Social Influence

Question 1

Conformity definition

Answer 1

Change in behaviour or belief as result of group pressure

Question 2

Types of conformity

Answer 2

Compliance-lowest level. Changes behaviour to fit in group, private beliefs do not change. Compliance only present when group is around, due to NSI

Identification - intermediate level of conformity.adopts beliefs and behaviour of group. Linked to social identity

Internalisation - deepest level of conformity , accepts behaviour and beliefs publicly and privately, becomes part of belief system . Pernament form of conformity even when group not present. Due to ISI

Question 3

Explanations of conformity

Answer 3

NSI- conforming to vast majority to avoid rejection. Gain social approval. Temporary change in behaviour, leads to compliance

ISI- conforming to majority to be correct I’m situations here right action or belief is ambiguous, driven by belief others have more or correct knowledge , results in change in view . Leads to internalisation

Question 4

Conformity study

Answer 4

Asch 1951
Study - 8-10 male college , one naiv pp, rest confederates
Line judgement task. Identify which line matched standard line length .
Pp always answer towards the end after confederates provided answer.
Found measure of conformity how often real pp conformed to majority incorrect answer despite evidence of answers
Findings- 75% pp conformed at least once, 5% every time, overall conformity 32% in critical trials
Suggests conforming due to NSI

Question 5

Trials In asch line judgement study

Answer 5

Six control trials -confederates gave correct answer
12 critical trials - wrong answer unanimously

Question 6

Variables affecting conformity

Answer 6

Group size-one confederate- conformity rate 3%. 2 confederates conformity rate-increased to 13%. Conformity significant increase with 3 confederates 33%. Remained steady after 3 confederates conformity rate of 31% at 16 confederates. Suggests presence of small, unanimous group has strong social pressure but beyond certain group size does not increase pressure
Unanimity -confederate broke groups unanimity by responding correctly, conformity dropped 5.5% , suggests presence of dissenter acts as social support
Task difficulty - asch repeated experiment with lines being similar lengths , task more ambiguous, conformity increased as pp uncertain about judgments, more susceptible to ISI

Question 7

Why is asch study useful

Answer 7

-Has high internal validity, carefully controlled and standardised procedures
-bond 1996 .meta analysis 133 studies using asch line judgement yask across 17 countries, found support for original findings however higher conformity rates in collectivist culture with social norms prioritising consensus, individualistic cultures value independence and personal freedom. Suggests pressure to conform not universal but based on cultural background .

Question 8

Why is asch study not useful

Answer 8

X- lacks mundane realism, matching lengths of line, although highly controlled and extraneous variables minimised, does not replicate real life social interactions. Conforming often with people we know rather than strangers. Artificial nature of asch not valid measure
X- entirely American sample, culturally biased

Question 9

Strengths of explanation of conformity

Answer 9

• asch research supports NSI, 75% pp’s conformed at least once despite correct answer being unambiguous, conformed due to avoid discomfort, rejection from group. Further supported by asch variations when pp’s privately wrote down answer conformity rates dropped 12.5%
• In variation ,manipulated task difficulty by making lines of similar lengths increasing ambiguity of correct answer , when pp’s unsure of correct answer due to task ambiguity relied on judgements of others to make correct decision . Supporting ISI as explanation

Question 10

Alternative explanations of conforming

Answer 10

Dispositional factors (personality), not solely based on situational ISI (conforming for information) or NSI (conforming for acceptance) nAfilliators strong desire to be liked, maintain positive interpersonal relationships as more sensitive to social rejection however individuals with internal locus of control less likely to be influenced by pressure to conform

Question 11

Social roles - zimbardo

Answer 11

Socially defined pattern of behaviour expected of person who occupy certain social position or belong to particular social category
Process identification =individual adopt behaviour of group they want to belong to providing social identity. By conforming to social roles, individuals feel stronger connection
Zimbardo aimed to understand psychological Impacts of situational forces by observing how individuals conform to assigned social roles ; prisoner and guards

Question 12

Zimbardo procedure

Answer 12

-Observational study
-24 male students from US, volunteered to participate in 7-14 day study
- receiving 15% a day
- randomly assigned to either guard or prisoner
-prisoners unexpected arrests at home, uniforms, I’d numbers, mock prison cells
- limited rights ,
-
Guards
- uniforms, whistles,

Question 13

Zimbardo findings

Answer 13

-pp’s adapted to assigned social roles
- prisoners signs of anxiety, helplessness and emotional breakdowns
Guards- empowered by uniforms, anonymity provided by sunglasses, sadistic aggression and domineering behaviour
Study halted after 6 days due to ethical concerns
Suggests situational factors rather than dispositional factors drive behaviour of ‘normally ‘healthy’ individuals engaging in submissive and abusing behaviour as a result of assigned social roles

Question 14

Strengths of Zimbardo experiment

Answer 14

-Well controlled- carefully selected pp’s using psychological screening to ensure they were healthy, psychologically stable and without criminal records, role of guards and prisoners randomly allocated, supports arguments behaviour resulted from social roles rather than inidividual dispositions
- insights how social roles can influence behaviour help explain incidents of cruelty and abuse in institutional settings e,g guards im Abu Ghraib displayed highly abusive behaviours. Recognising impact of situational factors lead to practical application of increased training and oversight in military and law enforcement to prevent abuses

Question 15

Weakness of Zimbardo study

Answer 15

• Zimbardo took dual role as principle investigator and prison superintendent , involvement may have led to experimenter bias, Zimbardo presence influence pp behaviour to fit expected outcomes of study, demand characteristics likely occurrence , behaving in ways they believed matched Zimbardo expectations,
• significant psychological harm, continued experiment despite signs of emotional breakdown and extreme reactions of both guards and prisoners demonstrate needs for ethical control in psychological experiments

Question 16

Milgram experiment

Answer 16

• after holocaust, research why hitler ordered followed by Germans, designed study testing obedience
• 40 male, 20-50 age. Advertised newspaper ad for study on memory. Rigged pp always got teacher
  -another confederate dressed in lab coat disguised as ‘experimenter’ strapped learner to chair In seperate room to be electrocuted
  -pp told to electrocute learner for each wrong answe . Shocks increased 15 Volts until 450. After 315 volts learner made no noise indicating death
  Results - all pp’s continued to 300 volts, 12.5% stopped at 300 volts. 65% continued to 450

Question 17

Supporting research of Milgram

Answer 17

-Hofling
- 21/22 nurses In real hospital ward obeyed orders over phone from ‘dr smith’ to give 20mg of unfamiliar drug at twice daily maximum
- real world setting ; mundane realism and ecological validity
-
-

Question 18

Why does Milgram study lack mundane realism and is unethical

Answer 18

-criticised for not being task individual face day to day life, lacks mundane realism
- unethical due to potential harm

Question 19

Milgram variations; situational variables

Answer 19

-proximity- original study. Learner seperate room obediance 62.5z. In seperate room obediance dropped 40%. When teacher placed learners hand on shock plate obediance dropped 30%.
- location- original In Yale university. When replicated In run down office, obediance dropped from 62.5 to 47.6
- uniform- original experimenter wore grey lab coat . Variations confederate in normal clothing, obediance dropped to 20%.

Question 20

Supporting evidence of situational variables milgram study

Answer 20

-Bickman
-investigated effects of wearing uniform worn by confederates on obediance
-Confederate asked members of New York streets to collect trash from street. Obedience dressed in suit- 19%. Milkman-14%. Security guard 38%
Supports milgrams original research uniforms have legitimate authority

Question 21

Agentic state and legitimacy of authority

Answer 21

=Agentic state - individuals acting on behalf of behalf of authority figure therefore less guilt for behaviour . Autonomous state occurs when individual acts according to principles and feel responsible for behaviour

=legitimacy of authority- individuals accept other individuals higher up on hierarchy should be obeyed, sense of duty

Question 22

When is legitimacy of authority learnt

Answer 22

Through socialisation, learn position with social hierarchy. Understand position of below and above , usually accepts needed for society to function . Communicated through symbols e.g uniform, settings

Question 23

Supporting research for explanations of obediance

Answer 23

= milgram argues pp’s act with extreme obedience due to being in agentic state, as experimenter accepts harm given to learner. Uniform indicates legitimacy of authority in Yale. Manipulation of variables support conclusions. When uniform replaced with normal clothes In variations oneeiqmve dropped significantly. Orders over phone dropped,more like
To enter autonomous state

Question 24

Weakness of e milgram explanation of obedience

Answer 24

35% resisted authority figure, can’t be explained by situational factors of agentic state and legitimacy of authority alone , however Adorno dispositional ‘authoritarian personality’ acknowledges willingness to obey differs from person offering why extreme variations in milgram participants

Question 25

Why was milgram study unethical

Answer 25

Emotional distress, difficult to withdraw, deceived about study taking part in therefore lack of informed consent however necessary for research to be conducted

Question 26

Weakness of milgrams experiment

Answer 26

Methodocological flaws,shock generator lacks mundane realism (not realistic to everyday tasks) lacks ecological validity as Yale university not normal for students.
Possible demand characteristics guessing shock were not real acting accordingly. Gender bias entirely men not applicable to women

Question 27

Hofling and Bickman supporting milgram

Answer 27

Hofling- field experiment in hospital .21/22 nurses obeyed ‘dr smith’ over the phone to give unfamiliar drug to patient (placebos) ecological validity and mundane realism highly obedient
Bickman- field experiment in New York, experimenter approached individuals in guard/milkman or no uniform and asked to complete task . When asked to pay for parking metre obedience rate 89% In guard uniform. 33% in no uniform. Supports milgrams theory or uniform being visible symbol of authority

Question 28

Dispositional explanation for obedience

Answer 28

-high levels of obedient behaviour is dispositional due to internal traits, personality type = authoritarian personality
- developed by strict parents, harsh punishments . Adorno suggested anger gelt towards parents displaced onto minority groups
-Higher respect = higher social status . Hostile to low social status
- views on morality dogmatic
- studied personality with questionnaire (F SCALE), fascism scale

Question 29

Strengths of dispositional explanations of obedience

Answer 29

• milgram study 35% resisted authority figure , cannot explained situational figures as each pp had Sam experience, however Adorno theory acknowledges willingness to obey authority figure vary from person to person
• elms and milgram - 20 obedient males who had provided highest shock and 20 who had refused given F scale, obedience males scored high on F scale suggesting authoritarian personality , tended to dehumanise and have negative attitudes towards leather and see experimenter as someone knowledgeable and trustworthy

Question 30

Criticism of dispositional explanation

Answer 30

• Adorno theory link between abusive childhood, authoritarian personality and obedience only studied using correlation however alternate theories (situational) backed up by significant evidence e.g Hofling, Bickman, milgram
• relying solely on authoritarian personality can lead to stereotyping, complex historical events being overly simplified into personality flaws of people involved, risks reduced accountability of social structures and leaders.

Question 31

Explanations of resistance

Answer 31

=Social support -seeing other individuals resisting orders and pressure to conform increase’s confidence in resisting social influence, orders from authority figure and pressure to conform. Challenges legitimate authority

=High internal LOC- responsible for own actions dictating events in life, less concerned with social approval , more able to resist pressure to conform . High external LOC believe external forces dictate behaviour e.g fate, government

Question 32

Supporting research of resistance

Answer 32

• Holland = replication of milgrams study pp’s assessed for internal/external LOC. 37% of those with internal refused to continue to highest shock compared to 23% of those with external LOC. suggests high internal LOC able to resist orders. However 63% of internal still obeyed and 23% of external refused therefore cannot fully explain obeying
• ## Asch variations, confederate disagreed with group, different response to line , provided social support . Conformity dropped significantly in critical trial from 32% to 5.5% demonstrating power of social support

Question 33

Stages of minority influence

Answer 33

1. Individual rejects majority beliefs, minority attempts to change views through ISI usually due to identification
2. Changing majority gradually through snowball effect.
3. Consistency- needs to demonstrate confidence, repeating message
4. Commitment- willing to suffer for view, taken seriously . Known as augmentation principle
5. Flexibility- if seen as dogmatic-ability to consider counter arguement and slightly compromise

Question 34

Supporting research for minority influence

Answer 34

• Nemeth (1986)
  -flexibility
• groups of 3 pp and a confederate in 2 conditions
• 1st- confederate shows inflexibility by arguing by arguing for low level of compensation for victim of imaginary ski incident and not changing from that level,
• 2nd condition confederate showed flexibility raising offer slightly, majority in this condition more likely to lower compensation closer to 2nd confederate than inflexible condition.
  Eval- experiment with pp’s aware ski lift victim not real, no money paid, external validity?
  -

Question 35

Social change process

Answer 35

• change that happens in society, not individual level
• can change positions of majority members via flexibility, commitment, consistency
• snowball effect- majority members convert to majority society, growing attracts new members
• social crypto amnesia-after societal change, members refuse to admit held unpopular view and do not credit minorities
  -group membership- more likely to have views changed by ingroups (share characteristics). More likely to change position of majority than outgroup
  -ISI- often used by minorities, reasonable arguments to convince members of society often leading to internalisation
• government can bring about social change by changing laws and enforcing

Question 36

Supporting research for social change

Answer 36

-group membership
- found heterosexual minority group more able than homosexual group to change opinions of heterosexual majority group on importance of gay rights, straight men had better success than gay men in convincing straight men demonstrating importance of group membership in minority influence
^ could be applied to real world projects e.g knife crime in underprivileged communities delivered by members in community however victimised members may not be listened o by members who see them as outgroup

Question 37

Real applicable examples of social change

Answer 37

• smoking in public areas e.g pubs common changed due to legal changes and fines
• green issues such as climate change developed due to better knowledge transmitted by ISI
• suffragettes suffered force feeding to show commitment to vote for onen via augmentation principle changing attitudes and behaviours of majority