Key Concepts in Social Psychology: Conformity, Obedience, Bystander Effect, and Deindividuation

What did Asch’s conformity experiment reveal?

People often conform to group pressure, even when the group is clearly wrong.

How does the number of confederates affect conformity?

Conformity increases as more confederates are added.

Who tends to conform more: teenagers or adults?

Teenagers tend to conform more than adults.

How does cultural background affect conformity?

People in collectivist cultures conform more than those in individualistic cultures.

What is pluralistic ignorance?

When individuals wrongly believe others’ inaction means no help is needed.

What is diffusion of responsibility?

In groups, individuals feel less personal responsibility to act.

What was the key finding in the Kitty Genovese case?

People may fail to help due to confusion and shared responsibility.

What experiment showed diffusion of responsibility in emergencies?

The seizure experiment using intercom group discussions.

When does group size reduce helping behavior?

When group members are strangers.

What is deindividuation?

A loss of self-awareness in groups that can lead to impulsive or extreme behavior.

What study demonstrated deindividuation in a simulated prison?

Zimbardo’s Stanford Prison Experiment.

What real-world case reflects deindividuation and role influence?

The abuses at Abu Ghraib prison.