Social Influence Flashcards
(41 cards)
What’s conformity ?
Individual is influenced to change their behaviour due to pressure from others
What are the three types of conformity ?
Compliance
Identification
Internalisation
What’s compliance ?
Superficial conformity
Is where an individual publicly agrees with the views of the majority but privately disagrees with them so it’s weak and temporary
It’s done to fit into the group / be liked
What’s identification ?F
Moderate level of conformity
It’s were an individual agrees publicly and privately with the views of the majority but only whilst part of the group once away from the group they disagree with the views
What’s internalisation ?
Deep conformity
Individual agrees with the beliefs and views of the majority both privately and publicly even when they are away from the group as they believe it’s right
Outline Asch’s study on conformity:
AIM:
- to investigate whether individuals would conform to the majority even when correct answer was obvious
PROCEDURE:
- 123 male Americans
- visual perception task
- shown standard line then three comparison lines and had to identify which matched
- each ppt placed in groups of 6-8 where the rest were confederates and had been instructed to give wrong answer on certain trials
- control group no confederates and ppt gave all correct answers
- ppt always answers 2nd to last
FINDINGS:
- overall conformity rate was 36.8%
- 75% of ppt conformed at least once
- 25% never conformed
What were Asch’s variations in the study ?
GROUP SIZE:
1 confederate: 3% conformity
3 confederates: 32% conformity
15 confederates: conformity decrease as ppt become suspicious
UNANIMITY:
dissenter introduced
Those that agreed with ppt conformity dropped from 36.8% to 5.5%
Those disagree with both confederate and ppt conformity dropped to 9%
TASK DIFFICULTY:
More difficult the task the higher the conformity due to ppt relying on the majority for guidance
What’re the strengths for Asch’s study on conformity ?
Lucas et al conducted similar study with hard math equations and findings supported Asch. As task got harder conformity increases therefore increasing validity of Asch’s theory
What are the limitations of Asch’s study on conformity ?
Ppt with high confidence in their maths ability in Lucas et al study conformed less on hard tasks so therefore it’s less generalisable
Asch’s procedure not linked to everyday life so lacks ecological validity. Williams and Sogon found that ppl conform more when with friends. Asch’s study doesn’t involve friends so lacks generalisability to irl scenarios
What did Deutschmark and Gerard on explanations of conformity ?
Developed 2 theory’s based on 2 central human needs
- need to be liked (normative social influence)
- need to be right (informational social influence)
What’s normative social influence ? (Explanations for conformity)
The need to be liked
Type of conformity is compliance
It’s more an emotional process than cognitive
Research to support:
Ppt in Asch’s study admitted they conformed to look less stupid or be odd one out
What’s informational social influence ? (explanations for conformity)
Desire to be right and need for certainty
Type of conformity is internalisation
It’s a cognitive process
Research to support:
Jenness:
Ppt estimated number of beans in a jar then discussed in a group then they asked again privately and the answer changed close to groups discussion
What’s a social role ?
Behaviours expected of individuals in different social groups, such as parents, students
Comes with shared expectations abt appropriate behaviour
What are dispositional factors ?
They’ve sadisitc personalities
(Enjoy inflicting pain)
What’re situational factors ?
It’s the situation that creates behaviour
How did Zimbardo investigate into conformity to social roles ?
- Set up mock prison in basement of Stanford University
- Observational study - controlled, pot, overt
- Emotionally stable ppt given either role of guard or prisoner
- ‘Prisoners’ blindfolded, arrested
- guard given night stick, dark glasses, uniform and told to maintain order
- prisoners daily routine heavily regulated by guards working in shifts
- dehumanisation of prisoners
- study was planned for two weeks but had to be stopped early
Outline the timeline of Zimbardos study on conformity to social roles:
DAY 1:
- 24 emotionally stage male students randomly assigned guard or prisoner
- Prosoners arrested at home and blindfolded, strip searched and given uniform and an ID number
- Guards given uniforms, batons, sunglasses and full control over prisoners daily routines
DAY 2:
- Prisoner rebelled, refusing to follow orders, tearing uniforms, shouting at guards
- Guards responded harshly using fire extinguishers and breaking up rebellion by isolating ringleaders
DAY 3:
- guards increased punishments (humiliation, verbal abuse, sleep deprivation)
- prisoners became submissive
- prisoner 8612 showed psychological distress and had to leave the study
DAY 4:
- more prisoners broke done and were released
- one prisoner went on hunger strike guards force fed him and locked him in the dark
DAY 5:
- guards became increasingly sadistic and deindividuated showing extreme aggression and psychological control over prisoners
- prisoners become emotionally detached, anxious and submissive
DAY 6:
- Zimbardos gf saw conditions and questioned the ethics of the research causing the study to finish on day 6
What is the strength of Zimbardos study ?
Ppt treated it as a real prison environment
Found 90% of convo between prisoners was abt prison life
What’re the limitations of Zimbardos study ?
Ppt may be acting instead of conforming
Banuazizi and Mouahedi argued ppt behaviours based on stereotypical depictions therefore it lacks internal validity
The study has ethical issues ppt were not protected from psychological harm
What’re situational explanations ?
Attributes behaviour to external environmental factors rather than internal personal characteristics
What’s the autonomous state ?
Individual is independent and free so can their behaviour is according to their own actions and principles
What’s the agentic shift?
Occur when person perceives someone else as an authority figure due to positioning in social hierarchy and it’s the shift from autonomous to agentic state
What’s the agentic state ?
Feel no responsibility for our behaviour because we act for an authoritative figure but have high anxiety when realising they are doing sommat wrong but feel powerless to disobey
What factors keep ppl in agentic state ?
Binding factors: aspect of situation that’ll allow person to ignore or minimise the damaging effect of their behaviour
Reduces the ‘mental strain’ they’re feeling
