Week 11 - Dissent Flashcards
Define deviance (x2, plus eg x1)
Deviation from group norms,
Context dependent,
Punching during a boxing match, or any other time
Define dissent (x2)
Disagreement with group norms,
Can be normative (eg critical in academic contexts) or not
Define criticism (x1)
Expressing your disagreement with behaviour of group members
What are 6 forms of unintentional deviance?
Tail of distribution (random variation placing one beyond threshold acceptable)
Norm shifting (not realising norms have changed)
Ignorance (not noticing/understanding norm)
Inability (not having ability to follow norm)
Duress (forced to break norm)
Compulsion (not able to help oneself; feeling compelled to break norm)
What are 5 forms of intentional deviances?
Principled disagreement (refusing to follow norm you deem wrong)
Disdain (feeling above norm)
Spite (wanting to upset mainstream)
Desire for originality (wanting to be at odds)
Self-interest (rewards for breaking norm)
Define ‘black sheep’ (x2)
Ingroup member who reflects badly on group,
Because dislikeable, incompetent, or disloyal.
Define the ‘black sheep effect
Ingroup deviants often rated more harshly than outgroup members who behave same way
What was involved in Marques and Yzerbyt (1988) study of law students and the black sheep effect? (x1)
Finding? (x2)
Exposed to good/poor speech by ingroup/outgroup (philosophy student)
Poor ingroup speeches evaluated worse than poor outgroup
(while good ingroup more favourably)
What was involved in Branscombe et al (1993) study of sport fans and the black sheep effect? (x1)
Finding? (x2)
Examined hi/lo identifiers evaluation of dis/loyalty by own or rival team
Black sheep effect
But only for high identifiers
How does kids behaviour towards ingroup deviants change with age? (x1)
Which is ironic, because… (x1)
Tendency to punish/withdraw support strengthens as they get more socially experienced/cognitively sophisticated
Increased perspective taking = more empathy for victims, but also more awareness of others’ expectations about fitting in/consequences of not
Define disinhibitory contagion (upside of deviance for others) (x2)
One person stepping away from pack can give others the courage to also deviate … sometimes becomes “new normal”.
Also, deviants can liberate from conformity/obedience pressures.
How did Asch line paradigm demonstrate disinhibitory contagion? (x2)
Conformity levels drop from 36% - 10% when one other person “breaks the spell” by calling out a different answer to majority …
Even when that dissenter was also wrong!
How did Milgram’s OtA experiments demonstrate disinhibitory contagion? (x2)
When partnered with two confederates who refused to go “all the way” (principled objection),
Number of people who gave the full shock dropped 65% - 10%.
Why were deviants in Asch/Milgram studies typically rated as likeable, intelligent, dynamic? (x1)
Helpful to other Ps
How did Monin study involving Confederate objection to un-PC task demonstrate the varied effects of being a moral rebel on likability? (x2)
Third parties watching the process from a distance rated rebel positively.
But others in experiment (potentially made to feel foolish for not speaking out) rated rebel negatively.
Define impostors (x2)
People who make public claims for an identity,
But do not fulfill key criteria for group membership
How are impostors distinguishable from black sheep? (x2)
Claims for group membership are open to contest
Masqueraders – gulf between public claims/private behaviour
In social identity terms, impostors… (x2)
In laying claim to an identity to which they don’t belong,
Cross impermeable boundaries (e.g., sex, race, ethnicity, nobility).
What is the traditional use of impostor-ism? (x2)
Way of gaining social advantage …
Particularly commonwhere opportunities often denied people due to social standing.
Who was James Barry (impostor)? (x2)
Known as a brilliant surgeon, did first successful Caesarian
Was actually a woman
Who was Hannah Snell/James Gray (poster) (x4)
Marriage broke down, child died,
Dressed as a man and joined the navy
Even got lashes as punishment, captain noticed strange breast like shapes,
But notion of being a woman was too far fetched to even consider
Who was Princess Caribou (impostor)? (x3)
Arrived in London, spoke an unknown language
Portuguese guy claimed she was from some island, was royalty
Turned out to be a cobblers daughter from English village
What is meant by ‘corner-cutters’ (impostors)? (x2)
Impostors who, in laying claim to an identity, cross permeable boundaries -
Legitimate entry into group is possible, but impostor-ism is easier.
Who was Frank Abnegate Jr (corner-cutter)? (x3)
Catch Me If You Can
Pretended to be surgeon, many things,
Famously a pilot (so that he could fly free between jobs)
Who are ‘trojan horses’ (impostors)? (x1)
Those who pass as member of an outgroup in order to cause damage.
Who was Shi Pei Pu (trojan horse)? (x2)
Asian man posing as woman,
Started relationship with French diplomat to get secrets to sell
Who are ‘closet dwellers’ (impostors)? (x1)
Those who pass as member of outgroup in order to avoid stigma/persecution.
Who are history thieves (impostors)? (x1)
Which is most commonly seen… (x1 plus egs x2)
Those who misrepresent past in order to position themselves in community defined by history.
Around major military conflicts
(e.g., people passing as Vietnam veterans, or Sept 11 survivors).
Who are the targets of most research on impostors? (x2)
Those who FEEL like one
ie high profile women
What are common conclusions of ltd research on genuine impostors into groups? (x3)
Not well liked
High identifiers are most harsh on impostors
Impostors are judged not so much for behaviour - rather gulf between actions and claims for behaviour
What was involved in Hornsey/Jetten (2003) study of vegetarians and impostors? (x2)
Finding? (x2)
Exposed Ps to portrait of someone who made public/private claims to be vegetarian.
Assessed how evaluations changed when Ps found out that person ate meat “when they got a craving”.
Non-Vegas didn’t change from low dislikability
Vegos did, but way more among high identifiers than low
What was involved in Warner (2007) study of gay/straight claims/impostors? (x1)
Finding? (x1)
With what posited explanation? (x1)
Compared gay/straight with claimed gay/straight
Damage to group considered highest by straight men pretending to be gay
Distinctiveness threat
Define ‘subjective impostors’ (x4)
People who may attract accusations of impostorism,
But don’t conform to strict definition
Accusations not objectively verifiable,
But represent a value judgement, suspicion, political weapon, hunch.
What ties subjective impostors and peripheral group members? (x3)
Particularly seen when… (x1 plus egs)
Depending on tightness of circle of group membership,
Those on the margins can be respected members of the “broad church”
Or fraudulent impostors who have no legitimate claim
People straddle two group memberships (e.g., bisexuals; children of mixed descent).
How might traitors be viewed as subjective impostors? (x3)
People who publicly represent as members, but endorse attitudes/behaviours hostile to group’s genuine values/goals.
Superficial claims for group identity might be incontestable,
But deeper values are seen as so anti-group that it justifies word “impostor”, often synonymous with “traitor”.
Who are ‘Claytons’ (subjective impostors)? (x3, plus egs x2)
Superficial group characteristics, but little in common at deeper level
Claim may be hard to dispute, values maybe not seen as hostile to group interests
Suspicion that cultural values align with outgroups
(coconuts, bananas)
Who are ‘parasites’ (subjective impostors)? (x2)
Express attitudes/behaviours one might expect of a group,
But the perceiver suspects they have selfish/individualistic motives
What does evidence suggest as the consequences of being a dissenter? (x2)
Not well liked
Face a lot of pressure to conform.
What was involved in Schachter (1951) study of impact of being a dissenter? (x4)
Finding? (x4)
Confederate told to either:
Agree with group
Disagree at first, then agree (a “slider”)
Disagree the whole time (a “deviate”)
Person who agreed received little attention
Slider received social pressure until conformed
Deviate gained more and more negative attention over time.
With likability sliding downward…
What does Festinger propose as 2 drivers of the preference for group harmony?
Group locomotion (unanimity helps achieve goals) Social reality (reference groups give certainty and sense of what our world is like … dissent shatters this).
What are the negative consequences of crushing dissent in groups? (x3)
Poor decision making
Less creative thinking
Poorer outcomes
What historical events evidence the negative effects of lack of dissent in groups? (x5)
Bay of Pigs - no one spoke up, crushing military defeat
Pearl Harbour - admiral didn’t take loss of contact with Japanese carriers seriously
Escalation of Vietnam War - cabinet members all harmonious, even in disagreement
Challenger disaster - new dangers due to weather change, majority stayed silent, dissent overruled
WMDs - knew they weren’t there…
What is a ‘mind guard’? (x1)
Someone who protects group harmony by limiting available info
What are the antecedents of groupthink? (x5)
Excessive cohesiveness Insulation of group from outside Lack of impartial leadership Ideological homogeneity High stress from external threat
What are the symptoms of groupthink? (x5)
Feelings of invulnerability, Unanimity Belief that group must be right Info contrary to group’s position ignored/discredited Dissidents pressured into conforming
What is the outcome of groupthink? (x1)
Poor decisions
What did Peterson (1998) establish as a key characteristic of successful management teams? (x1)
As evidenced in RL case of… (x2)
Teams encouraged dissent in private meetings.
Collapse of Enron attributed to lack of dissent in face of crazy decision making.
“Organizational silence” … people lower in hierarchy often don’t point out problems to people above them
What are 2 commonly seen, opposing narratives of dissent?
It must be crushed (e.g. Michael Moore)
It’s patriotic - stand up for your beliefs
According to Packer (2008) what is the 2x2 model of identification and normative conflict?
Low identifiers:
- Low normative conflict = indifference
- High (feeling that norms unhealthy/suboptimal) = disengagement
High IDs:
- Low = loyal conformity
- High = collectively oriented dissent
Criticism can be good for groups because… (x2)
But… (x2)
Acts as catalyst for growth/change
Brings unrecognized problems to light
Inherently threatening
*Can promote defensiveness, mistrust, hurt, denial
What are the differences in evaluations of positive/negative evaluations by in/outgroup members? (x2)
If it’s positive, we don’t care who said it
If critical, ingroup member much better thought of than outgroup (who the hell are they?)
As well as less liveability, outgroup critics of ingroup attract… (x2)
Negative response - doesn’t initiate critical thinking
Little agreement with the point
What is the ‘intergroup sensitivity effect’? (x2)
Strong defensiveness in face of outgroup criticisms
And surprisingly high levels of tolerance toward ingroup criticisms
What groups have shown evidence for the ingroup sensitivity effect? (x7)
Australians Maths-science students Uni students Qld-ers Allied health professionals Schools Muslims
What potential moderators have shown no effect on the ingroup sensitivity effect (ie, trying to get group to listen to outsider criticism) (x4)
Credentialing - outsider experience with target group
Social support - saying others agree with you too
Spotlighting - only apply criticism to subset of group
Argument quality - evidence base
What moderator showed mixed results for decreasing the ingroup sensitivity effect? (x1, plus results x3)
Sweetening - with preceding praise
Likeability: helps a lot
Agreement: helps a little
Negativity: doesn’t help at all
Why have strategies for reducing ingroup sensitivity effect failed? (x3)
Missing the basis of defensiveness -
Attributional bias: outsiders attributed relatively destructive motives for their comments,
Insiders attributed relatively constructive motives.
What is the implication for an attributional understanding of negative bias toward outside criticism? (x2)
Not enough to be knowledgeable, experienced, right
Must defuse expectation that they have destructive motive
What 2 strategies have shown evidence for helping overcome intergroup sensitivity effect?
Outgroup member uses inclusive language that locates them as member of shared superordinate ingroup
And/or acknowledges failings of own group at same time as criticising
What should the implications for ingroup critics of establishing groups crews before/while engaging in criticism? (x2)
If committed, should see relative tolerance of views
If not, should see similar resistance as to outgroup critics
How did Horsey (2004) demonstrate the role of ingroup identification of perception of critics? (x1)
Finding? (x3)
Ps exposed to criticism of Australia from strongly/weakly identified, or non- Australian
Agreement mediated by density attachment -
Higher agreement with hi ID critic,
Low and same for low ID/outgroup
How did Hornsey (2007) demonstrate the difference in perceptions of newcomer’oldtimer critics? (x1)
Finding? (x2)
Criticism of allied health professional ostensibly offered by AHP with 3 wks/18 yrs experience, or nurse (outgroup)
High agreement with old-timer
Low/same for newcomer/outgroup
What 2 steps are essential in gaining acceptance of critic/message?
Critic’s motives must be appraised as constructively motivate
And message as well-justified
What was involved in Hornsey (2007) study of agreement/reactions to criticism of social sciences? (x2)
Finding? (x2)
Ps told responses were private,
Or shared with high/low status social science students
Agreement with ingroup critic, highest-lowest: low status audience, private, high status
Outgroup critic: private, low, high
What are the implications of evidence that group members will display lower agreement for criticism that will be shared with higher status group members? (x3)
Leaders will probably over-estimate support for status quo, ingroup critics will probably under-estimate it
These dynamics might drive “organizational silence”.
In leaders’ interests to promote normative climate -pass on negative feedback without fear of consequence.
