Social Influence Flashcards
(58 cards)
1
Q
Define conformity
A
Change in person’s behaviour/opinion as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person/group
2
Q
Define compliance
A
- Superficial + temporary
- Publically go along w/ group but privately disagree
- Change only lasts as long as group is present
3
Q
Define identification
A
- Moderate
- Act same as group bc value it + want to be part of it
- Don’t agree w/ everything majority believes
4
Q
Define internalisation
A
- Deep
- Take on majority view bc we accept it as correct
- Leads to permanent change even if group is absent
5
Q
Define informational social influence
A
- Agree w/ majority bc accept it as correct + want to be correct
- Leads to internalisation
- Occurs when: situation is ambiguous
6
Q
Define normative social influence
A
- Agree w/ majority bc want to be accepted + gain social approval
- Leads to compliance
- Occurs when: need social approval + w/ familiar people
7
Q
Evaluate ISI
A
(+) Research support - Lucas et al, students ans maths problems (easy/hard). More conformity when hard esp w/ students who rated maths skills as poor.
(-) Individual diff - Perrin + Spencer found engineering students conformed less. More knowledgeable = less influenced by majority
8
Q
Evaluate NSI
A
(+) Research support - Asch asked ppts why they agreed w/ wrong ans - felt self-conscious + afraid of disapproval
(-) Individual diff - nAffiliators (people w/ greater need for social relationship) are more likely to conform
9
Q
Outline Asch’s procedure into conformity
A
- Recruited 123 American male students - each tested individually w/ group btw 6-8 confed
- Each trial ppts identified length of standard line
- Each participated in 18 trials
- 12 critical trials- confed gave wrong ans
10
Q
Outline Asch’s Findings + conclusion
A
- Ppts gave wrong ans 36.8% of the time
- 25% ppts never gave wrong ans, 75% at least once
- Most said they conformed to avoid rejection (NSI) + privately disagree w/ majority (compliance)
11
Q
What were the variables that Asch changed in his study?
A
- Group size
- Unanimity
- Task difficulty
12
Q
Outline how group size affected conformity in Asch’s research
A
- No. confed varied btw 1-15
- Conformity:
- W/ 2 : 13.6%
- W/ 3 : 31.8% - adding more made little diff
13
Q
Outline how unanimity affected conformity in Asch’s research
A
- Added accurate/inaccurate dissenter
- presence of dissenter: dec 25% - enabled ppts to behave more independantly
14
Q
Outline how task difficulty affected conformity in Asch’s research
A
- Made task harder by making lines similar in lengths
- Conformity inc when difficulty inc
- ISI plays greater role when task becomes harder - situation more ambiguous so look to others for guidance
15
Q
Evaluate Asch’s study
A
(+) High degree of control - Manipulated lines to make task harder. Variables easy to manipulate
(-) Experiment was artificial - Task was trivial so no reason not to conform. Low ecological validity
(-) Ethical issues - ppts decieved, told visual line judgement task.
(-) Cultural bias - Smith + Bond suggest conformity rates higher in collectivist (37%) than individualist (25%)
16
Q
Outline the procedure of Zimbardo’s study into conformity to social roles
A
- Set up mock prison in Stanford uni
- 24 emotionslly stable students determined by psychological testing - randomly assigned roles
- Prisoners arrested at homes + blindfolded, strip searched, deloused + issued no. + uniform (deindividuated)
- Guards uniform : wooden club, handcuffs, keys + mirror shades. Told they had complete power over prisoners
17
Q
Outline Zimbardo’s findings + conclusion
A
- 2 days : prisoners rebelled against treatment
- Guards became abusive towards prisoners
- Prisoners became passive + accepting
- Both P + G conformed to social roles
- Supposed to last 2 weeks but ended after 6 days
- 5 prisoners released early bc extreme reactions to situation
18
Q
Evaluate Zimabardo’s study
A
(+) Conducted ethically - approved by ethics comittee + ppts debriefed
(+) Real world application - explains Abu Ghraib (Iraq prison). Suggests situation factors influence people’s behaviour
(-) Lack realism - acting based on stereotypes. Results lack validity
(-) Unethical - Zimbardo became the superintended. Unable to protect ppts
19
Q
Define obedience
A
Form of social influence in which an individual follows direct orders
20
Q
Outline Milgram’s procedure
A
- 40 male ppts aged 20-50 (unskilled to professional) through newspaper ads - said memory study
- Drew lots, Mr Wallace was always the learner while ppts was teacher + experimenter wore lab coat
- Learner in another room
- Ppt would give series of inc electric shocks if ans was wrong.
- Started at 15v upto 450v. At 300v learner pounded on wall + gave no response (told treat as wrong ans)
- if teacher unsure, prods given
21
Q
Outline the prods given to the teacher (ppt) by the experimenter
A
- ‘Please continue’
- ‘The experimenter requires that you continue’
- ‘It is absolutely essential that you continue’
- ‘You have no other choice, you must go on’
22
Q
Outline Milgram’s findings and conclusions
A
- 100% uptil 300v
- 65% uptil 450v
- Ppts were seen to sweat, tremble + groan
- 3 ppts had full blown uncontrollable seizures
- Prior to study Migram asked psy students to predict ppts behviour, said 3% would continue to 450v
- Ppts debriefed + assured behaviour was normal. Follow up questionnaire showed 84% reported they’re glad to have participated
23
Q
Evaluate Milgram’s study
A
(+) High external validity - Hofling et al 21/22 nurses willing to give lethal injection following phone instructions from ‘doctor’
(+) Supporting study - French TV show 80% gave 450v to apparently unconsious man
(-) Low internal validity - ppts didn’t believe shocks were real due to calm demeanor of experimentor
(-) Unethical - ppts were decieved
24
Q
Define situational variables
A
External factors that influence level of obedience
25
Give the 3 factors that Milgram changed to test for explanations for obedience based on situational variables
* **Proximity**
* **Location**
* **Uniform**
26
Outline Milgram's research into variation of proximity
* **Proximity variation** - teacher + learner **same room** : **40%**
* **Touch proximity variation** - **force hand** on plate : **30%**
* **Remote-instruction proximity variation** - instructed over the **phone** : **20.5%**, pps also **pretended** to give shocks/gave **weaker** shocks
27
Outline Milgram's research into variation of location
* **Run down building** rather than **prestigious Yale uni**
* **47.5%**
28
Outline Milgram's research into variation of uniform
* OG: experimenter wore **lab coat**
* Experimenter called away, taken over by **member of public**
* **20%** - **lowest** of variations
29
Evaluation Milgram's research based on situational variables
**(+) Replicated in other culture** - **90%** obedience in **Spanish students**, findings not limited to American males
**(+) Control variables** - **altered variable 1** at a time, control gives **certainty** that change in obedience due to variable manipulated
**(-) Lack internal validity** - pps likely to realise procedure is **fake** bc of **extra manipulation**
**(-) Replication in Western countries**
30
# Define social-psychological factors
Give examples
* Concerns w/ **influence of others** on individuals behaviour
* Eg.
- **Agentic state**
- **Legitimacy of authority**
31
Describe the agentic state as a factor affecting obedience
* AS : feels **no personal responsibilty** for action
* **Autonomous state** : **responsible** for actions
* **Agentic shift** occurs when we **perceive** someone as **authority figure** + want to **maintain +ve self image**
* **Binding factors** : aspects that allow person to **ignore/minimise damaging effect** + **reduce moral strain**
32
Describe legitimacy of authority as a factor affecting obedience
* For **authority** to be **perceived** as **legitimate**, must occur w/in **instututional structure eg. military**
* **Accept authority figure** bc allows **society** to **function smoothly**
* Consequence: grant people to punish others
33
Evaluate the agentic state as an explanation for obedience
**(+) Research support** - **Blass** showed **students** film of **Milgram's study** + asked to **identify responsible** for **harm**, **blamed experimenter**
**(-) Doesn't explain all research findings** - **Hofling** : nurses should've **shown anxiety** bc **understood** role in **destructive process** but **not** the **case**
34
Evaluate legitimacy of authority as an explanation for obedience
**(+) Account for cultural diff** - countries **differ** in **obedience** to **authority**, **aus**: **16%** + **germans** : **85%** reached **highest voltage** - **cross-culture research inc validity** of exp
**(+) Explain real life** - **My Lai,** soldiers given orders to rape + kill, **assumed orders** given by **hierarchy** as **legal**
35
# Define dispositional explanations
Give an example
* Any **explanation** of behaviour that highlights importance of **individual's personality**
* **Authoritarian personality**
36
Outline the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience
* **Exaggerated respect** for authority + **submissive**
* **Contempt** for **inferior**
* **Conventional attitudes** towards **race** + **gender**
* **Forms** in **childhood** through **harsh parenting** (**conditional love**) - creates **resentment** + **hostility** that **can't** be **expressed** to **parents** so **displaced** to those **socially weaker**
37
Outline Adorno's study into the authoritarian personality
* **2000 middle class white Americans**
* Measured by **potential for fascism scale** (**f-scale**) eg. "obedience + respect for authority is the most important virtue for children to learn"
* **Authoritarians** (**scored high**) identified w/ **strong people** + **contemptuous** of **weak**, **conscious** of **own** + **others** **status**
38
Evaluate the authoritarian personality as an explanation for obedience
**(+) Research support** - **Milgram** found **high authoritarianism** in **obedient pp** than disobedient
**(-) Research uses correlation** - doesn't mean AP causes obedience, might be 3rd factor
**(-) Exp based on flawed methodology** - F-scale is **comedy of methodological errors**: **worded** in **same direction** so might just **measure tendency** to **agree**
**(-) Limited exp** - **Mil germans** displayed **obedience** but all **diff personality**
39
What are the 2 explanations for resisting social influence?
* **Social support**
* **Locus of control**
40
Define social support
Perception that a person has **assistance** available from other people + part of **supportive network**
41
Outline social support as an explanation to resisting social influence
* Enables us to **resist pressures** from majority
* Conformity: **breaks unanimity**
* Obedience: disobedient peer acts as **role model**, can base behaviour on
42
How long does the effect of social support last?
**Not** long
43
Explain what is meant by locus of control
* Person's perception of **personal control** of their own **behaviour**
* **Measured** on **scale** of high ext. one end + high int other end
* High **ext**: result of **ability** + **effort**
* High **int**: controlled by **fate** + **luck**
44
Why do internals show greater resistance to social influence?
* Person who takes **personal responsibility** for actions are **more likel**y to **base decisions** on **own belief**
* More **self confident**, higher intelligence + **less** **need** for **social approval** - **traits** lead to **greater resistance**
45
Evaluate social support as an explanation to resistance to social support
**(+) Research supporting** **role of dissenter in resisting comformity** - **Allen** found **independence inc** w/ dissenter in Asch study, even when wearing **thick glasses** + **vision problems** - breaks pressure
**(+)Research supporting role of dissenter in resisting obedience** - **Gamson** found higher levels of of rebellions (**29/33**) than Milgram (pps in **groups**)
46
Evaluate LOC as an explanation of resistance to social support
**(+) Research support linking LOC + resistance to obedience** - **Holland** repeated Milgram's study + **measured LOC**, **37% int** didn't continue to highest + **23% ext**
**(-) Resreach not supporting link** - **Twenge et al meta analysis** found **American** became **more independent** but **more ext**
47
Define minority influence
* Form of social influence where by **minority persuade** others to **adopt** their **beliefs** + **behaviours**
* Leads to **internalisation**
* Involves: **consistency**, **commitment** + **flexibility**
48
Outline the role of consistency in minority influence
* Makes others **rethink** their **own view** - **'maybe they've got a point if they all think this way + keep saying it'**
* **Synchronic** consistency - people **saying same thing**
* **Diachronic** cinsistency - saying same thing for **some time**
49
Outline the role of commitment in minority influence
* **Gains attention** through **extreme activities**
* **Augmentation principl**e: **majority** pays **more attention**
* **'Wow, he must really believe in what he's saying, i ought to consider his view'**
50
Outline the role of flexibility in minority influence
* Repeating the **same argument** is seen as **rigid** + **off putting**
* **Should adapt +** accept reasonable counter arguments
51
Outline Moscovici's study into minority influence
* Procedure:
- Group of **6** viewed **36 blue-green slides** varying in intensity + **stated** if slide is **green/blue**
- **3 condition**s: confed **consistently** said **green**, confed **inconstistent** + **control group** (no confed)
* Findings: 1) **same wrong ans 8.42%** of **trials**, **32%** gave **wrong** ans at least **once** 2) **1.25%** 3) **0.25%**
52
Evaluate minority incluence
**(+) Research supporting consistency** - **Moscovici**
**(-) Research uses artificial task** - **far removed** from how minorities change majority opinion in **real life**, **jury** : matter of life + death - **low eco val**
**(-) Majority + minority not so distinct** - real life there is **more involved** in diff. than **group size**. **Minority** are **commited** to cause bc have to **face hostile opposition** - lab based MI **doesn't represent real world**
53
Q: Impact of social inluence on social change
**Lessons from (minority influence/conformity/obedience) research have shown that..**
54
Define social influence
Process by which **individuals/groups change** each others **opinions** + **behaviours**. Include: **conformity**, **obedience** + **minority influence**
55
Lessons from minority influence research shows that...
* eg. **civil rights movement**
* **Attention**: **marches** drew attentions to segregation
* **Consistent**: showed consistency of message
* **Deeper processing**: many people **accepted status quo** + thought about **unjustness**
* **Augmentation principle**: **freedom riders** got on buses - got beaten + suffered mob violence
* **Snowball effect**: **Civil rights activists** gradually got **attentions** + **civil rights act passed** - minority to majority
* **Social cryptomnesia**: Have **memory** that **change** happened **but not how**
56
Lessons from conformity research shows that...
57
Lessons from obedience research shows that...
* **Milgram**: **disobedient role models**
* **Zimbardo**: once small instruction obeyed, harder to resist bigger one - **gradual commitment**
58
Evaluate the effects of social influence in social change
**(+) Research support for role of NSI** - **Nolan** hung messages saying residents are trying to **reduce energy usage**, **sig dec** compared to control group w/ no ref. to other people
**(-) Minority considered deviant** - **influence dec**, majority avoid agreeing to **avoid** being seen as deviant
**(-) Methodological issues w/ evidence to social change** - **artificial** - **low eco val**
