Unit 4 Topic 1 - Social psychology

Question 1

Differentiate between primary and secondary socialisation (4.1.1.1)

Answer 1

Primary Socialisation: socialised in home through the primary caregivers (parents)

Secondary Socialisation: socialised outside of home within society at large (school)

Question 2

Define socialisation (4.1.1.1)

Answer 2

The process of children and adults learning from others

Question 3

Define gender (4.1.1.2)

Answer 3

A construction by societal and cultural perceptions (personality, social behaviour, physical appearance)

Question 4

Explain the social learning theory of gender role formation (4.1.1.2)

Answer 4

People learn how to behave by observing how others behave and then choosing to behave in the same way (recall BOBO)
No natural differences between the sexes
Gender is purely a construction of socialisation
Learn from parents (i.e. learn how ‘men’ behave from a father)
People are most influenced by those who are the same sex, or attractive, successful, or higher social status

Question 5

Explain the cognitive development theory of gender role formation (4.1.1.2)

Answer 5

Kohlberg’s Theory: outlined 3 stages of gender formation
1. Gender Identity – an individual learns what gender they are (2-3 years)
2. Gender Stability – learns the constancy of their gender (3-4)
3. Gender Consistency – recognises that superficial changes in appearance don’t change gender (5 years)

Question 6

Explain biology-based theories of gender role formation (4.1.1.2)

Answer 6

Evolutionary Psychology: Solves problems by hunter-gatherer ancestors. Different sexes have different strategies to survive Aspects of behaviour coded by genes

Psychosexual Differentiation: Testosterone affects the brain to develop masculine traits. Humans are born with a desire to identify as either male or females which is affected by testosterone. Prenatal hormones are the main factor in gender formation

Biosocial Theory: Social labelling and different treatment of boys/girls interact to steer development Nature and nurture both play a role in gender development

Question 7

Compare social learning, cognitive developmental and biology-based theories of gender role formation (4.1.1.2)

Answer 7

Social Learning: gender is purely a construction of socialisation

Cognitive: child learns their gender, superficial changes in appearance don’t change gender

Biology: evolution, testosterone

Question 8

Describe group social influence (4.1.1.3)

Answer 8

Suggests that an individual is more likely to modify their behaviour, attitude or beliefs based on the people that an individual associates with

Question 9

Differentiate between compliance, identification and internalisation (4.1.1.3)

Answer 9

Compliance: a change in an individual’s behaviour/attitude publicly, but it only happens when others are around (secretly don’t want to do it)

Identification: a change in an individual’s behaviour/attitude due to the influence of someone that the individual identifies with and the individual connects with the change

Internalisation: a change in an individual’s behaviour/attitude because they have adopted a new way of thinking and the new behaviour/attitude aligns with their new belief system (they want to do it)

Question 10

Define status and power (4.1.1.4)

Answer 10

Status: the position of an individual within a group

Power: a person has power if they can influence the thoughts or behaviour of others

Question 11

Distinguish between reward and coercive power using examples (4.1.1.4)

Answer 11

Reward Power: ability to provide a desired response (teacher allowing early dismissal)

Coercive Power: ability to provide an unpleasant response (teacher delaying dismissal)

Question 12

Distinguish between expert and referent power using examples (4.1.1.4)

Answer 12

Expert Power: power is due to skills and depth of knowledge (doctor)

Referent Power: power from another’s desire to relate to the person (sports star)

Question 13

Distinguish between information and legitimate power using examples (4.1.1.4)

Answer 13

Information Power: having knowledge that others desire (librarian knows the file system)

Legitimate Power: power is given by higher authority due to their role or position (police)

Question 14

Recall the basic leadership styles (4.1.1.4)

Answer 14

Democratic, authoritarian and laissez-faire

Question 15

Summarise Haney, Banks & Zimbardo, 1973 (4.1.1.4)

Answer 15

AIM: to determine how individuals adapt to different roles of status and power within society

METHOD: - 24 males were paid to participate (similar age, race) - all mentally and physically healthy - they were all considered equal - half were randomly assigned ‘prison guard’ and others ‘prisoner’ RESULTS: - the punishments created by guards became creative and more severe - prisoners initially resisted poor treatment until punishments became harsh - 1/3 guards become violent and cruel towards the prisoners

SUMMARY: - an authority position can alter a person’s behaviour - behaviour is affected by the situation - people readily conform to the societal roles they are expected to play

Question 16

Explain behaviour changes through obedience, conformity and social norms (4.1.1.5)

Answer 16

Obedience: the behaviour exhibited by an individual or a group that is in accordance with the order or rules given by a figure of authority

Conformity: when an individual’s behaviour, beliefs or actions align with the behaviour, beliefs and actions of the group they belong to

Social Norms: collective representations of acceptable conduct as well as individual perceptions of group conduct

Question 17

Summarise Robert Cialdini et al, 2006 (4.1.1.5)

Answer 17

AIM: are norms likely to influence behaviour directly when they are given attention and are therefore noticeable in consciousness METHOD: four independent variables: 1. injunctive neg: don’t remove wood 2. injunctive pos: leave the wood 3. descriptive neg: past visitors have removed wood, ruining park 4. descriptive pos: past visitors have left wood benefiting the park

RESULTS: showed that messages that used descriptive normative information was most likely to increase theft, whereas messages that used injunctive normative information was most likely to reduce theft

SUMMARY: - supports focus theory - the type of normative information presented can dramatically alter how people respond to messaging

Question 18

Identify 3 factors affecting conformity (4.1.1.5)

Answer 18

1. normative influence
2. culture
3. social loafing
4. informational influence
5. group size
6. unanimity
7. deindividualisation

Question 19

Summarise

Stanley Milgram, 1963

(4.1.1.6)

Answer 19

AIM:
Investigate what level of obedience would be shown when participants were told by an authority figure to administer electric shocks to another person

METHOD:

created fake ‘shock generator’
if learner got answer wrong, they were told to shock learner
increase shock level for each wrong answer
RESULTS:

participants were nervous and tense
40 participants obeyed up to 300v
65% participants shocked to 450v
SUMMARY:

situational factors are strong influencers on human behaviour
humans often make incorrect dispositional attributions about behaviour

Question 20

Summarise

Solomon Asch, 1951

(4.1.1.6)

Answer 20

AIM:

investigate the extent to which social pressure from a majority group causes a person to conform

METHOD:

in room with fake participants which gave the wrong answers
given one line that matched to another line between two other lines
the answer was always obvious
RESULTS:

32% conformed to the clearly incorrect answers when the fake participants gave the wrong answers
the control group gave the correct answers 99% of the time
SUMMARY:

people will conform to fit with the group (normative social influence) because they think the group is better informed
ethical issues and validity issues apparent