Quiz : L9 Social pt 1,2,3

Definition of Social Psychology

• Social psychology studies how people's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the social context, including the presence and actions of others.

• Key aspects:

  • It focuses on individuals as social animals embedded within complex social structures.

  • Considers cognition (thought processes), emotions, and behaviors.

  • Influence can come from direct interaction or imagined scenarios.

Aspects of Social Psychology

• Investigates the impact of social influences on:

  • Thoughts: How individuals process and interpret information and form beliefs.

  • Feelings: Emotional reactions and how they shape interpersonal interactions.

  • Behaviors: Observable actions taken by individuals in social contexts.

Research Methods in Social Psychology

History and Early Studies

• Early research established foundational concepts.

• Social Facilitation: The phenomenon where the presence of others enhances performance.

  • Triplet’s Study (1897): Showed that individuals perform better on tasks like winding string when others are there, even if they work independently.

  • Concluded that the mere presence of others improves efficiency and motivation.

Zajonc’s Research on Social Facilitation

• Zajonc’s Pool Study: Explored whether social facilitation effects vary by skill level (expert vs. novice).

  • Key findings:

  • Expert pool players performed better in front of an audience.

  • Novice players performed worse when being observed, as anxiety hindered their performance.

  • Conclusions linked performance effects to task difficulty and individual skill levels.

Observational Learning

• Albert Bandura: Pioneered research on learning through observation (Bobo doll studies).

  • Questioned if social behaviors could be learned by observing others rather than through direct experiences.

  • Demonstrated that children observe and mimic aggressive behaviors toward a Bobo doll after seeing adults engage in such behavior in videos.

  • Key insights:

  • Children who observed aggression were more likely to exhibit similar behaviors.

  • Highlighted implications for media violence on children's behavior.

Key Concepts of Conformity

• Conformity: Change in behavior or beliefs in response to real or perceived social influence.

  • Three classifications:

  • Acceptance: Actual change in beliefs or attitudes (internal and external change).

  • Compliance: Outward change without internal belief changes (acting differently while holding the same beliefs internally).

  • Obedience: Compliance as a result of a direct command from someone in authority.

Examples of Conformity

• Acceptance:

  • Sally initially supports a candidate based on her beliefs but changes her stance after being persuaded by a friend.

• Compliance:

  • Sally outwardly agrees with her friends who criticize a candidate, though she privately supports that candidate.

• Obedience:

  • Sally sells a faulty stroller under pressure from her boss despite knowing it is unsafe for consumers, showcasing compliance under authority pressure.

Summary of Observational Learning

• Bandura’s studies challenge traditional behaviorist views by showing social behaviors can be learned through observation.

• Draws attention to significant implications for the influences of media, suggesting children learn aggressive behaviors through observed violence.

• The concept of modeling plays an important role in understanding how behaviors are replicated in social environments.

Conclusion

• Social psychology examines how social influences affect our thoughts, emotions, and actions. The critical findings from early studies contribute to our understanding of conformity and learning behaviors through observation, underlining the importance of the social context in shaping individual behavior.

Pt2

Introduction to Social Psychology

• Overview of social psychology

• Focus on conformity: Change in behavior/belief due to social influence

Types of Conformity

• Acceptance: Change in behavior and internal belief (outward and inward change).

• Compliance: Change in behavior without change in belief (outward change, inward belief remains the same).

• Obedience: Compliance in response to a direct command from an authority figure.

Classic Studies in Social Psychology

• An exploration of three influential studies on conformity and obedience:

  1. Muzaffar Sharif's 1930s Norm Formation Research

  2. Solomon Asch's 1950s Conformity Research

  3. Stanley Milgram's 1960s and 1970s Obedience Experiments

Sharif's Research on Norm Formation

• Definition of a Norm: Behaviors that are usual/expected but not legally enforced; organic growth from culture/society.

• Examples of Norms:

  • Not letting a loud burp go in a restaurant (rude behavior).

  • Not brushing teeth in public spaces like subways.

  • Personal space norms in public (movie theaters example).

• Autokinetic Effect: Visual phenomenon used by Sharif to study norms.

  • Individuals perceive a stationary light in a dark room to be moving.

  • Ambiguous task allows participants to form their own personal norms.

Experimental Design

• Study Procedure:

  • Individuals first estimate how far the light moves alone (Time 1).

  • Participants then estimate the light's movement in groups in subsequent sessions (Time 2-4).

• Findings: Individuals shift from personal norms to a group norm after multiple group discussions.

• Persistence of Norms: One year later, participants still tend to report group norm estimates in isolation, indicating acceptance.

Asch's Conformity Studies

• Purpose: Challenge Sharif's conclusions by examining conformity with a non-ambiguous task.

• Study Procedure:

  • Participants answer which line matches a standard line in length (obvious correct answer).

  • Confederates provide incorrect answers to see if participants conform.

• Findings:

  • Around 37% conformity on critical trials, with over 75% conforming at least once.

  • Individual differences in conformity were noted (some conformed often, others rarely).

Types of Conformity Observed

• Compliance: Participants conformed outwardly without changing internal belief.

  • Post-study interviews indicated participants often knew the correct answer but didn't want to stand out.

Variations in Asch's Research

• Number of Confederates: The presence and number of confederates influenced conformity rates.

  • 1 confederate: 1% conformity.

  • 2 confederates: 13.6% conformity.

  • 3+ confederates: conformity rates approach original studies.

• Dissenting Partner: Having even one dissenting partner (correct or incorrect) significantly reduced conformity rates.

  • Unanimity of the group is crucial for conformity.

Conclusion

• Both Sharif's and Asch's studies illustrate the powerful influence of social norms and group dynamics on individual behavior in relation to conformity.

• Understanding these psychological phenomena is essential in social contexts as they reveal how much social dynamics can influence individual decisions.

Pt3 

Introduction to Stanley Milgram

• Part three of the social psychology lecture focuses on Stanley Milgram's research on obedience.

• Milgram is a notable figure in psychology, known for his unique perspective and thought-provoking questions.

• His work is considered ethically controversial due to the nature of his experiments.

Background on Stanley Milgram

• Grew up in The Bronx, attended James Monroe High School.

• Influenced by historical context, specifically trials of Nazi officials post-World War II, including Adolf Eichmann, who claimed he was "just following orders."

• Also influenced by the My Lai Massacre during the Vietnam War, where US soldiers killed unarmed Vietnamese civilians, using a similar defense for their actions.

Central Question of Milgram’s Research

• Milgram posed the question: Will people follow orders that violate their ethical standards?

• This question arose from the belief that ordinary people might commit atrocious acts under authoritative pressure.

The Obedience Study Design

• Goal: To study the extent of obedience to authority.

• Participants believed they were part of a study on the effects of punishment on learning, without knowing the real purpose.

• Setup:

  • Two roles assigned: the teacher (participant) and the learner (confederate).

  • Teacher administers increasing electric shocks to the learner for wrong answers.

  • Actual shocks are not given; the learner doesn't receive actual shocks but pretends to.

Details of Experiment Procedure

• The teacher is introduced to the shock generator, which ranges from 15 volts (slight shock) to 450 volts (danger severe shock).

• As shocks increase, the learner (confederate) makes pre-recorded cries of pain.

• Key moments during the shocks include:

  • 75 volts: Mild complaints.

  • 150 volts: "I can’t take this, let me out!"

  • 300 volts and above: Screams and eventual silence.

• Teachers were incentivized to continue with scripts urging them to proceed, even as the learner begs to stop.

Findings of the Study

• 65% of participants administered the maximum shock of 450 volts, shocking many who expressed severe distress.

• Public perception before the experiment predicted a much lower compliance level, suggesting people would resist unethical orders.

Body Language and Psychological Response

• Participants often showed signs of conflict and distress, indicating discomfort with their actions.

• Nonverbal cues include hunched posture and seeking confirmation from the experimenter before proceeding with shocks. -

Milgram's Broader Impact and Ethical Considerations

• The study has long-lasting implications for understanding human nature and obedience to authority.

• Milgram’s work raised ethical questions about the responsibility of individuals following authority, questioning the limits of moral action.

• Subsequent research explored variations that either increased or decreased obedience by altering authority figure presence and the proximity of the learner.

Bystander Effect and Diffusion of Responsibility

• Expanding on the study of obedience, Darley and Latane examined situations where individuals fail to help in emergencies, coining the bystander effect.

• Example Case: Kitty Genovese, a murder case where bystanders did not intervene, serving as a stark illustration of the bystander effect.

• The theory suggests that the presence of more witnesses leads to decreased likelihood of individual intervention due to diffusion of responsibility.

Notable Experiments on the Bystander Effect

1. Seizure Study (1968):

   • Participants heard a recording of a student having a seizure, with varied bystander conditions (alone vs. in groups).

   • Results showed higher likelihood of help from subjects who were alone.

2. Smoke-Filled Room Experiment:

   • Subjects either alone or with others when smoke began to fill the room.

   • Those alone were more likely to report the smoke compared to those in groups, reflecting the decreased likelihood of action in the presence of others.

Conclusion

• Milgram’s work and the bystander effect illustrate the complex relationship between social pressures, authority, and personal conscience.

• These studies highlight the need for awareness of ethical standards in psychological research and the social behaviors that influence human action in crisis situations.

• The lecture concludes, preparing to discuss psychological disorders in the next class.