Social Psychology Notes

Obedience

• Definition of Obedience: Type of conformity where behavior changes due to being told to do something by an authority figure.

• Difference Between Obedience and Conformity:

  • Conformity: Changing behavior to fit in with a group (informational/social influence).

  • Obedience: Changes in behavior due to directives from an authority figure.

Milgram's Experiment (1963)

• Participants: Volunteered for a study on the effects of punishment on memorization.

• Setup:

  • Participants thought they were randomly assigned roles of teacher and learner; actually, the confederate always played the learner.

  • Shock Levels: Teachers administered electric shocks for incorrect answers, increasing levels up to 450 volts.

• Findings:

  • 65% of participants administered maximum shocks (450 volts) when prompted to continue by the authority (experimenter).

  • Ethical concerns arose due to the distress caused to participants thinking they were hurting someone.

Variations of Milgram's Study

• Study repeated in less authoritative settings (e.g., rundown buildings) showed a slight reduction in obedience (50% continued to 450 volts).

• Gender differences: No substantial difference in obedience between men and women.

• Personality traits: Higher levels of agreeableness linked to increased obedience.

• Influence of Direct Interaction: Seeing or physically interacting with the learner reduced obedience.

• Presence of Dissenting Authority Figures: Presence of another authority figure questioning the experimenter's legitimacy led to a drop in obedience.

Modern Context of Obedience

• Repeated studies confirm that a significant percentage of participants are still willing to administer shocks under authority, indicating little change in societal compliance.

• Example of real-world obedience: Nurses administering medication over the phone from a physician, sometimes leading to dangerously high dosages.

Social Perception: Attribution and Error

Fundamental Attribution Error (FAE)

• Definition: Tendency to underestimate situational factors and overestimate dispositional factors when explaining others' behavior.

• Types of Attribution:

  • Situational Attribution: Behavior attributed to external circumstances (e.g., stress, environment).

  • Dispositional Attribution: Behavior attributed to internal characteristics (e.g., personality traits).

Evidence of FAE

• Castro Study: Participants judge pro and anti-Castro speeches based on presumed true beliefs, disregarding situational influences that caused forced positions.

• Quiz Show Study: Observers rated questioners (who crafted the questions) as more intelligent than contestants, despite equal chance of knowledge.

Self-Serving Bias

• Definition: Tendency to attribute positive outcomes to dispositional factors (internal) and negative outcomes to situational factors (external).

Bias, Prejudice, and Discrimination

Definitions

• Stereotype: Belief about a group or its members, oversimplifying their characteristics.

• Prejudice: Negative feelings or attitudes toward a group.

• Discrimination: Unjustifiable negative actions taken against individuals based on their group membership.

Interaction Between Components

• Prejudice (affective) leads to discrimination (behavioral), often influenced by stereotypes (cognitive).

• Microaggressions: Subtle, often unintentional acts of discrimination or biased attitudes.

In-Group vs. Out-Group Dynamics

• In-Group: Group to which an individual identifies or belongs.

• Out-Group: Group to which an individual does not identify.

• In-Group Favoritism: Preferential treatment toward in-group members.

• Out-Group Homogeneity Effect: Tendency to view out-group members as more similar to each other than in-group members.

Social Identity Theory

• Suggests self-esteem is heavily influenced by the perceived status of one’s in-group compared to out-groups.

• Minimal Group Paradigm: Shows that even arbitrary group distinctions lead to favoritism toward in-group members, often at the cost of out-group members.

Neural Basis of Group Membership

• Research demonstrates distinct brain responses to in-group vs. out-group members' pain, exemplifying emotional and cognitive processing biases.

Summary of Key Points

• Obedience to authority can result in extreme behaviors under specific circumstances, as demonstrated in classic studies like Milgram’s.

• Attributional biases significantly affect how behaviors are interpreted, often leading to errors in judgment.

• Understanding of bias, prejudice, and discrimination highlights the complexities in social interactions, underscoring their emotional, cognitive, and behavioral components.