Paper 1: Section A: Social Influence

Question 1

What’s conformity ?

Answer 1

Individuals changes beliefs, behaviour due to pressure from others (majority)

Question 2

What’re the three types of conformity ?

Answer 2

Compliance
Identification
Internalisation

Question 3

What is compliance ?

Answer 3

Superficial conformity - done to fit into a group / be liked

Individual publicly agrees with views of group but privately disagrees

Weak and temporary as once away from group stop conforming

Question 4

What’s identification ?

Answer 4

Moderate level of conformity - beliefs/behaviours are adopted because group membership is valued

Publicly and privately agree with views of the group but only when in the group

Weak and temporary as when spent a lot of time away from group conformity fades

Question 5

What’s internalisation ?

Answer 5

Deep conformity - beliefs/behaviours are adopted because they belive it’s right and its not to just fit into and be liked

Individual publicly and privately agree with group even when they are away

Permanent and long lasting

Question 6

Give summary of Asch’s study on conformity:

Answer 6

• 123 male American ppt, given standard line and 3 comparison lines
• In each group there was 1 ppt and the rest confederates and ppt went 2nd to last

FINDINGS:
- ppt agree wi incorrect answer over 1/3 of 12 critical trials (mean conformity rate 36.8%)
- 25% of ppt remained completely independent meaning 75% conformed atleast once and 5% of those conformed on every trial

Question 7

What were Asch’s variations in the study on conformity ?

Answer 7

Group size
Unanimity
Task difficulty

Question 8

How did group size in Asch’s study affect conformity ?

Answer 8

1 confederate = 3% conformity
3 confederates = 32% conformity
15 confederates = conformity decrease due to ppt being suspicious

Question 9

How did unanimity in Asch’s study affect conformity ?

Answer 9

Introduction of dissenter

If dissenter support ppt conformity dropped from 36.8% to 5.5%

If dissenter disagree with ppt and majority conformity dropped to 9%

When majority is unanimous conformity is reduced

Question 10

How does task difficulty in Asch’s study affect conformity ?

Answer 10

More difficult the task the more conformity

Question 11

What is a strength Asch’s study on conformity ?

Answer 11

Has supporting evidence for task difficulty increasing conformity.

Lucas et al replicated the study but used maths equations and found ppt conformed more at harder questions.

This therefore increases the validity of Asch’s study on conformity

Question 12

What is a weakness of Asch’s study on conformity ?

Answer 12

Lacks ecological validity as the task Asch got ppt doing is very unrealistic in everyday life and some research suggest we conform more when we are around friends and Asch’s study didn’t include friends

Question 13

Who proposed the two explanations for conformity and what are they ?

Answer 13

DEUTSCH AND GERARD

Normative social influence
Informational social influence

Question 14

What is normative social influence ?

Answer 14

We conform because of the desire to be liked
Has more to do with compliance
It’s an emotional process

Question 15

Give research to support the idea of normative social influence:

Answer 15

Some ppts in Asch’s study admitted they conformed because they didn’t want to look stupid or be the odd one out

Question 16

What’s informational social influence ?

Answer 16

We conform because of our desire to be right and need for certainty
Usually involves internalisation
A cognitive process

Question 17

Give research to support idea of informational social influence:

Answer 17

JENNESS:
- ppt asked privately to estimate how many jelly beans in a jar
- then they put in group wi other ppt and discussed
- then asked privately again to estimate how many in the jar and answer changed closer to the number discussed in the group

Question 18

What is a social role ?

Answer 18

Social roles are the behaviours expected of individuals in different social groups, such as parents, students, or passengers. These roles come with shared expectations about appropriate behaviour

Question 19

What did Zimbardo want to answer ?

Answer 19

If prison guard brutality was due to dispositional factors of situational factors

Dispositional factors: they have sadistic personality’s (enjoy inflicting pain)

Situational factors: the situation creates behaviour

Question 20

What was the procedure of Zimbardo’s study on conformity to social roles ?

Answer 20

• mock prison set up in basement of Stanford Uni
• 24 sound minded male volunteers randomly assigned either guard or prisoner
• prisoners arrested at home and blindfolded and given uniform and ID number
• guards wore uniform, sunglasses m, carried batons and had control over prisoners life

Question 21

What were the findings of Zimbardo’s study on conformity to social roles ?

Answer 21

Had to be stopped after 6/14 days due to extreme and harmful behaviour of guards

Day 2 prisoners rebelled after this they became submissive, depressed anxious
Day 1 someone already left and then 2 more left by day 4

A prisoner went on hunger strike and guards had to force feed him

Question 22

Give a strength of Zimbardo’s study on conformity to social roles:

Answer 22

Ppt appeared to treat it as real prison experiment. Strength because McDermott analysed interactions and found 90% of prisoners convo was abt prison life showing deep engagement with scenario therefore suppers idea that ppt conform to social roles which increase internal validity of study

Question 23

Give a limitation for Zimbardo’s study on conformity to social roles:

Answer 23

Ppt may have been acting rather than genuinely conforming to social roles. E.g Banuazizi and Movahedi argued ppt behaviour based on stereotypical depictions of prisoners and guards in media therefore study lacks internal validity as behaviour may not be result of the real role conformity but rather an attempt to perform in line with perceived expectations

Question 24

What obedience ?

Answer 24

Form of social influence which an individual follows a direct order which is typically from a figure of authority who has power to punish

Question 25

Outline the procedure of Milgram’s study on obedience ?

Answer 25

- 40 American men volunteered for study ‘on memory’ through newspaper advertisement - ppt was introduced to confederate - roles where dished out and ppt was always the teacher - ppt watched confederate (Mr Wallace) get strapped into chair with electrodes connected to 30 point scale with increasing level of shock from 15 - 450 V - teacher couldn’t see learner but could hear them - gave shock every time learner made mistake - shocks to learnt were fake but teachers though was real - verbal prods given by experimenter to teacher

Question 26

Outline the findings and conclusion of Milgram’s study on obedience:

Answer 26

- Every ppt delivered shocks to 300V - 12.5% ppt stopped at 300V - 65% ppt continued to 450V - during observation ppt showed signs of extreme tension, sweat, stutters, trembling - 3 ppt had uncontrollable seizures Conclusion: German ppl were no different, American ppt were willing to obey orders when they might harm another person

Question 27

Give a strength of Milgram’s study on obedience:

Answer 27

Supporting research Sheridan and King conducted study similar to Milgram’s it consisted of giving shocks to puppies instead of humans given by men and women. 54% of male ppt and 100% of females gave fatal shock. Therefore study is more generalisable than Milgram’s as ppt are from both genders and reinforces validity of Milgram’s findings

Question 28

Give a weakness for Milgram’s study on obedience:

Answer 28

Ethical concerns regarding deception. Baumrind criticised Milgram for misleading ppt as they believed they were giving real shocks to person who was in distress therefore causing psychological harm as ppt experienced extreme tension, distress and even seizures. Therefore violating ethical guidelines may have caused lasting harm to ppt

Question 29

What are situational variables ?

Answer 29

Features of immediate physical and social environment which may influence a person’s behaviour

Question 30

What’re the 3 situational variables changed in Milgram’s study that affect obedience ?

Answer 30

Proximity Uniform Location

Question 31

How did proximity change obedience levels compared to Milgram’s original study ?

Answer 31

Victim in same room as leaner 40% of ppt went to 450V compared to the original study of 65% Teacher forcing hand on shock plate decrease % of ppt going to 450V from 65% to 30% Experimenter not present and used the phone to send instructions to ppt decreased the % of ppt going to 450V from 65% to 20.5%

Question 32

Why does proximity affect obedience ?

Answer 32

Decrease proximity allow ppl to psychologically distance themselves from consequences and actions - ppt are less aware of the harm they are causing to another person so when proximity increases this is reduced

Question 33

How does location change obedience levels compared to Milgram’s original study ?

Answer 33

Location change from Yale University to a run down office block and % of ppt that went to 450V decreased from 65% to 47.5%

Question 34

Why does location affect obedience ?

Answer 34

Prestigious environments give legitimacy and authority, ppt were more obedient because they perceived that the experimenter shared this legitimacy. However it was still high in office blocks because ppt perceived the he ‘scientific’ nature of the procedure

Question 35

How does uniform change obedience compared to Milgram’s original study ?

Answer 35

Experimenter instead of wearing a lab coat was being a member of public and % of ppl who went to 450V decreased from 65% to 20%

Question 36

Why does uniform affect obedience ?

Answer 36

They are widely recognised and associated with authority so obedience occurs

Question 37

Give a strength of situational variables on obedience:

Answer 37

There’s research to support uniform does have an affect on obedience. - Bickman conducted field study in New York where confederates dressed in different outfits (security, jacket and tie, milkman) - asked passerby to compete simple tasks such as picking up litter or lending money for parking meter. - Results showed ppl were 2x likely to obey security guard compared to jacket and tie. Suggesting uniform does increase obedience levels because it symbolises authority and legitimacy - therefore supporting Milgram’s findings, increasing validity of his study

Question 38

Give a limitation of Milgram’s research on obedience:

Answer 38

Demand characteristics as ppt may have known experiment wasn’t real especially in the variations. Therefore validity of study decreases as it doesn’t actually measure accurately obedience levels

Question 39

What’s a situational explanation ? (Explanations for obedience)

Answer 39

Attributed behaviour to external environmental factors rather than internal, personal characteristics

Question 40

What is the agentic state ? (Explanation for obedience)

Answer 40

Mental state where we feel no responsibility for our behaviour because we believe ourselves to be acting for authority figure. They feel highly anxious when realising what they are doing is wrong but feel powerless to disobey

Question 41

What is the autonomous state ? (Explanations for obedience)

Answer 41

Person is free to behave according to their own actions and principles The opposite to agentic state

Question 42

What’s the agentic shift ?

Answer 42

Shift from autonomous to agentic state and occurs when when a person perceives someone else as an authority figure who has the power because they have greater position in social hierarchy

Question 43

What’re binding factors ? (Explanations for obedience)

Answer 43

Aspects of situation that allow individual to ignore or minimise damaging effect of their behaviour and thus reducing ‘moral strain’ they are feeling Keeps people in the agentic state

Question 44

Outline research that supports agentic state:

Answer 44

Milgram’s original study: - most ppt resisted at some point and asked who was responsible for the harm of Mr Wallace and when found out they weren’t and it was the experimenters responsibility they were happy to continue with no further objections

Question 45

Outline research against the idea of agentic state:

Answer 45

Rank and Jacobson: - replicated Hofling and found 16/18 hosptial nurses disobeyed orders from a doctor to administer excessive drug overdose. Although doctor is obvious authority figure

Question 46

What is legitimacy of authority ? (Explanations for obedience)

Answer 46

More likely to obey ppl we perceive have authority

Question 47

What’s destructive authority ? (Explanations for obedience)

Answer 47

When problems arise from misuse of power and control

Question 48

What study support theory of legitimacy of authority ?

Answer 48

Kilham and Mann: - repeated Milgram’s procedure in Australia - found 16% of ppt went to 450V compared to 65% in original study

Question 49

What study goes against theory of legitimacy of authority ?

Answer 49

Rank and Jacobson: - found that most nurses were willing to disobey, despite working in rigid hierarchy

Question 50

What’s a dispositional explanation ? (Explanations for obedience)

Answer 50

Any explanation of behaviour that highlights importance of individuals personality

Question 51

What’s authoritarian personality ? (Explanations for obedience)

Answer 51

- Proposed by ADORNO ET AL - states ppl with this show absolute obedience, submission to authority and rigid adherence to traditional values - tend to show contempt for those Lowe in social status, have hugely conventional attitudes towards sex, race, gender - believe society needs strong leaders to enforce traditional values

Question 52

What’re the origins of authoritarian personality ?

Answer 52

- Strict discipline and higher expectations - loyalty to parents/family - severe criticisms - conditional love

Question 53

What was Adorno et al study ?

Answer 53

- Studied 2,000 middle class, white Americans - measured their unconscious attitudes towards diff racial groups Developed F scale questionnaire to assess authoritarian traits

Question 54

What were the findings of Adorno et al F scale questionnaire ?

Answer 54

Those scoring highly: - identified with strong, authoritative figures - showed extreme submission to authority - expressed prejudice towards lower status individuals - held rigid black and white views Strong correlation was found between authoritarianism and prejudice

Question 55

Give a strength for authoritarian personality:

Answer 55

- Has supporting evidence. - Elms and Milgram found correlation between authoritarian personality and obedience. - Findings showed those highly obedient in Milgram’s study scored higher in F scale questionnaire than those who weren’t obedient which supports idea of dispositional explanation of obedience and that situational factors are the only thing that influence obedience

Question 56

Give weakness for F scale questionnaire:

Answer 56

Greenstein criticised F scale as methodologically flawed arguing that it leads to biased and unreliable results Because agreeing to all statements on scale can lead to artificially high authoritarian score due to response bias rather than actual authoritarian beliefs Therefore lacks internal validity as measurement are inaccurate and the reliability of the F scale questionnaire

Question 57

What is resisting to social influence ?

Answer 57

Ability to withstand pressure to conform or obey and its influenced by two things social support and locus of control

Question 58

What is social support ?

Answer 58

Having someone else not follow the majority

Question 59

How does social support help resist conformity ?

Answer 59

Enables indices to feel free and follow their own conscience as the dissenter acts as a model for independent behaviour. Their dissent gives rise to more dissent because it shows majority is no longer unanimous.

Question 60

How does social support prevent obedience ?

Answer 60

In Milgram’s variations rate of obedience dropped from 65% to 10% when genuine ppt was joined by disobedient confederate. Disobedient model challenged legitimacy of authority figure making it easier for others to disobey

Question 61

What study supports the idea that social support helps resist social influence ?

Answer 61

Albrecht et al: - Teen Fresh Start USA - 8 week programme to help teens 14-19 resist peer pressure to smoke - social support provided by ‘slightly older’ buddy. - found teens less likely to smoke than control group without a buddy

Question 62

What is locus of control ?

Answer 62

Proposed by Rotter Consist for two types internal and external LOC Internal LOC: the belief that things that happen to oneself are largely controlled by themselves External LOC: the belief that things that happens to oneself are out of their control

Question 63

Which locus of control is more likely to resist social influence ?

Answer 63

Ppl with high internal LOC as they feel their actions are their own responsibility and they tend to be more self confident, achievement orientated and higher intelligence so have a lower need for social approval

Question 64

What is minority influence ?

Answer 64

How a small group or individual can persuade the majority to adopt their views or behaviour Most likely lead to internalisation

Question 65

What are the principles that assist minority influence ?

Answer 65

Consistency Commitment Flexibility

Question 66

What is consistency ?

Answer 66

Minority influence is most effective if the minority keeps the same beliefs, over time ( diachronic consistency) and between all the individuals that form the minority (synchrony consistency). Consistency is effective because it draws attention to the minority view.

Question 67

What’s commitment ?

Answer 67

Minority influence is more powerful if the minority demonstrates dedication to their position for example by making personal sacrifices.

Question 68

What’s the augmentation principle ?

Answer 68

People pay attention and change views when commitment to cause is shown and when the people committing are putting themselves at risk to promote views

Question 69

What’s flexibility ?

Answer 69

Relentless consistency could be counter productive if it is seen by the majority as unbending and unreasonable. Therefore minority influence is more effective if the minority shows flexibility by accepting the possibility of compromise.

Question 70

What was Moscovici et al study on minority influence ?

Answer 70

6 female undergrads asked to view 26 blue coloured slide that varied in intensity then asked if it’s blue or green - Group 1, 2 confederates (minority) who consistently said slide was green on 2/3 of trials, ppt gave wrong answer on 8.42% of trials, 32% of ppt gave same answer as minority on atleast one trial - Group 2 exposed to inconsistent minority and agreement fell from 8.42% to 1.25% - Group 3, control group, no confederates and ppt got it slide colour wrong on just 0.25% of trials

Question 71

What is the snowball effect ?

Answer 71

Hear something new, then deeply think abt it especially if source is consistent, committed and flexible. This deep process supports process of conversion Overtime ppl switch views and become converted The more this happens the quicker the rate of conversion this is the snowball effect Gradually minority view become majority

Question 72

Give a limitation for minority influence ?

Answer 72

- The tasks involved in studies are often artificial. - It’s a limitation because it’s far removed from how minorities attempt to change behaviour of majority in real life. - E.g in cases like jury decision making outcomes are vastly important. - Therefore minority influence studies lack external validity and are limited in what they can tell us abt how minority influences work in real life situations

Question 73

What is social change ?

Answer 73

When a society or a significant section of society adopts a new way of thinking or acting which then becomes the norm. This shift to a new way of thinking is continual but gradual and usually occurs due to minority influence.

Question 74

What’re the 6 step process in order for social change to occur ?

Answer 74

1. Drawing attention 2. Consistency 3. Deeper processing of issue 4. Augmentation principle 5. The snowball effect 6. Social cryptomnesia

Question 75

What is social cryptomnesia ?

Answer 75

people have a memory that change has occurred but don't remember how it happened

Question 76

Give a strength of social influence research into social change:

Answer 76

- Provides real world applications such as encouraging positive behavioural change - E.g Nolan et al investigated whether conformity through normative social influence can lead to to social change. They hung msg on front doors of homes in San Diego stating ‘most residents were trying to reduce their energy usage’. - strength because msg encourage conformity by drawing attention to what others were doing, creating pressure to comply with the perceive social norm. - those that received the msg reduced energy usage significantly compared to control group that was given general msg to save energy - therefore demonstrating the power of normative social influence in shaping behaviour

Question 77

Give weakness of social influence research into social change:

Answer 77

- Effectiveness of social norm based interventions can be questioned - Foxcroft et al conducted large scale review of 70 studies investigating impact of social norms interventions on student alcohol consumption - limitation because they only found a small reduction in amount of alcohol consumed and no significant effect on how frequent students drank. - therefore, this indicates that while social norms may influence behaviour to some degree, the overall effect may be limited or context dependant