Social Influence

Question 1

define social influence

Answer 1

process where attitudes and behaviour are influenced by the real or implied presence of other people

Question 2

define social norms

Answer 2

rules and standards that are understood by members of a group

these guide and/or constrain social behaviour

these aren’t behaviours enforced by law

Question 3

what did Sherif (1936) investigate?

Answer 3

how social norms guide behaviour in uncertain situation

how do social norms influence our behaviour?

Question 4

outline Sherif (1936) study into social norms

Answer 4

• conducted lab study
• used an optical illusion (autokinetic effect) where a light appears to move in a dark room
• had ppts in groups of 2/3 or alone and asked them to make judgements on how much light moved
• had ppts call out their own frame of reference (what they initially thought distance moved was)
• as trials progressed, ppts started to conform to estimates of the group
• afterwards, when tested alone, ppts used the common standard distance moved
• showed that individuals internalised the social norm (showing effect social norm has on behaviour)

Question 5

what did Asch (1951) investigate?

Answer 5

conformity

Question 6

define conformity

Answer 6

where an individual goes along with the view of the group they are apart of, regardless of their personal/private view

Question 7

outline Asch (1951) study

Answer 7

• conducted a lab study
• visual discrimination task
• had 50 male ppts partake in line judgement task
• placed 1 ppt in room of 7 confederates
• real ppt sat second to last
• each person had to state aloud which comparison line was most like target line
• 12/18 trials = critical trials where incorrect answer was given unanimously by confederates

Question 8

what was the average conformity rate found by Asch (1951)?

Answer 8

33%

12.5% = conformity rate when ppts gave judgements anonymously

Question 9

define informational social influence

Answer 9

where person conforms to gain knowledge or because they believe others are correct/have more knowledge than them

Question 10

outline characteristics of informational social influence

Answer 10

• occurs in ambiguous/uncertain situations
• occurs as a need to feel confident in our decisions
• change is internalised
• private change occurs

Question 11

define normative social influence

Answer 11

where person conforms in order to be accepted

Question 12

outline characteristics of normative social influence

Answer 12

• need for social approval and acceptance
• going along with group
• superficial change

Question 13

what type of social influence does Sherif’s study look at?

Answer 13

informational social influence

Question 14

what type of social influence does Asch’s study look at?

Answer 14

normative social influence

Question 15

define minority influence

Answer 15

where the minority obtains the power to influence the majority view

Question 16

what is the criteria for the minority influence to take effect?

Answer 16

minority influence is effective when:
consistent, committed and flexible

Question 17

how does majority influence exert social influence?

Answer 17

produces public compliance via social comparison

concentrating on what others say in order to fit in

Question 18

how does minority influence exert social influence?

Answer 18

minority influence produces indirect, private change in opinion

active consideration of minority influence view

leads to conversion effect (snowball effect)

Question 19

what did Milgram (1963) investigate?

Answer 19

obedience to authority

Question 20

outline Milgram’s (1963) study into obedience

Answer 20

• lab study
• 40 male ppts
• ppts told they were taking part in a learning experiment
• introduced to another ppt who was a confederate (Milgram)
• confederate was always the learner and ppt was always teacher
• experimenter dressed in lab coat played by actor
• learner was strapped to chair with electrodes
• learner had to learn a list of word pairs
• teacher tests learner by asking him to recall
• if learner got answer wrong, teacher had to administer electric shocks in 15volt intervals
• when ppt showed signs of wanting out of the experiment, the experimenter would instruct the ppt to continue on

Question 21

outline the findings of Milgram’s (1963) study

Answer 21

• obedience rate = 65%
• all ppts went to at least 300 volts
• 65% of ppts went to 450 volts

Question 22

define ‘agentic state’

Answer 22

mentally clear of own responsibility and transfer responsibility to person giving order

Question 23

identify factors influencing obedience

Answer 23

• gradual change and commitment
• immediacy of victim
• immediacy of authority figure
• legitimacy of authority figure

Question 24

explain gradual change and commitment

Answer 24

• how committed the ppt is

Question 25

explain immediacy of victim

Answer 25

• how close victim was to ppt
• when victim could be seen by ppt, obedience decreased

Question 26

explain immediacy of authority figure

Answer 26

• how much distance between ppt and experimenter
• when experimenter not in room, obedience decreased

Question 27

explain legitimacy of authority figure

Answer 27

• if authority figure wore a lab coat from Yale uni, obedience increased
• if setting of experiment was conducted in industrial setting, obedience decreased

Question 28

identify some ethical issues with Milgram’s experiment

Answer 28

• deception: ppts told study was a learning experiment
• protection from harm: some ppts had heart attacks from stress
• right to withdraw: pressure from experimenter to continue study even when ppt showed signs of wanting to stop, interferes with ppts right to withdraw