Social Influence

Basics and definitions

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Define social psychology

sub field of psychology that studies how others impact our thoughts, feelings and actions

Define an nAffiliator

Someone who has a greater need to be in a relationship with someone (affiliation) and may need more affection

Define artificial stimulus

Unrealistic scenario

Define ecological validity

something that resembles real life

Define demand characteristics

A participant changes their behaviour because they have a clue or know the aim of the study

Define ambiguous

Unclear

When talking about ethics, what should you say as a counter argument almost every time?

Ethical cost should be weighed up against the benefits gained from the study

Conformity and explanations

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Define conformity

A change in a person's behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group.

Define internalisation

When a person genuinely accepts group norms in private and public and is permanent. Permanent

Define identification

Valuing a group so we are prepared to change our views to be part of it. Behaviour changes publicly and privately, but only in the presence of the group.

Define compliance

Superficial agreement with the group and going along with it publicly but holding a different view privately. Temporary

Who did the first psychology experiment and what did it involve? When?

Jennes' (1932) experiment was an ambiguous situation and involved a jar of beans

What is informational social influence (ISI)?

We agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe they are correct

What is normative social influence? (NSI)

We agree with the opinion of the majority because we want to be liked and gain social approval.

What is a strength of ISI?

Research support

Explain the strength of research support for ISI

Lucas et al (2006) gave students maths questions that were easy or difficult and there was more conformity when answering hard questions.

This shows that people conform when people don't know the answer.

Give a limitation of NSI

Individual differences

Explain the limitation of individual differences for NSI

Some research shows NSI doesn't affect everyone in the same way. E.G nAffiliators.

McGhee and Teevan (1967) found that students high in need of affiliation were more likely to conform.

Showing there are individual differences in the way people respond and conform.

Explain how ISI and NSI may work together

Original idea was that conformity was explained by 1 of NSI or ISI.

However, often, both processes are involved.

This shows it isn't always possible to be sure whether ISI or NSI is at work.

This is the case in lab studies and real-life conformity situations.

Asch experiment

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What was the aim of Asch's experiment?

To investigate the extent to which social pressure from a majority group could affect a person to conform.

What was the procedure of Asch's experiment?

Showed participants 2 cards at a time, one had a 'standard line', and the other had 3 'comparison lines'.

The answer was unambiguous (obvious) and participants had to match 1 of 3 lines to the 'standard line'.

What else was involved in Asch's experiment?

There were confederates that the participant didn't know about, and they gave the wrong on 12 'critical trials' out of 18.

What were the findings of Asch's experiment?

The naive participant gave the wrong answer 36.8% of the time. 25% didn't conform, and 75% conformed at least once.

Why did participants say that they conformed?

To avoid rejection (NSI)

Who were the participants in Asch's study?

123 american male undergraduates

What were the 3 variations of Asch's study?

Group size, unanimity, task difficulty

Describe the group size variation of Asch's study

With 3 confederates, conformity rose to 31.8%. Addition of further confederates made little difference.

What does your description of the group size variation of Asch's study suggest?

Suggests that small minority isn't enough for influence to be exerted but there is no need for a majority of more than 3

Describe the unamity variation of Asch's study

Another non-conforming participant introduced. Conformity was reduced by 25%. The non-conforming confederate gave the naive participant social support, so they were more independant.

What does your description of the unamity variation of Asch's study suggest?

Suggests that the influence of majority depends to some extent on the group being unanimous.

Describe the task difficult variation of Asch's study

Made the task more difficult. Conformity increased.

What does your description of the task difficulty variation of Asch's study suggest?

Suggests ISI plays a greater role when the task becomes harder because the situation is more ambiguous

Evaluation

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Which other psychologists used Asch's study for evaluation points? Give the year, also.

Perrin and Spencer (1980)

What are 4 limitations of Asch's study? (evaluation points)

A child of its time, artificial stimulus and task, limited application of findings, ethical issues

Give a strength of Asch's study. (evaluation point)

Lab experiment so more control and easily repeatable

Which psychologist backed the point of 'a child of its time' in Asch's experiment?

How many people conformed?

Perrin and Spencer repeated Asch's study with engineering students in the UK.

1/396 students conformed

How does Perrin and Spencer's study back the limitation of 'a child of its time' for Asch's experiment?

It shows Asch's results are not consistent across situations and time, so cannot generalise human behaviour and society has changed

Explain the evaluation point of 'artificial situation and task' in Asch's study

Why is this a limitation?

The task was an artificial stimulus and it was a lab experiment, therefore, it caused demand characteristics
(Participants had no reason not to conform.)

This is a limitation because it means it has low ecological and internal validity and can't be generalised to everyday situations

Explain the evaluation point of 'limited application of findings' in Asch's study

Why is this a limitation?

Results only apply to a very limited group (American male undergraduates)

This is a limitation because results cannot be generalised to everybody

Explain the evaluation point of 'ethical issues' in Asch's study

Why is this a limitation?

Participants were deceived because they thought the confederates were other participants.

This is a limitation because it does not follow BPS' ethical guidelines

Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment

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What was the aim of the Zimbardo Stanford Prison Experiment?

To investigate if brutal behaviours were due to personalities or environment

What was the procedure of the Zimbardo Stanford Prison Experiment? (3 points)

Participants were deemed emotionally stable by psychological testing and then randomely divided into guards and prisoners

Prisoners were arrested in their homes, blind-folded, strip-searched and deloused and issued a uniform and number, before being taken to the MOCK prison in the basement of Stanford uni

Guards enforced rules, but not allowed to physically harm prisoners

What did Zimbardo do to make the MOCK prison feel more realistic? (4 points)

Gave prisoners a number and uniform

Prisoners were arrested in their homes

Guards wore sunglasses so prisoners couldn't see their eyes

Prisoners followed a strict regime

What were the findings of the Zimbardo Stanford Prison Experiment? (7 points)

Day 1: a prisoner released as they showed signs of psychological disturbance

Day 2: prisoners rebelled against guards

Guards enforced their power

Prisoners became depressed and anxious

Day 4: 2 more prisoners released

A prisoner went on a hunger strike and was put in the hole, and shunned by other prisoners. Prisoners had the choice whether to release him and lose something of theirs or not, they chose not to.

Guards became more brutal and aggressive and seemed to enjoy their power

What role did Zimbardo have in the Zimbardo Stanford Prison Experiment? Why was that a problem?

Zimbardo played the role of prison warden as well as the experimenter. He made himself an authority figure, meaning he was part of the experiment.

What was the conclusion of the Zimbardo Stanford Prison Experiment?

Guards and prisoners conformed to their roles, and brutal behaviour is due to environment

How did Zimbardo gain participants for the Zimbardo Stanford Prison Experiment?

Advertising (volunteer sample)

How did Zimbardo help to enforce the roles of guard and prisoner in the Zimbardo Stanford Prison Experiment? (5 points)

Briefed guards before the experiment on what to do

Told the prisoners they couldn't leave

Gave them specific outfits

Prisoners had numbers

Prisoners stripped

Evaluation of the Zimbardo Stanford Prison Experiment

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What were ethical issues of the Zimbardo Stanford Prison Experiment? Give at least 3 /5

Right to withdraw violated - a prisoner asked to leave was convinced to be an informant

Zimbardo put his researcher needs before participant rights

Neighbors didn't know prisoners were being arrested for a study

Some participants were treated more harshly than they signed up for. (informed consent)

Prisoners were embarrassed (Protection from harm)

What were strengths of the Zimbardo Stanford Prison Experiment? Give all 3

Privacy and confidentiality kept (numbers for prisoners)

Controlled lab experiment

High internal validity (the extent to which you are able to say that no other variables except the one you're studying caused the result

Which other psychologists used Zimbardo's study for evaluation points? Give the year, also.

Banuazizi and Mohavedi (1975) and Fromm (1973)

What are the 3 other evaluation points for Zimbardo's study?

Control, lack of realism, role of dispositional factors

Explain the evaluation point of 'control' in Zimbardo's study

Why is this a strength?

Only emotionally stable participants were used and this rules out some individual differences

This is a strength because it increases internal validity

Which supporting psychologist backed the point of 'lack of realism' in Zimbardo's study and what did they do?

Banuazizi and Mohavedi (1975) argued participants were acting based on stereotypes

How does Banuazizi and Mohavedi's study back the limitation of 'lack of realism' in Zimbardo's experiment?

Their conclusion suggests the study lacks internal validity, as the participant's idea of what they are meant to do impacted their behaviour

What is the counter-argument for the evaluation point about lack of realism in Zimbardo's experiment?

Quantitative data from the experiment showed that 90% of prisoner's conversations were about prison life. They said it felt real, so high internal validity

Which supporting psychologist backed the point of 'role of dispositional factors' in Zimbardo's study and what did they do?

What did they find?

Fromm accused Zimbardo of exaggerating the power of the situation and minimising the role of personality factors. Only a third of participants behaved brutally

How does Fromm's study back the limitation of 'role of dispositional factors' in Zimbardo's experiment?

The difference in the guard's behaviour indicated they could make right/wrong choices, despite pressures to conform. This suggests that the conclusion was exaggerated.

Milgram's Obedience Study

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What the procedure of Milgram's obedience study?

Participants rolled a dice for teacher and learner roles - it was rigged and the participant was always the teacher

The teacher would ask the confederate learner a question, and each time they got it wrong, they were shocked with increasing voltage, up to lethal 450 volts (fake shocks)

Experimenter wearing a lab coat was sat the the back of the room

Each time the teacher doubted if they should continue, the experimenter told them the same 4 statements.

What were the 4 statements the experimenter repeated in Milgram's obedience study?

Please continue

The experiment requires that you continue

It is absolutely essential that you continue

You have no other choice, you must go on

Why was it important for the experimenter to use the same 4 statements in Milgram's obedience study?

So the experiment was standardized

Who did Milgram use in his study and what did they think they were in a study for?

40 male participants aged 20-50 in a study about memory (deceived)

What were Milgram's student's predictions for the study?

Milgram asked 14 students to predict the results and they thought no more than 3% would continue to 450 volts, showing findings were not expected.

What were the findings of Milgram's obedience study?

12.5% of participants stopped at 300 volts.

65% continued to the highest level of 450 volts.

Qualitative data was collected and participants showed signs of extreme tension (sweat, tremble, stuttering, bite their lips)

Evaluation of Milgram's obedience study

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Which other psychologists used Milgram's study for evaluation points? Give the year, also. (5)

Orne and Holland (1968), Gina Perry (2013), Hofling et al (1966), the game of death, and Sheridan and King (1972)

What are 3 evaluation points for Milgram's study?

Low internal validity, high external validity, supporting replication

stopped here

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Evaluate Milgram's obedience study using the point that it had low internal validity, using 3 other psychologists' points

Orne and Holland (1968) said participants didn't believe that the shocks were real

Gina Perry (2013) listened to tapes from Milgram's study and said participants expressed their doubts about the shocks

Sheridan and King (1972) did real shocks on a puppy and 54% of males and 100% of females delivered the fatal shock. This suggests the effects in Milgram's study were genuine because participants acted the same with real shocks

Evaluate Milgram's obedience study using the point that it good internal validity, using 1 other psychologists' point

Hofling et al (1966) studied nurses on a hospital ward and found levels of obedience were high (21/22 nurses obeyed) to doctor's orders.

They didn't show moral strain - so they were in the autonomous state.

This shows Milgram's results can be generalised

Evaluate Milgram's obedience study using the point that it has supporting replication, using 1 other psychologists' point

The game of death (french TV show) replicates Milgram's study.

80% of participants delivered the max voltage of 460 volts.

Behaviour almost identical to Milgram's study - nervous laughter, nail biting.

Supports Milgram's conclusions and shows they weren't a one off occurance

Situational variables and variations in Milgram's study

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Describe the first proximity variation in Milgram's obedience study

Teacher and learner were in the same room and obedience rates dropped from 65% to 40%

Describe the 'touch proximity' more extreme version of the proximity variable in Milgram's obedience study

Teacher had to force learner's hand onto an electroshock plate and obedience dropped to 30%

Describe the 'remote instruction condition' more extreme version of the proximity variable in Milgram's obedience study

Experimenter gave instructions by telephone and obedience dropped from 20.5%. Participants also frequently pretended to give shocks or weaker ones

Describe the location variation in Milgram's obedience study

In a run-down building instead of Stanford, so the experimenter had less authority.

Obedience fell to 47.5%

Describe the uniform variation in Milgram's obedience study

Instead of a lab coat, the experimenter was called away because of a phone call and a member of the public took over (confederate) in everyday clothes.

Obedience dropped to 20% (lowest)

Evaluation of Milgram's variations

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Which other psychologists used Milgram's variations studies for evaluation points? Give the year, and a very brief explanation of what they did also. (4)

Bickman (1974), Orne and Holland, Miranda et al did Milgram's study with Spanish students (1981), Smith and Bond said most replications were done in Western societies (1998)

Which psychologist would you use for the point of 'research support' in Milgram's variations, and what did they do?

Bickman had different outfits for 3 confederates: jacket and tie, milkman's outfit, and security guard uniform and they asked the public to complete tasks

Describe the point of 'research support' in milgram's variations

Bickman (1974) had 3 confederates dress in a jacket and tie, a milkman's outfit, and a security guard's uniform and asked the public to complete tasks.

People were twice as likely to obey the confederate dressed as a security guard than the one dressed in a jacket and tie.

supports Milgram's conclusion that a uniform conveys authority and is a situational factor likely to produce obedience

Describe the point of 'lack of internal validity' in milgram's variations

Orne and Holland's critism of Milgram's original study was that many participants worked out the shocks was fake. Even Milgram realised this.

This is a limitation of all of Milgram's studies because it is unclear if results are due to the operation of obedience or because of demand characteristics

Describe the point of 'cross-cultural replications' in milgram's variations

Miranda et al (1981) found an obedience rate of over 90% amongst Spanish students, supporting Milgram

What is the counter point for the point of 'cross-cultural replications' in milgram's variations?

Smith and Bond (1998) said most replications had been done in Western, developed societies, and suggested that it would be premature to conclude that Milgram's findings apply to everyone

Agentic state

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What is an agent?

Someone who acts for or in place of another.

What do agents experience

Moral strain when they realise that what they are doing is wrong

What is the agentic state?

A mental state where we feel no personal responsibility for our behaviour because we believe ourselves to be acting for an authority figure.

What is the autonomous state?

Opposite of agentic state. Person is free to behave according to their own principles and feels responsibility for their actions

What is the shift from the autonomous state to the agentic state called?

agentic shift

When does the agentic shift happen?

When a person perceives someone else as a figure of authority because of their positional in a social hierarchy

What are binding factors?

Aspects of the situational that allow the person to ignore or minimise the moral strain they are feeling

In which experiment would binding factors be a good example?

In Milgram's study, participants said that it was the learner/confederate's fault, as they shouldn't have participated