Obedience Theories Flashcards
(30 cards)
Who proposed Social impact theory
Latane(1981)
What did Latane propose
we are greatly influenced by actions of others ; can be persuaded, inhibited, threatened+supported by others, leads us to change how we act in reponse.
1)What is social impact theory
-look at functioning of individuals in presence of others
-Latane looks at attitudes+impact of others on an individuals attitudes
-SIT affected by our social environment+variety of opinions we encounter as social beings
What is social impact
-any individual feelings, thoughts, or behaviour that is exerted by the real, implied, or imagined presence or actions of others—(Nowak et al 1990)
2)what is social impact theory
-social functioning, according to SIT can be explained by looking at functioning of individuals: however functioning of individuals can be seen as affected by their social group.
-individuals functioning socially may behave differently from their behaviour as individuals
-concluded that there’s probably laws about individuals functioning in a social context that laws about individual functioning cannot explain.
3)social impact theory
-studies support even just knowing that others have certain opinion can change beliefs, usually attitudes change to be closer to those at source of influence(groups attitudes-few change attitudes of majority
-according to latane+ wolf(1981) size+status of group will affect when an individual attitudes are influenced. However main point is that others+group influence can affect an individual behaviour
4)social impact theory
-social identity theory reflects the same idea as social impact theory -people move towards their groups norms + attitudes
-1 aspect can be group polarsation_ is team for group tending to have more extreme ideas t attitudes than the individuals in the group. Might be to give a group identity or to make it seem important.
- is example of how attitudes of group are different from attitudes of individuals within group
Social impact theory obedience eval
- views individuals as passive receivers of others behaviour towards them, disregarding active nurture of social interaction+what bring to situation. Everyone’s different, so theory oversimplify nature of human interaction and ignore differences between us.
-useful as general formulation and can predict behaviour under certain conditions.
-theory limited in type of social situation able to explain,when 2 groups impact with each other eg groups that are equal in number,strength+immediecy
Social impact theory eval strength
-reliable-set out clearly, same predictions will occur
-using mathematical formula, predictions can be made to help society in control of its members, can mean controlling obedience that’s to the detriment of society
As theory of obedience —————————
-SIT acknowledges strength as feature of groups, includes power of persuasion, as well as how much authority they have, suits the idea that people obey those in authority
Social impact theory weakness
-features of individuals aren’t taken into account, like some more easily persuaded, these likely to affect impact of others on individual
-theory discusses social influence in general rather than specifically looking at obedience or issues around group behaviour, such as social loafing-term for those who are in group but don’t contribute to groups decisions or actions
As theory of obedience—————————
-obedience is behaviour by someone in response to someone else in specific situation+not about influence of groups on behaviour, so only the features of obedience that involve groups are addressed
Social impact theory linking to milgram work on obedience
- M looked at behaviour of individuals in experimental situation + then derived from that how people behave socially. He brought in presence of 2 others
-meeus and raajjmakers (1986) replicated to extent, found individuals behaviour in a group was different from the behaviour, supported social impact theory
-perhaps presence of others had backed individuals attitudes + feelings of reluctance to obey, that was reason for reduces obedience if other ‘peers rebelled’
-M studies about behaviour not attitudes, thought he did measure feelings + emotions of participants when carrying out orders, this can be seen as being about attitude as participants distress at having to administer punishment does suggest their attitude didn’t match their behaviour
Social impact theory looking for laws of behaviour
-latane claimed it’s not difficult to study group influence when small-group behaviour, but as complexity of behaviour increases, studying laws of how individual function socially becomes harder,
-Nowak et al (1990) considered how to get to laws of such behaviour in math way. Used computer simulation using rules that govern how individuals react to their social environment. Could predict behaviours of members of society, behaviour at group level + a system could perhaps provide rules that are more than total or rules about individual behaviour.
-society can benefit + use such rules to predict public opinion
Social impact theory mathematical model
-i=f(SIN)
-i is magnitude of impact
-f is function
-S is strength of sources(e.g. powers of persuasion)
-I is immediecy of sources(how close they are, e.g. in time + space)
-N is number of sources(1 or more people or groups)
Social impact theory issues and debates
-reductionism
-SIT can generate laws of behaviour by considering effects of time + space on how individuals affect 1 another + also how impact of other is affected by: 1)number of people in environment 2)immediecy if impact 3)strength of impact
-strength of message or influence is greater if there’s lot of people in agreement-change in attitude by individual heating that message is likely
-strength of message also stronger if it’s given by someone individual sees as expert-Milgram
Who created agency theory
Milgram 1973, 1974
What is moral strain
When people become uncomfortable with their behaviour because they feel that it’s wrong and goes against their values
How did people experience moral strain in Milgram basic study
-participants heard cries of victim
-might have feared retaliation from victim
-Had to go against their own moral values
-conflict between needs of victim and needs of authority
-participants wouldn’t want to harm someone because this would go against their opinion of themeselves
What does agentic state mean
They were agents of experimenter and obeyed his orders
What does autonomous state mean
Under one’s own power to make one’s own decisions
Milgram agentic state
Agreed to take part, participants in basic study obeyed until shock level reached 300volts
Milgram autonomous state
Participants weren’t simple agents of experimenter, grey technicians coat that the experimenter wore and Yale uni setting added to power of experimenter and to the role of participants as agents
Milgram agency theory
-used idea of being in an agentic state to put forward his agency theory
-idea that our social system leads to obedience.
-If people see themselves as individuals, they’ll respond as individuals and will be autonomous in a situation. E.g. in threatening situation, may avoid aggression and turn away. Likely to happen because avoiding aggression means avoiding getting hurt and aids survival
What is evolution theory
Ides of natural selection-any tendency that aids survival would lead to the gene or gene combination for that tendency being passed on to
How does evolution theory affect agency theory
-Suggests avoiding aggression is a good survival strategy
-early humans had better survival chance if they lived in social groups-leaders + followers
-l+f tendencies can be passed on genetically
-according to agency theory- agentic state is what led participants in Milgram basic study to obey. It involves shift in responsibility from person in authority giving the order-responsibility ‘given’ to 1 doing ordering
