Social Psychology Exam 3

The Power of the Situation

The ability of social situations to overwhelm individuality

Scare tactics

A way of manipulating people into doing something by making them feel alarmed or fearful

Ex. Vicitum thought he helping with boxes but he drag in a cult

Obedience

Changing behavior to comply with authority

Persuasion

Focused efforts by another to change our thinking/behavior

Elevator Experiment

-Confederate faces back of an elevator

-Majority matched behavior

Normative influence

Conform due to our desire to fit in

Informational influence

Conform due to our desire to be correct

Latance + Darely

Individualistic

Is used to describe those who are more independent

Collectivist

Encourages interdependence among group members

Solomon Asch Line study

Participants were shown lines and asked to choose which ones matched in length. The correct answer was obvious, but actors in the group gave wrong answers on purpose. Many real participants also gave the wrong answer, just to fit in. This showed that people often conform to group pressure, even when they know the group is wrong.

Milgram Shock Experiment

Participants thought they were giving real shocks to another person. The person screamed in pain, but many still followed the orders. This showed people often obey authority, even when it feels wrong.

Sheriff’s Robber’s Cave Experiment

The groups competed in games, and soon started to fight and dislike each other. Later, he gave them problems that they had to solve together. Working together reduced the conflict. This showed that group conflict can be reduced by cooperation toward shared goals.

Kid Nation

A bunch of kid run a town, thought every kid will go against everyone, however the kids had fun

Standford Prison Study

Philip Zimbardo wanted to see how people behave in roles of power. He set up a fake prison and had students play either guards or prisoners. The guards became cruel, and the prisoners became stressed and upset. The experiment had to stop early. It showed that people can act in extreme ways when placed in certain roles and environments.

Peruasion

Concerted efforts to change our behavior or thinking

Central Role

When someone is convinced by logically presented facts, strong arguments, and detailed information, requiring thoughtful consideration of the message's merits rather than superficial cues (Invested discussion)

Peripheral route 

When you're influenced to change your attitude or buy something based on superficial cues like attractiveness, celebrity endorsements, or emotional appeals, rather than on the actual quality or logic of the message itself (Attractiveness status)

Foot in the Door 

Is a persuasion and compliance tactic in which a person who agrees to a small initial request is more likely to later agree to a larger, more significant request.

Lowball Procedure

Offers a favorable or attractive deal, gets the person to commit to it, and then changes the terms to be less favorable—usually by adding extra costs or conditions

“That’s Not All” technique

Makes an initial offer, then adds more benefits or bonuses to make the offer seem more attractive — all before you can say yes or no.

Playing hard to Get

Implies scarcity by appearing less available or less interested, thereby increasing their perceived value and desirability.

Deadline Technique 

Imply time limit

Self-regulation

Limited ability to control our behavior + resist persuasion

Ego Depletion

Mental exhaustion due to overuse of self-regulation

Cognitive Dissonance

Discomfort we feel wen our action don’t match our belief

Self fulfilling Prophecy 

Expectation beget reality 

Cults

Usually a new, deviant religious movement

-Exploitation -Isolation -Manipulation

Deliberative Model

Message is more likely to be accepted because it comes from someone who holds a high status or is admired, leading the audience to thoughtfully consider their message.

Psychodynamic Model

That people often do things without knowing why, because of hidden feelings or needs from their past (Fulfilling subconscious needs)

Thought reform Model

How a person’s beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors can be changed through manipulation and pressure.

Omilen Control

Communication don’t talk to the outside, take control of their communitcation

Omystical manipulation

A leader makes themselves seem like a special or divine being—like a higher power or someone with secret knowledge.

Demand of Purity

A lot of rules

Cult of confession 

Is when members of a group are encouraged or pressured to openly share their personal thoughts, secrets, or mistakes with the leader or the group.

The sacred science

Is when a group or leader presents their beliefs, rules, or teachings as the absolute truth or a special kind of knowledge that cannot be questioned.

Loading of language

Is when a group or leader uses special words, phrases, or jargon that carry hidden meanings or emotional weight.

Doctrine over person

Group’s strict rules or beliefs cause people to suffer, but this suffering is seen as normal or necessary after accepting the doctrine.

Dispensing of existence 

The group decides who has value and who doesn’t — who deserves to belong or even exist based on their beliefs or loyalty

Exhaustion

Weakens cognitive functioning

Simply explanation for everything

“The orange knows best”

Conditional unconditional love

The group or leader claims to love and accept members no matter what — but in reality, that love depends on obedience and loyalty

New identity

lose connection outside of the world, and lose your critical thinking

Entrapment

When a group or leader makes it very hard for members to leave by creating emotional, psychological, social, or even financial barriers

Domsday Cult

Is a group that strongly believes the world will end soon, often in a dramatic or violent way, like a natural disaster, war, or divine judgment. (eschatology)

Heaven’s Gate Cult

Marshal Applewhite: He was schizophrenia, and gay so he made this cult where everyone is asexuality + celibacy

Hallbopp comet 

Was a bright comet visible in 1997, which the Heaven’s Gate cult believed had a spaceship following it, sent to take their souls to a higher level. 40 died by drinking poison Kool-Aid

Scientology

L. Ron Hubbard that teaches people can reach a higher spiritual state through a process called auditing, which clears negative memories called engrams. With Tom Cruise

People’s Temple

Jim Jones, known for its message of equality and social justice. Over time, it became highly controlling and isolated its members. In 1978, the group moved to Jonestown, Guyana, where over 900 people died in a mass murder-suicide after being forced or convinced to drink poisoned punch.

Manson Family 

Charles Manson in the late 1960s. He convinced his followers that a race war called “Helter Skelter” was coming and that they would survive it by following him. In 1969, Manson directed his followers to commit a series of brutal murders, including the killing of actress Sharon Tate.

Branch Davidians

A religious group led by David Koresh who claimed to be a prophet with a special understanding of the Bible. In 1993, the group was involved in a 51-day standoff with U.S. federal agents at their compound in Waco, Texas. It ended in a tragic fire that killed 76 people, including Koresh

Remnent Fellowship

Gwen Shamblin in the late 1990s, originally based on her Christian weight-loss program called Weigh Down Workshop. The group teaches that obedience to God includes controlling one’s eating and desires

NXIVM

Was a self-help and personal development organization founded by Keith Raniere in the 1990s. While it claimed to offer leadership training and personal growth, it was later exposed as a dangerous cult.

DOS

Where women were branded with his initials, controlled, and forced to provide “collateral” (like personal secrets or photos) to ensure obedience. Many were also manipulated into sexual relationships with him. Allison Mack