Social Influence Flashcards
(44 cards)
Define conformity
Change in a persons behaviour or opinions due to pressure from a person or a group
What was Asch’s research into conformity?
groups were told to choose the longest line out of a choice of three. The group was rigged to give obviously wrong answers
What were the three variables of conformity investigated by Asch?
Group size
Task difficulty
Unanimity
What were the three variables of conformity investigated by Asch?
Group size
Task difficulty
Unanimity
What are the three types of conformity?
Internalisation
Identification
Compliance
What is internalisation?
deep type of conformity where we take on the majority view through a belief that it is true
What is identification?
When we act in the same way as a group due to wanting to be a part of it
What is compliance?
Simply going along with the majority view but privately disagreeing
What are the two main reason people conform?
To be liked and to be correct
What is informative social influence?
When we agree with the majority because we believe the view is correct
What is normative social influence?
When we agree with the majority because we want to gain social approval
What was Zimbardo researching?
Conformity into social roles
Outline the Stanford prison experiment
21 male university students volunteered to spend two weeks in a mock prison in the basement of their university. They were split between guards and Prisoners experiment ended after 6 days
What were Zimbardo’s findings?
Both guards and prisoners conformed to their allocated roles and acted in stereotypical ways
What are two issues with Zimbardo’s study?
Participants rights were violated (some were verbally abused and others went on hunger strike)
PPs may have been simply role playing instead of conforming
What is Obedience?
When a person follows a direct order
What was Milgram’s research into obedience?
40 American PPs played the role of a teacher and had to ask questions to a confederate called Mr Wallace, If Mr Wallace got the question wrong the PPs would have to shock him
What % of participants shocked Mr Wallace up until 450 volts?
65%
How did Milgram’s experiment specifically effect three participants?
Three participants had seizures in response to shocking Mr Wallace
What are the three situational variables regarding obedience?
Proximity
Location
Uniform
What are the two situational explanations of obedience?
Agentic state
Legitimacy of authority
Define agentic state
Mental state where we feel no personal responsibility for our actions
Define Legitimacy of authority
We are more likely to be obedient towards those who we perceive as having authority over us
How did Milgram’s study show destructive authority?
The experimenter prompted participants to issue shocks when they did not want to
