1. Social Influence Flashcards

Question

**Aim:** Zimbardo | AO1

Answer 1

* Investigate extent to which individuals would conform to the role of prisoner or guard * To test dispositional vs situational hypothesis, which states brutality in US prisons is due to either the personality of the guards on conformity to social roles

Answer 2

* 75 male volunteers - Newspaper ad * Volunteers were physically and psychologically screened * 21 Ps were selected * 11 were randomly assigned as prisoners and 10 as guards * Zimbardo was prison superintendent * The prisoners were then 'arrested' and 'taken to prison' * The prisoners and guards were given uniforms --> Dehumanisation * Location: Stanford Psychology Department basement * The study was planned to run for 2 weeks

Answer 3

* Prisoners were given numbers - (Similar to what happened in concentration camps during WWII) * Guards were given reflective glasses, so prisoners couldn't look into their eyes

Answer 4

* Prisoners and guards settled into roles quickly * On day 3, a prison rebelion started and was crushed * After the rebellion, guards started to be more hostile towards prisoners * after 36 hours, one participant had to be released due to crying and rage * Prisoner #8612 was also put in solitary confinment after refusing to eat and protesting against the way they were treated * The experiment was meant to last 2 weeks, but was scrapped after 6 days

Answer 5

* Prisoners were given meaningless tasks to complete * They were stripped naked * Forced to do push-ups, which was the main physical punishment

Answer 6

* Situational hypothesis is favoured over dispositional as Ps didn't show certain character traits during screening before the study * Even seemingly well balanced men become brutal when assigned the role of a guard * Guards and prisoners demonstrated behaviour gained from media. (basing their 'characters' on famous prisoners and guards)

Answer 7

G: USA = Individualistic, (Cultural debates) + All Ps were male, (Not generalisable to women) R: Standardised instructions were used - Study can be repeated to test validity of results - Was repeated by Haslam and Reicher in 2006 V: Lacks ecological validity, (fake prison) + Lacks temporal validity + Results may not be valid as Ps who played guards, revealed in later interviews that they were simply acting, however, 90% of conversations in the prison were about prison events, which shows they took it seriously, (counter argument) E: Unethical - Psychological + Physical Harm, (Evidenced by prisoner #8612 and prisoner who was removed after 36 hours + The fact the study was scrapped early) Ps were also unaware of whether they would be playing the role of prisoner or guard, (Informed consent) + Didn't consent to being 'arrested' at home

Answer 8

The parts individuals play as members of a social group, which meet the expectations of the situation

Answer 9

Model proposed by Deutsch and Gerrard, which states we conform because of two reasons - NSI and ISI

Answer 10

* Test germans are different hypothesis * To see if individuals would obey the orders of an authority figure that incurred negative consequences that go against our moral code

Answer 11

Hypothesis claims Germans are highly obedient and that Adolf Hitler could not have exterminated the minority groups he did, without the unquestionining co-operation of the German population

Answer 12

* 40 American males aged 20-50 responded to a newspaper advert * They were told the study was about memory and learning * Ps were met by a confederate experimenter, (wearing a lab coat to help reafirm his authority) * The Ps were told they would either be a 'teacher' or 'learner' * However, it was rigged so that the real P would always be the 'teacher' * The 'experimenter,' 'researcher,' and learner all entered an adjoining room * The 'learner' was then attached to electrodes * The P, ('teacher'), was told to read out paired-associated word tasks * If the 'learner' got these wrong, then the 'teacher' had to administer an electric shock * The shocks began at 15v, (which was labelled as 'slight shock'), and ended at 450v, (which was labelled XXX) * If the 'teacher' protested giving the shocks, the experimenter would encourage him through a series of prompts to continue

Answer 13

* "The experiment requires you to continue" * You have no choice, you must go on" * If these didn't work, the 'experimenter' told the 'teacher' that the shocks wouldn't cause long lasting tissue damage

Answer 14

* In the main variation of the study, the rate of obedience was 62.5% * 100% of Ps shocked up until 300v * Many participants showed signs of distress, such as sweating and twitching * 3 Ps had uncontrollable seizures

Answer 15

* Germans are different hypothesis is false - 40 ordinary American's had a high level of obedience when asked to do something that would causer harm - If American's had lived in Nazi Germany in the 1930's then they may have obeyed as well * Throughout variations of the study, Milgram also concluded the most important factors affecting obedience were, uniform, proximity to researcher, proximity to victim and location

Answer 16

G: Ps were American, (Individualistic culture) - Cultural debates + All Ps were male, (Cannot generalise to women) + All Ps were aged between 20-50, (Can't generalise to people older or younger) R: The study used standardised instructions, meaning it can be repeated to test validity of findings - Burger repeated it in 2009 and concluded that Milgram's results still stand half a century later, as people are still willing to go against their moral code A: Different variations, helped Milgram identify situational variables affecting obedience, allowing us to further understand why we obey in certain situations + This experiment established a paradigm, which was used as a basic method for observing obedience V: Study lacks ecological validity, (artificial environment) + Task lacks mundane realism + Temporal validity is a strength, (Burger 2009) E: Psychological harm, (Distress as people had to go against their moral code) + Deception, (He said the study was about learning and memory, however, some argue this was necessary for Milgram to produce valid results) + Right to withdraw, (No explicit right to withdraw was given prior to the study and if Ps tried to withdraw, they were encouraged to continue, however, some Ps did refuse to carry on, meaning the right to withdraw was there)

Answer 17

* One study was done at a run-down office rather than a prestigious university like Yale * One study was done with the 'experimenter' wearing home clothes and not a lab coat * In one variation the proximity to 'victim' and 'experimenter' varied

Answer 18

1. Agency theory - Agentic state 2. Legitimacy of authority 3. Authoritarian personality

Answer 19

Authoritarian personality

Answer 20

Stanley Milgram

Answer 21

* Less likely to obey if we experience moral strain * If legitimate authority figure takes responsibility for our actions we make an agentic shift * Moving from an autonomous state to an agentic state * Meaning we are more likely to obey as we feel like an agent acting on behalf of the authority figure, thus transfering responsibility to them * And we experience less moral strain as we are not responsible for our actions

Answer 22

* Ps in Milgram's study experienced moral strain because researcher didn't take responsibility for their actions - Ps weren't in an agentic state * In one variation, Milgram divided the study into two groups - In one group the researcher took responsibility and in the other one they didn't - Obedience was higher when the researcher took responsibility * Proximity varied in the study - Milgram found obedience went up when Ps were further away - Supports theory as it shows when people are further away from victim they experience less moral strain as it is easier to ignore consequences of their actions * A limitation is that in Milgram's study obedience was 62.5% not 100%, meaning their are dispositional variables this theory doesn't take into account

Answer 23

* Humans are surrounded by social hierarchies * We learn from a young age through socialisation processes, such as student-teacher, that we must obey those who are precieved to be higher up in the hierarchy * We understand that disobeying those higher up in the hierarchy gives them the right to punish us * Most believe legitimacy of authority is pivitol for society to function properly

Answer 24

* Proximity * Location * Uniform

Answer 25

* In one variation the experimenter was wearing a lab coat and in another normal clothes - Obedience was higher when lab coat was worn - Made authority figure appear more legitimate * The main variation took place at Yale and another variation in a run-down office - Obedience was higher at Yale, (62.5% compared to 47.5%) - At a presitgious university, the researcher's authority appears more legitimate than in a run-down office * The rate of obedience in the main study was 62.5% not 100% - Meaning this theory doesn't account for situational variables as not everyone obeyed authority - Even when it appeared legitimate, as the study was at Yale and the experimenter was wearing a lab coat

Answer 26

1. Proximity 2. Location 3. Uniform

Answer 27

* Dispositional explanation for obedience created by Adorno * Obedience may stem from strict parenting * This strict parenting has two consequences: 1. They unquestionably obey authority figures 2. They become furstrated but don't take it out on the parents as they are worried they will be punished * They take out furstration on those who are preceieved to be lower in the social hierarchy, who cannot punish them * People who have authoritatian personalities display behaviours such as being conformist, abusive and blindly obedient to those higher up in the hierarchy * Measured using the F-scale

Answer 28

Personality questionnaire containing nine dimensions

Answer 29

* In Milgram's study obedience was not 100%, it was 62.5% - Supports existence of dispositional variables affecting obedience * Those who were obedient in Milgram's study tested on th F-scale - Lots of them had authoritarian personality traits, supporting the link between the two --> (However, correlation doesn't equal causation) * This theory doesn't account for situational variables which uis supported by Milgram's research, (Location, uniform and proximity) - Ex: Run down office having an obedience rate of 47.5% as opposed to the variation at Yale which had 62.5% * Zillmer et al, found 16 Nazi war criminals tested highly on 3/9 dimensions of the F-scale, however, he predicted they would have test highly on all dimenstions *Limitation

Answer 30

1. Locus of control 2. Social support

Answer 31

* Refrences how much we believe we are in control of our own life * Measured on a scale, (Internal at one end - External at the other end) * Internal = They believe they have control over their own life * External = They believe what they do and how they behave is determined by invisible forces like luck and fate * External = they are more likely to conform - Don't take responsibility for actions * Internal = more likely to resist, because they believe they are in control of what happens to them and therefore will be more mindful as to whether they conform or not | *LoC works with obedience and other forms of SI - Not just conformity

Answer 32

* Schute - Exposed undergrads to liberal and conservative attitudes towards drug taking. Those with an internal locus of control were less likely to experience pro-drug attidues. Supports the idea that internal means we are less likely to resist * Twenge et al - 40 year meta-analysis. States people are becoming more external yet more obedient, which according to this theory isn't possible. Meaning the theory potentially doesn't account for situational or dispositional variables which affect resistance to social influence * Avtgis meta-analysis supports the idea that those with an internal LoC were less easily persudable, supporting the idea that LoC influences resistance to social influence * LoC helps explain peer-pressure and why some kids may be more succeptible to it than others, (Ex: Those with an external locus of control may need to be more careful as they are more likely to conform)

Answer 33

* Resisting conformity is easier if there are others also resisting the pressure to conform, (other dissenters) * When someone is not conforming, this will appear to be social support and allows the person to follow their own conscience * The same can be seen with resistance to obey * If another person is seen to disobey; It allows the person to also disobey as it challenges legitimacy of authority

Answer 34

* Allen and Levine - Conformity was reduced on a task involving visual judgement if there was a dissenter - Even if the dissenting 'partner' wore thick glasses with thick lenses and admitted to having a sight problem. This shows that dissenters help resist social influence even if they aren't skilled in certain situations * Asch found if a dissenter answered correctly from the beginning of the study, conformity drops from 32% to 5.5% - However, if they start answering correctly later on, conformity only drops to 8.5% - Social support recieved earlier is more effective | Ask Ms Stainsby if I need another evaluation point?

Answer 35

A type of social influence that motivates individuals to reject social norms established by the majority

Answer 36

1. Consistency 2. Commitment 3. Flexibility

Answer 37

The idea that the more unchanging a minority's viewpoint is, the more persuasive they will be

Answer 38

The extent to which a minority group shows dedication to their opinion, influcnes the extent to which the majority is likely to accept it

Answer 39

The extent to which a minority is willing to compromise and alter their opinion, influences the extent to which the majority is likely to accept it

Answer 40

The more commited the minority are, the more members of the majority feel they must listen to their views and opinions *You pay more attention to them

Answer 41

Gradually, if the minority are consistent, commited and flexible, then they will convert members of the majority. These converted members of the majority will then share the minority's message in a consistent, commited and flexible fashion, leading to a faster rate of conversion

Answer 42

When you do not remember what view, behaviour or norm was present prior to social change taking place

Answer 43

To investigate the role of a consistent minority on the opiniopns of a majority in an unambigious situation

Answer 44

* 32 groups of 6 * 4 real Ps and 2 confeds per group * Ps told it was an investigation on preception * Each group was shown 36 blue slides, with filters that varied the intensity of the colour * In the consistent condition, confeds answered wrongly that the slides were green * In the inconsistent condition, confeds said that 24 of the slides were green and 12 were blue * Answers were given verbally infront of the group

Answer 45

* 8.2% agreement with the minority in the consistent condition * 1.25% agreement in the consistent condition

Answer 46

* Although minority influence in this study was small, consistency was an important factor in enabling the minority to influence the majority

Answer 47

G: All P's were female as Moscovici thought they would be more interested in colours, meaning the study lacks population validity - Results cannot be generalised to men V: Lacks ecological validity as it was a lab experiment, (artificial environment) E: Moscovici's study goes against the BPS ethical guidelines as it involves deciet - Ps were told the study was about preception not minority influence - Meaning informed consent couldn't properly be given - Ps may have endured psychological harm - It can be argued deception was vital in order to achieve valid results

Answer 48

The means by which society changes, beliefs, attidues or behaviour to create new social norms

Answer 49

The alteration of behaviour patterns and attidues within a cultural grouping

Answer 50

* Minorities are integral to inspiring and influencing social change as majorities only maintain the status quo * If minorities are consistent, commited and flexible, then this may lead to members of the majority internalising their beliefs * Consistent - The more unchanging a minority's viewpoint is, the more persuasive they will be * Commited - Augmentation principle: The more commited a minority appear to be, the more we as a majority feel we need to pay attention to them, (hear them out) * Flexible - The more a minority is willing to compromise their view, influences the extent to which they can convert the majority * Researchers like Moscovici show how powerful a minority could be at converting members of the majority, as long as the right conditions are met * Snowball effect: The rate of conversion increases as members of the majority who have been converted share the minority's message in a consistent, commited and flexible fashion * An example of minority influence leading to social change is the suffragete movement * This also links to social cryptoamnesia, as when women are voting nowadays, they don't always think back to this movement and than the suffragetes

1. Social Influence Flashcards

(75 cards)