Social Influnce Flashcards
(27 cards)
name 3 situational variables affecting conformity
proximity, location, uniform
key study on obedience
Milgram
what was the procedure for milgrams study.
40 participants told it was a study on punishment affecting learning
participant( teacher) read out word pairs
shocked learner if answer was incorrect
what were the findings of milgrams study
found that 65% of participants went to the maximum shock level
only 12.5% stopped at 300 volts
study on variable obedience proximity
milgram re conducted the study but teacher and learner sat in same room.
obedience fell to 40%
study on variables on obedience location
milgram changed the location of his study from yale university to a run down office. conformity did drop but no significantly 48% participants maxed out
study on variables on obedience uniform
bushman-femal researcher dressed in either police uniform, business dress or a beggar
obedience highest at 72% in police uniform
does milgrams research into obedience have historical validity?
yes, blass conducted out a statistical analysis of obedience studies and found no more or less obedience in the studies conducted earlier or later on
criticism of milgrams explanations for obedience. real life atrocities
claimed that his research could be used to explain real like atrocities, but others concluded that using obedience masks the real reason for the behaviour eg antisemitism
define the authoritarian personality
a distinct personality pattern characterised by strict adherence to conventional values and a belief in absolute obedience or submission to authority
state a dispositions factor of obedience
authoritarian
key study on authoritarian personality
elms and milgram
procedure of elms and milgram
20 obedient 20 defiant participants from milgrams original study. competed the F scale and asked questions about childhood relationship with parents
what did elms and milgram find
higher levels of authoritarian personality with participants classed as obedient
evaluative point elms and milgram. education
milgram found that participants with lower levels of education tended to be more obedient.
lack of education could be responsible for authoritarianism and obedience
evaluate elms and milgrams study. social context
milgram showed that the primary cause of obedience is situational variables rather than dispositions.
specific social situations cause participants to obey or resist
what is the procedure of zimbardos study
24 male student
participants were taken to mock prison and given role of prisoner or guard
study was to happen for 2 weeks
what did zimbardo find?
guards became tyrannical and abusive
prisoners emotional state deteriorated
study had to be stopped after 6 days
evaluate zimbardos study. not automatic
conformity to roles is not automatic, guards varied in how aggressive they were to prisoners
problem with zimbardos study. demand characteristics
behaviour from the guards and prisoners was not due to their response to a compelling prison environment but rather it was a response to powerful demand characteristics in the experimental situation itself
basic assumption of social learning theory
learn how to behave through observing others
define vicarious reinforcement
individual learns about the likely of consequences thorough observing a model
what is the key study for social learning
Bandura
what is the procedure of banduras study?
children either observed an aggressive or non aggressive adult towards a bobo doll
child was then shown toys and watched to see how they would respond