Social Influence- Conformity and Obedience

Define Internalisation

• individual genuinely accepts beliefs and behaviours of the group

• strongest form of conformity

• Public and private

• Long lasting

• Linked to ISI

Define Compliance

• Individual changes their behaviour to fit in with the group

• Privately disagrees

• Weakest form of conformity

• Public

• Linked to NSI

AO3 Points of NSI- Strength

• real life applications- many kids would bully one person not because they think it is right, but to avoid rejection from their peers. (2006)

AO3 of ISI- Strength

research evidence- Participants more likely to conform to incorrect answers in a math task when questions were more difficult. (2006)

AO3 of NSI AND ISI- Limitation

May not be two separate processes, they can work together.

eg. A dissenting confederate provides social support- which reduces both NSI AND ISI (1955)

AO3 of NSI AND ISI- Limitation

• they don’t fully explain individual differences in conformity

• Milgrims study showed some participants resisting social pressure. eg. could be personality, confidence, characteristics (2009)

When was Asch’s experiment done?

1956

How many students took part in Asch’s experiment?

123

What test were participants told they were taking part in for Asch’s experiment?

A vision test

On how many trials did the confederates provide the same incorrect answer?

12 out of 18

What was the percentage of the amount of participants who conformed to the incorrect trials?

36.8%

How many participants conformed at least once

75%

How many participants never conformed?

25%

AO3 of Asch’s study- Strengths

• high internal validity

• strict control of extraneous variables

• - Practical applicants

AO3 of Asch’s study- Limitations

• low ecological validity because task was artificial

• culturally and historically biased

• ethical concerns because of deception

What was the range of the amount of confederates when changing the group size in Asch’s experiment?

1-15

In Asch’s study, how many people conformed when a dissenter was present?

5%

When was Milgram’s experiment done?

1974

What do individuals feel when they enter an agentic state?

• feel less personally responsible for their actions

• believe they are only following orders

• transfer consequences onto the authority figure.

A03 for agentic state- Strength and Limitation

• Strength: supported by Milgram’s obedience research

• Limitation: doesn’t fully explain why some people enter agentic state while others resist authority

AO3 for legitimacy of authority- strength and limitation

• Strength: real life examples, eg, My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam war; 500 civilians killed

• Limitation: cultural factors

How many participants in Milgram’s study?

40

What were the ages of the men in Milgram’s study?

20-50

How much were the participants in Milgram’s study paid?

$4.00

Where was Milgram’s study conducted?

Yale University

What were the two roles assigned to the participants and confederates in Milgram’s study?

• Teacher

• Learner

By how much did the shock levels increase each time in Milgram’s study?

15V

From 15V to 450V

At what voltage did the ‘learner’ stop responding in Milgram’s study?

315V

How many participants went up to 300V? How many went up to 450V?

100% went to 300V

65% went to 450V

AO3 of Milgram’s study- Strengths

• High internal validity

• Real world application

• After, Milgram debriefed the participants on the true aims of the study

AO3 of Milgram’s study- Limitations

• low ecological validity

• socially sensitive issues about responsibility for destructive behaviour

• ethical concerns

What was the percentage when the experimenter gave instructions on the telephone in Milgram’s study?

20%

What was the percentage when the teacher and learner were in the same room in Milgram’s study?

40%

What was the percentage when there was touch proximity in Milgram’s study?

30%

What was the percentage of obedience when Milgram’s study was done in a run down office?

50%

What was the percentage when the experimenter was wearing ordinary clothes?

20%

A03 of factors affecting obedience- Strengths

• research evidence: public obeyed requests from someone in security guard uniform rather than ordinary clothes

• real world settings: nurses often obeyed doctors and administer drug doses to patients

A03 of factors affecting obedience- Limitations

• May overestimate influence of situational cues- can’t explain why some obey while others resist

Adorno made the F-scale, when?

1950

AO3 of Authoritarian personality- Strengths

• explanation for individual differences in obedience (Milgram)

• practical applications

AO3 of Authoritarian personality- Limitations