?
Bibb Latané
what is meant by ‘social impact theory’?
define ‘source’
define ‘target’
what is social impact determined by?
strength
immediacy
numbers
define ‘strength’
define ‘immediacy’
define ‘number’
what is the multiplicative effect?
what is the divisional effect?
what is the law of diminishing returns?
What is an Internal Locus of Control?
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.
What is an External Locus of Control?
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.
define ‘prejudice’
Define discrimination.
Which locus of control is likely to be more affected by authority figures?
external
Who proposed Social Identity Theory?
Taijfel and Turner (1979)
What does Social Identity theory propose about prejudice?
The mere existence of 2 groups can cause conflict.
What are the 3 processes in Social Identity Theory?
Social categorisation
Social Identification
Social Comparison
What is Social Categorisation?
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.
What is Social Identification?
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.
What is Social Comparison?
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.
What is In-group favouristism?
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)
What is out-group bias?
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.
What did Realistic Conflict Theory propose about prejudice?
That prejudice arises from conflict between groups.
What did RCT says created conflict?
Competition for the same scarce/ valued resources.
What did Sherif believe could reduce inter-group hostility?
Superordinate goals
