Social Approach

Question 1

Common research methods

Answer 1

Attempts to use real life situations when studying behaviour, because of this its best studied in real life settings which re-create real life studies

Question 2

Applications of this area - 4

Answer 2

To encourage pro-social behaviour

To guard against blind obedience

To teach us to report unjust authority

To make us aware of social influence

Question 3

Concepts - 7

Answer 3

Conformity

Consensus

Obedience

Attitudes, prejudice and discrimination

Social facilitation (home ground)

Attribution theory (how we perceive the world)

Self concept

Question 4

Strengths of the approach

Study evidence

Comment/analysis

Answer 4

Gives us a unique explanation of the power of social groups, particularly in explaining negative behaviour

Milgram shows us that people will obey a legitimate authority figure even when their instructions go against our moral conscience

Obvious strength because no other approach allows a subjective view of social context to be measured.

Question 5

Strengths of the approach

Study evidence

Comment/analysis

Answer 5

Research within the social area often helps us bring research to a wider audience

Bocchario helped us to explain whistle blowing behaviour that we see on the news. Milgram shows us the danger in blind obedience

This is useful because psychology seeks to explain real world events so we are able to understand our own pro and anti-social behaviours better

Question 6

Weakness of the approach

Study evidence

Comment/analysis

Answer 6

Human social behaviour and societies change over time and across different countries

Milgrams study was conducted in the 1960’s during the Cold War era in the USA when social obedience was more valued

Research then has a shelf life of can be difficult/impossible to generalise to other cultures

Question 7

Weakness of the approach

Study evidence

Comment/analysis

Answer 7

Ethics - it’s hard to study behaviour in a social context without negativity affecting participants

Milgram’s participants were unaware of the true nature of the study, so no informed consent and the study caused mental and psychical harm

Difficult to get natural behaviour without deceiving them, especially if researchers don’t want them to be influenced by demand characteristics

Question 8

Main assumptions - 3

Answer 8

An individual’s behaviour is affected by situational factors

All behaviour occurs in a social context even when no one is physically present

Other people and the society they have created are a major influence on people’s behaviour, thought processes and behaviour