social influence Flashcards
(171 cards)
1
Q
What is social influence?
A
The process by which one’s behaviour, beliefs, or attitudes are changed by the presence or actions of other people. Examples include majority influence, minority influence, and obedience.
2
Q
Define conformity.
A
Conformity occurs when people adopt the behaviour, attitudes, or beliefs of the majority after being exposed to their values or behaviour.
3
Q
What is the purpose of conformity in society?
A
Conformity acts as the glue holding society together, making behaviour predictable and reducing uncertainty.
4
Q
What is informational social influence?
A
It is the need to be right, occurring when there is no clear or correct answer, leading people to look to others for information.
5
Q
Give an example of informational social influence.
A
Following others during an alarm at college on the first day because you don’t know the procedure.
6
Q
What supports informational social influence in Asch’s study?
A
Asch found that increasing task difficulty increased conformity, as participants were less certain and relied on the group for answers.
7
Q
What is normative social influence?
A
The need to be liked and accepted by a group, leading to conformity even without changing private opinions.
8
Q
How does Asch’s line study support normative social influence?
A
Participants conformed to group pressure, giving incorrect answers in 32% of trials, to be accepted despite knowing the correct answers.
9
Q
What happened to conformity when Asch allowed private responses?
A
Conformity decreased significantly, showing the public nature of responses influenced the desire to be accepted.
10
Q
What is a limitation of Asch’s findings on normative social influence?
A
26% of participants never conformed, indicating dispositional factors like Locus of Control may also play a role.
11
Q
What is identification in the context of social roles?
A
Internalising expected behaviours of certain roles and conforming to those expectations.
12
Q
How does Zimbardo’s prison study support conformity to social roles?
A
Guards adopted cruel and aggressive behaviour, influenced by their role expectations, despite having no prior signs of such traits.
13
Q
What is a criticism of Zimbardo’s prison study?
A
Behaviour may have been due to demand characteristics, as some participants acted based on expectations from media portrayals like Cool Hand Luke.
14
Q
What are the three types of conformity suggested by Kelman (1958)?
A
Compliance, internalisation, and identification.
15
Q
What is compliance in conformity?
A
Compliance involves going along with the group without changing private opinions. Public behaviour changes but not private attitudes.
16
Q
Does compliance lead to a long-lasting change in behaviour?
A
No, it lasts only as long as group pressure is exerted. When the pressure is removed, conformity ceases.
17
Q
Give an example of compliance.
A
Someone smoking with friends but not smoking when alone.
18
Q
What is internalisation in conformity?
A
Internalisation is the most permanent form of conformity, where both public behaviour and private opinions change because the person believes in the group’s norms.
19
Q
Does internalised behaviour persist without group pressure?
A
Yes, the behaviour continues even if the group pressure is removed.
20
Q
Give an example of internalisation.
A
A person adopting their family’s religious beliefs, accepting them as part of their own thinking.
21
Q
What is identification in conformity?
A
Identification occurs when someone conforms to the roles assigned to them, acting according to the expectations of that role.
22
Q
How does behaviour differ in identification?
A
A person may behave differently in their role as a shop assistant compared to their role as a friend.
23
Q
What is the key difference between compliance and internalisation?
A
Compliance does not lead to a change in private opinion, whereas internalisation does.
24
Q
What was the aim of Asch’s (1951) study?
A
To discover whether the power of the group could make a person give an obviously incorrect answer to an easy task.
25
What type of task was used in Asch's study?
A non-ambiguous task where participants judged which of three lines matched the length of a test line.
26
Who were the participants in Asch's study?
American male undergraduate students.
27
How did Asch structure the groups in his study?
Groups consisted of one naïve participant and six confederates, with the naïve participant answering last but one.
28
How many critical trials did confederates give the wrong answer in Asch's study?
Confederates gave the wrong answer on 12 of the 18 trials.
29
What percentage of critical trials resulted in conformity?
Participants conformed on 32% of the critical trials.
30
What percentage of participants conformed at least once in Asch's study?
74% of participants conformed at least once.
31
What percentage of participants never conformed in Asch's study?
26% of participants never conformed.
32
What type of conformity did participants demonstrate in Asch's study?
Compliance, as they gave the wrong answer publicly while knowing it was incorrect.
33
What does the control group in Asch's study reveal?
All participants gave the correct answer, showing the impact of group pressure on conformity.
34
Why did Asch's study lack ecological validity?
The task was trivial and not relevant to participants' belief systems.
35
How did Crutchfield's (1955) findings support Asch's study?
Crutchfield used less artificial statements, finding similar conformity levels, suggesting ecological validity for Asch's findings.
36
What historical factor challenges the temporal validity of Asch's findings?
The strict and fearful atmosphere during McCarthyism which discouraged dissent so people were afraid to speak out or disagree.
37
What did Perrin & Spencer's (1980) replication of Asch's study find?
Only one conforming response in 396 trials, suggesting Asch's findings lack temporal validity.
38
Why might Perrin & Spencer's findings differ from Asch's?
Their sample consisted of maths, chemistry, and engineering students, who may resist conformity pressures.
39
Why does Asch's study lack population validity?
It used an all-male sample, leading to androcentric bias.
40
How does culture affect the generalisability of Asch's findings?
The study's American sample (individualistic culture) may not generalise to collectivist societies, which show higher conformity.
41
What ethical issues are present in Asch's study?
Deception (participants believed the confederates were real participants) and potential harm (stress and embarrassment).
42
What effect does a non-unanimous majority have on conformity?
Conformity drops dramatically when one other participant dissents from the majority. Even if the dissenter gives a different wrong answer, conformity levels reduce significantly.
43
What was the conformity level reduced to with one dissenter, according to Asch?
Conformity levels reduced to 5% when one dissenter was present.
44
What is more effective at producing conformity: a unanimous majority of 3 or a majority of 8 with one dissenter?
A unanimous majority of 3 is more effective at producing conformity.
45
What is the conformity level when the majority size is only two people?
Conformity responses are 12.8% of the total judgements.
46
What is the optimal majority size for producing conformity according to Asch?
A majority size of 3 produces optimal conformity levels (32%).
47
Why might increasing the majority size beyond 3 not increase conformity?
People may suspect collusion if the majority rises beyond 3.
48
What happens to conformity when only one confederate is used?
No conformity effects occur.
49
How does task difficulty affect conformity?
As the task becomes more difficult (e.g., lines are closer in length), conformity levels increase.
50
What did Smith & Bond (1988) conclude about cultural differences in conformity?
People in collectivist cultures show higher levels of conformity compared to those in individualistic societies.
51
Why do collectivist cultures exhibit higher conformity levels?
Collectivist cultures focus on what is best for the group, whereas individualistic societies emphasise individual success and achievement.
52
List three factors that increase conformity levels.
Unanimous majority
Difficult task
Size of majority
53
List three factors that decrease conformity levels.
Non-unanimous majority
Majority of only 2 people
Writing responses rather than calling them aloud (private responding)
54
What was the aim of Zimbardo's Stanford Prison study?
To study identification to social roles.
55
How many participants were in Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison study, and what roles were they assigned?
25 participants were assigned to either the role of prisoner or guard.
56
What were the conditions and procedures for the prisoners in Zimbardo's study?
The prisoners were arrested at home, blindfolded, stripped, disinfected, given smocks to wear, and assigned prisoner numbers to memorise. They were referred to by number only, their toilet visits were supervised, and they were lined up for daily counts.
57
How were the guards dressed and what were they allowed to do in Zimbardo’s study?
Guards wore khaki shirts and trousers, dark glasses, and carried wooden batons. They were allowed to devise most of the rules.
58
What were the findings of Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison study?
Participants conformed to their roles so intensely that the study had to be stopped after 6 days. Guards became abusive, and some prisoners showed signs of depression, anxiety, and passive behaviour.
59
What conclusion did Zimbardo draw from his Stanford Prison study?
Zimbardo concluded that people can easily adopt uncharacteristic behaviours when placed in new situations and given specific roles.
60
What is one criticism regarding the internal validity of Zimbardo's study?
Critics argue that the participants' behaviour was influenced by demand characteristics, with some guards basing their behaviour on the movie Cool Hand Luke rather than genuinely identifying with their roles.
61
What gender and cultural biases are present in Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison study?
The study used only male participants, making it androcentric, and only American participants, making it ethnocentric. This limits the generalisability of the results.
62
What is a criticism regarding the ecological validity of Zimbardo’s study?
The study lacked ecological validity because it was not a real prison and participants hadn’t committed crimes. However, real-world evidence, such as events at Abu Ghraib prison, supports the relevance of Zimbardo's findings.
63
What real-world event is cited to support the ecological validity of Zimbardo's study?
The events at Abu Ghraib prison, where guards humiliated prisoners in ways similar to those observed in the Stanford Prison study, support its ecological validity.
64
What is the definition of obedience?
Obedience is behaving as instructed, usually in response to an individual rather than group pressure, typically within a hierarchy where the person issuing the order is of higher status.
65
How does obedience differ from conformity?
Obedience occurs within a hierarchy and involves explicit instructions from an authority figure, while conformity happens among people of equal status, with implicit group pressure and behaviour similar to the group.
66
What was the aim of Milgram’s 1963 obedience study?
To find out if ordinary Americans would obey an unjust order to inflict pain on another person.
67
What was the procedure of Milgram’s original obedience study?
Participants (teachers) were instructed to administer electric shocks to a confederate (learner) every time they answered incorrectly. The shocks increased from 15V to 450V, and participants were prodded by the experimenter to continue if they hesitated.
68
What were the key findings of Milgram’s obedience study?
65% of participants went to 450V, and all participants went to at least 300V. Many participants showed signs of extreme anxiety but continued to obey the experimenter.
69
What conclusion did Milgram draw from his obedience study?
Milgram concluded that under certain circumstances, most people will obey orders that go against their conscience, suggesting situational factors are more influential than dispositional factors.
70
What internal validity criticisms were made against Milgram's study?
Critics like Orne & Holland (1968) argued that participants may have suspected the situation was fake and were role-playing rather than genuinely obeying. Milgram countered by showing evidence that many participants believed the shocks were real.
71
How did Milgram defend the internal validity of his study?
Milgram pointed to extreme stress shown by participants (crying, trembling), post-experiment interviews, and results from similar studies (e.g., Sheridan & King) to support the idea that participants believed the shocks were real.
72
What are the criticisms related to the external validity of Milgram's study?
Milgram’s sample was androcentric (only males) and ethnocentric (only Americans), limiting population validity. However, studies in other countries (e.g., Australia, Germany) showed similar results, supporting some generalisability.
73
How did Hofling's hospital study support the external validity of Milgram’s findings?
Hofling found that 21 out of 22 nurses obeyed an authority figure over the phone to administer a dangerous drug, showing real-world obedience similar to Milgram’s results.
74
What did Rank & Jacobson's (1977) study suggest about Hofling's research?
Rank & Jacobson’s study showed that when nurses had the opportunity to consult colleagues, only 2 out of 18 nurses obeyed, suggesting Hofling's study lacked ecological validity, and that the real-world applicability of Milgram's results may be limited.
75
How does proximity affect obedience in Milgram's study?
As the proximity between the teacher and learner increases, obedience decreases. For example, when they were in the same room, only 40% of participants obeyed until the end.
76
What happens to obedience when the teacher has to force the learner's hand onto the shock plate?
Obedience drops further to 30%, as this increases the teacher's sense of responsibility for the learner's pain.
77
What effect did receiving instructions from the researcher via telephone have on obedience?
Obedience fell to 20.5%, as the authority figure’s presence was less direct and influential.
78
How did changing the location from Yale University to a seedy office affect obedience?
Obedience decreased to 48%, as the prestigious university setting provided greater legitimacy to the authority figure.
79
What effect did the experimenter’s attire (ordinary clothes instead of a lab coat) have on obedience?
Obedience decreased to 20%, as the lack of uniform reduced the experimenter’s perceived authority.
80
How did social support from two other teachers (accomplices) affect obedience?
Obedience dropped to 10%, as the teacher felt more confident to disobey with the support of others who refused to continue.
81
What was the impact of having an assistant who threw the switches on obedience?
Obedience rose to 92.5%, as the teacher felt less responsibility for administering the shocks.
82
What can be concluded about obedience based on Milgram's findings regarding proximity and authority?
Levels of obedience fall when the learner’s suffering is made more apparent (increased proximity) and when the authority figure’s legitimacy is reduced (lack of uniform, prestigious location, and absence from the room).
83
What is the concept of legitimate authority in explaining obedience?
Legitimate authority refers to the power held by authority figures whose roles are defined by society, giving them the right to control others' behaviour. People tend to obey authority figures because of socialisation, such as obeying police officers.
84
How is the concept of legitimate authority supported by Milgram's variations?
In Milgram's study, when the location changed from the prestigious Yale University to a run-down office building, obedience dropped from 65% to 48%. Additionally, when the experimenter wore ordinary clothes instead of a lab coat, obedience fell from 65% to 20%, highlighting the importance of authority and its symbols.
85
What is the graduated commitment explanation of obedience?
The graduated commitment explanation suggests that people are more likely to obey when the demands are gradually increased. Small steps make it difficult for individuals to refuse larger, escalating requests, as seen in Milgram's study with increasing shock levels.
86
How does Milgram's study support the graduated commitment explanation?
In the study, participants were first asked to agree to small, harmless tasks (e.g., participating in the experiment) and then gradually asked to administer increasingly larger shocks. The small steps made it harder for participants to refuse subsequent demands.
87
What real-world example supports the concept of graduated commitment?
A real-world example is the approach used by salespeople. For instance, a window salesman might start by asking for a harmless request (e.g., a free quote) before eventually persuading the customer to agree to an entire houseful of windows.
88
What is the agentic state in explaining obedience?
The agentic state refers to when individuals see themselves as agents of others, shifting responsibility for their actions onto the authority figure. This leads them to mindlessly obey orders, as they no longer feel personally responsible.
89
How does Milgram's study support the concept of the agentic state?
Many participants in Milgram's study claimed they were just following orders and denied personal responsibility. When they attempted to refuse, the experimenter reassured them by saying, "I am responsible."
90
How does socialisation relate to the agentic state?
From a young age, individuals are trained to obey authority at home, school, and in society. The agentic state is part of the socialisation process, reinforced by binding factors like fear of appearing rude or disrupting the social order.
91
What evidence challenges situational explanations for obedience?
Evidence against situational explanations comes from individual differences. Not all participants in Milgram's study obeyed, suggesting that factors like personality or personal experience may also influence obedience, as seen in the case of a Jewish participant who refused to harm another person.
92
What is the authoritarian personality?
The authoritarian personality is a personality type that adheres to conventional values, believes in absolute obedience to authority, and shows submissiveness to higher authority while being dismissive of those of lower status.
93
How does the authoritarian personality form in childhood?
The authoritarian personality is believed to form in childhood due to harsh parenting, including physical punishment and strict discipline. This leads to resentment and hostility toward parents, which is displaced onto weaker individuals while respecting those in higher authority.
94
How did Adorno measure the authoritarian personality?
Adorno developed the F scale, which included statements like "Obedience and respect for authority are the most important virtues children should learn." Agreement with these statements indicated an authoritarian personality. Such individuals are rigid thinkers who value social rules and hierarchies.
95
What was the key study supporting the authoritarian personality?
Elms and Milgram (1966) conducted a follow-up study, finding that obedient participants (those who continued to the final shock in Milgram's study) scored higher on the authoritarianism scale than defiant participants, supporting the link between authoritarian personality and obedience.
96
What did Elms and Milgram’s study reveal about obedient participants?
They found that obedient participants reported being less close to their fathers during childhood and admired the authority figure in Milgram’s study, aligning with traits of authoritarianism.
97
What is a criticism of the authoritarian personality explanation for obedience?
Not all obedient participants in Milgram’s study exhibited characteristics of the authoritarian personality. For example, many fully obedient participants reported having a good relationship with their parents, suggesting that situational factors may be more important than dispositional ones.
98
How did Milgram challenge the dispositional explanation of obedience?
Milgram’s study showed that situational factors, such as proximity of the victim, location, and presence of disobedient allies, strongly influenced obedience levels, thus challenging the dispositional explanation that focuses solely on personality traits.
99
How does social identity theory challenge the authoritarian personality explanation?
Social identity theory suggests that obedience during Nazi Germany may be explained by the German people's identification with the anti-Semitic Nazi state, rather than a widespread authoritarian personality. This challenges the view that all obedient individuals share the same personality traits.
100
What are methodological criticisms of the F scale?
The F scale has several weaknesses: all questions are worded in the same direction, which can lead to response bias (e.g., agreeing with all items). The absence of filler questions or lie detector questions means the questionnaire may suffer from demand characteristics or social desirability bias, reducing its internal validity.
101
What was Baumrind's criticism of Milgram’s obedience study?
Baumrind criticised Milgram for deceiving participants, as they were misled about the purpose of the study and believed they were administering real electric shocks.
102
How did Milgram defend his use of deception in his obedience study?
Milgram argued that the deception was necessary to obtain true results, as participants could not predict their behaviour. He also noted that participants were debriefed, and only 1.3% reported negative feelings.
103
What ethical concern did Baumrind raise regarding psychological harm in Milgram's study?
Baumrind was concerned that participants experienced extreme stress, such as trembling and sweating, and may have long-term guilt from learning they had given potentially lethal shocks.
104
How did Milgram defend his study against accusations of psychological harm?
Milgram argued that participants were fully debriefed and reassured that their behaviour was normal. A psychiatric examination a year later showed no lasting harm. Additionally, stress was not anticipated as Milgram's pre-experimental surveys predicted high disobedience.
105
What ethical issue did Baumrind highlight regarding the right to withdraw in Milgram’s study?
Baumrind pointed out that participants were told they had no choice but to continue, as they were urged to go on by the experimenter.
106
How did Milgram defend the right to withdraw in his study?
Milgram argued that participants could withdraw if they were determined enough, as only 65% continued to the final shock level. He also stated that they were not physically detained.
107
How was Milgram’s research deemed ethically acceptable despite criticisms?
Milgram’s research was investigated by the American Psychological Association and was considered ethically acceptable. Milgram was awarded a prize for his contribution to social psychological research, and some argued the ethical debate arose due to the distasteful nature of the findings.
108
What ethical concern did Savin raise regarding Zimbardo’s prison simulation study?
Savin criticised Zimbardo for not obtaining fully informed consent, as participants were unaware they would be arrested at home or undergo humiliating procedures like being stripped and deloused.
109
How did Zimbardo defend his study against informed consent concerns?
Zimbardo argued that participants had signed an agreement and that the research involved a set of procedures consistent with volunteer participation. He also held debriefing sessions post-study to address their reactions.
110
What was Zimbardo’s defense regarding the psychological harm in his prison simulation?
Zimbardo maintained that he did not anticipate the extreme harm, as the study's unexpected results led to the simulation being stopped after only six days. He also argued that participants were debriefed and monitored post-study.
111
How did Zimbardo address the ethical concern about the right to withdraw in his study?
Zimbardo claimed that participants were informed of their right to withdraw, but one prisoner felt unable to leave after being offered a chance to be a 'snitch.' Zimbardo argued that the participant's decision to stay was influenced by the situation rather than being forced.
112
What was the ethical concern regarding the ends justifying the means in Zimbardo’s study?
The ethical concern was that the harm caused to participants (including humiliation and stress-related symptoms) was too great compared to the benefits of the study. Zimbardo admitted that the study could have been stopped earlier and that his dual role as warden and researcher compromised ethical oversight.
113
What was Zimbardo’s conclusion regarding the ethical implications of his study?
Zimbardo acknowledged the mistakes made in his study, including the ethical issues of harm and lack of clear oversight. He emphasised that research outcomes are often unpredictable and that further studies could address these concerns.
114
What is independent behaviour in the context of social influence?
Independent behaviour occurs when individuals resist the pressure of social influence and act according to their own choices.
115
What does a dissenter do in a group, and how does it affect conformity?
A dissenter disagrees with the majority, weakening the group’s unanimity and making it easier for others to resist conformity.
116
How did the presence of a dissenter affect conformity in Asch's study?
In Asch’s variation, when there was a dissenter, conformity dropped from 32% to 5%.
117
How does group size affect the pressure to conform?
Larger groups exert more pressure to conform, while smaller groups reduce this pressure, making it easier to resist conformity.
118
How did changing the group size affect conformity in Asch’s study?
In Asch’s variation, conformity dropped from 32% to 12.8% when the group size was reduced to 2 confederates.
119
What is social support in the context of resisting obedience?
Social support is when a disobedient ally refuses to obey, which provides confidence for others to resist obedience as well.
120
How did the presence of a disobedient ally affect obedience in Milgram’s study?
In Milgram’s variation, when two confederates refused to obey, obedience dropped from 65% to 10%.
121
How does reducing legitimate authority affect obedience?
When the authority figure’s legitimacy is reduced (e.g., by changing location or clothing), people are more likely to resist obedience.
122
How did changing the location of the Milgram experiment affect obedience?
Obedience dropped from 65% to 48% when the location was changed from Yale University to a seedy office.
123
How did changing the experimenter’s clothing affect obedience in Milgram’s study?
When the experimenter wore normal clothes instead of a lab coat, obedience dropped from 65% to 20%.
124
How does feeling responsible for actions impact obedience?
Feeling responsible for the consequences of one’s actions makes it easier to resist obedience, as seen when participants saw the learner's distress in Milgram’s study.
125
How did participants’ responsibility for the learner’s distress affect obedience in Milgram’s study?
When participants saw the learner in the same room and could clearly observe their distress, obedience dropped to 40% because participants felt more responsible.
126
What is locus of control (LoC)?
Locus of control refers to an individual’s perception of personal control over their own behaviour.
127
What is the difference between internal and external locus of control?
Internals believe they have control over their actions, while externals believe their actions are determined by external factors (e.g., luck or powerful others).
128
How do individuals with an internal locus of control behave in terms of conformity and obedience?
Individuals with an internal LoC are more likely to resist conformity and obedience because they believe they have control over their actions.
129
Why are people with an internal locus of control more likely to resist social influence?
Internals seek information that is useful to them, take responsibility for their actions, and are more confident, making them less likely to conform or obey.
130
How did Burger and Cooper’s study relate to locus of control and conformity?
In their study, participants with an internal LoC were less likely to conform to the group’s ratings of cartoons, supporting the link between internal LoC and resistance to conformity.
131
How did Elms and Milgram’s research relate to locus of control and obedience?
Elms and Milgram found that disobedient participants in Milgram’s study had a high internal LoC, supporting the idea that internals are more likely to resist obedience.
132
What did Twenge et al.’s meta-analysis suggest about the relationship between locus of control and social influence?
Twenge et al. found that people’s LoC has become more external over time, despite becoming more resistant to conformity and obedience, challenging the link between internal LoC and resistance.
133
What is one possible explanation for the increase in external locus of control over time?
The increase in external LoC may be due to societal changes where many factors are out of personal control, affecting individuals' perceptions of their ability to influence outcomes.
134
What is Minority Influence?
Minority Influence is when a small group or individual persuades others to adopt their beliefs, attitudes, or behaviours.
135
What is the result of Minority Influence?
Minority Influence leads to internalisation, where both private attitudes and public behaviours are changed.
136
What are the key factors that help minorities influence others?
The key factors are consistency, commitment, flexibility, and persuasiveness.
137
How does consistency help in minority influence?
Consistency makes the minority’s belief more persuasive, encouraging others to reconsider their views because the minority maintains their stance over time.
138
How does commitment help in minority influence?
Commitment shows that the minority is dedicated to their cause, possibly risking harm or benefiting society, which can make others take them seriously.
139
How does flexibility help in minority influence?
Flexibility allows the minority to compromise and adapt their views, making them appear reasonable instead of rigid or dogmatic.
140
How does persuasiveness help in minority influence?
Persuasiveness involves the minority presenting clear arguments, such as scientific reasons, to win others over to their position.
141
What was the aim of Nemeth’s mock jury study?
The aim was to investigate whether flexibility is a key factor in minority influence.
142
What were the conditions in Nemeth’s mock jury study?
In Condition 1 (Inflexible), the minority argued for a low compensation and refused to change their position. In Condition 2 (Flexible), the minority argued for a low compensation but compromised to offer a slightly higher amount.
143
What were the findings of Nemeth’s study on flexibility?
In Condition 1 (Inflexible), the minority had little or no effect. In Condition 2 (Flexible), the majority was more likely to compromise and change their view.
144
What is the conclusion of Nemeth’s study?
Flexibility is important for minority influence, and a balance between consistency and flexibility is most successful.
145
What was the aim of Moscovici’s study on minority influence?
The aim was to investigate if a minority could influence a majority group and the role of consistency in this process.
146
What was the procedure of Moscovici’s study?
Six American females, with two confederates (minority) and four naïve participants (majority), were shown 36 blue slides of different shades. The minority said the slides were green.
147
What were the two conditions in Moscovici’s study?
Condition 1: Consistent minority (confederates) said green on all trials.
Condition 2: Inconsistent minority (confederates) said green on 2/3 of trials.
148
What were the findings of Moscovici’s study?
In Condition 1 (Consistent minority), 8% of trials showed minority influence, and 32% of participants said green at least once.
In Condition 2 (Inconsistent minority), 1% of trials showed minority influence.
149
What is the conclusion of Moscovici’s study?
Minorities can influence a majority, but only when they are consistent.
150
What ethical criticism is there regarding Moscovici’s study?
Participants were deceived about the aim of the study, meaning they did not give fully informed consent. However, debriefing afterwards justifies the deception.
151
What sample criticism is there regarding Moscovici’s study?
The study used a biased sample of only females, meaning results may not apply to males, who could show different levels of minority influence.
152
What cultural criticism is there regarding Moscovici’s study?
The study used a biased sample of Americans, an individualistic society, so the results may not apply to collectivist societies, which might show different levels of minority influence.
153
What is the ecological validity criticism of Moscovici’s study?
The task (judging the colour of slides) is artificial and does not reflect real-world minority influence, such as political campaigns, so the study lacks ecological validity.
154
What is the conclusion regarding Moscovici’s research despite criticisms?
Despite methodological problems, Moscovici’s research is supported by findings from a meta-analysis of almost 100 studies, which found that consistent minorities are the most influential.
155
What is social change?
Social change occurs when whole societies adopt new attitudes, beliefs, and ways of doing things.
156
How do minorities bring about social change?
Through consistency, commitment, flexibility, persuasiveness, the snowball effect, and when society is ready for change (zeitgeist).
157
What is the snowball effect in minority influence?
It is when a minority slowly gathers more supporters until it becomes the majority.
158
What is zeitgeist in social change?
The spirit of the time, indicating when society is ready for change.
159
How did MLK and Nelson Mandela demonstrate consistency?
By leading civil rights movements and opposing apartheid consistently over many years.
160
How did Rosa Parks and the suffragettes demonstrate commitment?
Rosa Parks risked arrest by refusing to give up her bus seat, and suffragettes risked imprisonment and death for their cause.
161
How did the smoking ban campaign show persuasiveness and flexibility?
It used medical evidence to highlight health risks and allowed smoking in outside spaces as a compromise.
162
What is an example of the snowball effect in social change?
The gradual acceptance of gay rights, leading to equal rights like gay marriage.
163
What is an example of zeitgeist in social change?
Increased societal awareness about plastic pollution has led to more people recycling.
164
How has climate change activism demonstrated consistency?
By maintaining the same message about environmental degradation since the 1960s.
165
How has climate change activism demonstrated commitment?
Activists attend protests, sacrifice personal time, and risk arrest to push for environmental change.
166
How has climate change activism demonstrated persuasiveness?
By using widely accepted scientific data and charismatic leaders like Greta Thunberg.
167
How has climate change activism demonstrated flexibility?
By achieving gradual victories, like increased use of renewable energy and electric cars.
168
How does normative social influence lead to social change?
By influencing people to conform to behaviours perceived as normal within their group.
169
What study supports the role of conformity in social change?
A California study where messages about neighbours reducing energy use led to decreased energy consumption.
170
How can obedience bring about social change?
Through disobedient role models and graduated commitment, making it easier to accept bigger changes over time.
171
Why might people resist social change despite agreeing with it?
Due to negative stereotypes, such as associating environmentalists with being 'tree huggers.'
