PSYC10004 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Social Proof, Normative Social Influence, Stanford Prison Experiment
14 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
29th Aug ‘17
MBB Week 6; Lecture 16 Notes
Social Psychology 7
Types of social influence:
- normative influence: conforming w expectations of others - to gain social approval/ avoid
disapproval
- informational influence: accepting info from others - convinced that that’s reality, right thing to
do
- majority influence: the greater the number of members, the stronger the social influence
- Asch’s Line Experiment (conformity) - participant chooses the line that’s most similar to the
standard line
- 25% did not conform, 33% (average) conformed
- personality characteristics & situational characteristics
- in more collectivist societies: more conformity
- conformity rate rises when group members grow from 1-5, <5: conformity rate stabilises
- presence of social supporter for deviance reduces conformity
- minority influence: consistent minority can influence behaviour as well
- consistent minority disrupts the majority norm; increases uncertainty
- draws attention to minority as entity
- alternative POV is shown
- “Blue-Green” Experiment (1969) = alleged perception experiment
- confederate says colour slide is green even though it is clearly blue
- consistent minority affects the whole majority
- group polarisation effect:
- group discussion produces more EXTREME group decisions (polarised) than initially
- institution, legitimacy & conformity
- when group has hierarchal structure, considered as legitimate = takes on power of authority
(e.g. police, government)
- Rudolf Eichmann - tried in Jerusalem against slaughtering Jews
- said he did it under his superior’s orders, carrying out his duty
- “the banality of evil” (Hannah Arendt)
- Stanley Milgram’s Electric Shock Experiment
- to see how far someone would go (including killing someone) under orders from perceived
authority
- reduction in legitimacy/authority + when authority figure wasn’t immediately present
reduced level of obedience
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Normative influence: conforming w expectations of others - to gain social approval/ avoid disapproval. Informational influence: accepting info from others - convinced that that"s reality, right thing to do. Majority influence: the greater the number of members, the stronger the social influence. Asch"s line experiment (conformity) - participant chooses the line that"s most similar to the standard line. 25% did not conform, 33% (average) conformed. Conformity rate rises when group members grow from 1-5, <5: conformity rate stabilises. Presence of social supporter for deviance reduces conformity. Minority influence: consistent minority can influence behaviour as well. Consistent minority disrupts the majority norm; increases uncertainty. Blue-green experiment (1969) = alleged perception experiment. Confederate says colour slide is green even though it is clearly blue. Group discussion produces more extreme group decisions (polarised) than initially. When group has hierarchal structure, considered as legitimate = takes on power of authority (e. g. police, government) Rudolf eichmann - tried in jerusalem against slaughtering jews.
