Social Influence Flashcards
(35 cards)
ASCHS Study (Method)
-8-10 Male students who were placed in a room, with one naive participant
-They were giving sticks and had too determine which of the 3 lines matched the original line.
-36.8% conformed
-25% never conformed
-75% conformed atleast once
What variables did ASCH investigate and explain
-Group Size
Found a curve linear relationship between conformity and group size. Up to 3 confederates, conformity rose to 31.8% but then stayed the same.
-Unanimity
One confederate consistently either gave the wrong or the right answer. When there was a dissenter, it allowed the participant to behave more independently. More unanimity= more conformity
-Task difficulty
As the task difficulty increased, conformity also increased. This can be explained by informational social influence.
Strength of ASCHS - Baseline study (AO3)
One strength of Aschs baseline study is that there is research support. For example, Todd et al, conducted a study where individuals were given math tasks and their conformity was tracked. Findings showed that the harder the task was, more conformity there was which supports Asch’s idea of the harder the task is made, the more conformity there will be. This shows that there Aschs variables have validity.
Counter Point for Aschs study strength (AO3)
However, Todd did find that conformity is a lot more complex than Asch’s study as individuals who were smarter didn’t need to conform as much. This shows that there are also individual based factors to conformity which are not explored by Asch as he simplifies conformity.
Limitation of Asch’s Study (Artificial Task)
One limitation of Asch’s task is that the task is artificial. This means that because the task doesn’t matter to the participants, they may give into demand characteristics and conform for the sake of the study. This means that the findings from this study cannot be generalised to real life situations, especially where the consequences of conformity are more important.
Limitation of Asch’s Study (AO3)(Male participants)
One limitation of Aschs study is the sample used. For example, all the participants were American men, studies have shown that conformity varies between males and females. The U.S is an individualistic society where people are more concerned about themselves. Aschs study conducted in collectivists countries showed that conformity rates did differ. This shows that Aschs study tells us little about conformity as it lacks external validity so it cannot be generalised.
What is Identification?
Identification is when you conform to a group and their ideas only in public when you are with them and not in private.
What is Internalisation ?
Internalisation is when an individual both accepts a groups views in public and also in public. They conform to the group. They also hold these values when they are no longer with the group.
What is compliance ?
Compliance is when you conform in social settings without changing your own views and beliefs both in public and private.
Normative Social Influence
A two-way process which is based of the basic human needs. This is linked to identification and is a temporary emotional process. It is when individuals conform to a group to be liked and accepted by them. They hold their beliefs especially when they are accepted by the group.
Informational social influence
This is an permanent cognitive process. When you want to be correct so you copy someone else’s behaviours as you believe they are correct. This usually happens in new situations where you don’t know what you are doing and also when there isn’t unanimity.
Resistance to social conformity (Social support)
Resistance to social influence can be resisted when a dissenter acts as a model for the naive participant, helping them gain agency over their decisions.
Resistance to social obedience
Resistance to social obedience happens when there is also a dissenter who does not obey the rules. In Milgrams study conformity rates dropped from 65% to 10% when there was a dissenter present. This is because authority is challanged
Locus of Control (LOC)
Proposed by Rutter.
Internal LOC individuals believe that they are in charge of their own actions and control their own fate.
External LOC individuals believe that external forces control their fate and they are not in charge.
What is the LOC continuum
The LOC continuum is the idea that the LOC is a scale and individuals can be placed anywhere on the scale.
Why do internal LOC resist social influence
Internal LOC are more likely to resist social influence this is because they believe that they are morally responsible for their own actions and are fully autonomous so they pick based on their morals thus are more likely to resist social change. They are also smarter ,more achievement orientated people , and confident people so they don’t need the social approval of other people.
Strength of resistance to Social conformity (AO3)(Teen preg study)
One strength of resistance to social influence is evidence support. For example, researchers started a programme for teen mums to resist smoking. Half the participants were teamed with an older mentor. Results showed that teens with a mentor were more likely to resist the social pressure of smoking compared to the control group with no mentor. This shows that there is real life application to resisting conformity if there is an individual present to behave as a model.
Strength of resistance to Social obedience (AO3)(Smear campaign)
One strength of resistance to social obedience is research support. For example, 33 groups of participants were asked to run a smear campaign against an oil company. When given time to discuss, 88% of groups refused to run the campaign, resisting obedience. This shows that research into social obedience has validity as with a model dissenter, individuals become autonomous.
Strength of the relationship between LOC and resistance (AO3)(Research support)
One strength of the relationship between LOC and resistance is research support. For example, researchers repeated MIlgrams study and identified whether an individual was internal or external LOC. Findings showed that indivudals with internal LOC resisted obedience 37% of the time compared to external LOC which resisted influence only 23% of the time. This shows that there is validity between LOC and Resistance as it provides an explanation as to why people resist social influence
Limitation of the relationship between LOC and resistance (AO3)(Contradictory research)
One limitation of the relationship between LOC and resistance is contradictory research. For example, researchers studied American LOC studies over 40 years and found over this span people became more resistance to social influence but also became more external. This contradicts Rotters research and shows that it lacks ecological validity as it fails to provide a complete explanation as to why people resist social influence.
Three factors that help the minority convert the majority
Consistency
When participants repeat the same message over time (diachronic consistency), and all participants share the same message (synchronic)
What is a social role
A pattern of behaviour that is expected of people who have a certain role or position
Milgram’s Study (A03)(TV series)
One strength of Milgrams baseline study is the replicability. For example, a french documentary replicated Milgrams study where the participants had to deliver shocks. 80% of the participants delivered shocks up to 460 volts. Furthermore, particpants also showed similar behaviour to Milgrams participants such as anxiety, stress and nail biting. This supports Milgrams findings and shows the replicability of his study.
Milgram’s study (AO3)(Demand characteristics)
One limitation of Milgrams baseline study is that it may have not been studying obedience. For example, Milgram claimed that 75% of participants believed that the shocks were real however, researchers who studied Milgram’s tapes found that 2/3 of the participants didn’t believe that the shocks were real. Therefore, the participants may have only been delivering the shocks because to conform to the study as there may have been demand characteristics.
