Social Influence in Critical Social Psychology By Gough
Social Influence in Critical Social Psychology By Gough, Mc. Fadden, Mc. Donald
Introduction to Reading �Review of classical approach • Sherif, Asch, Milgram experiments �Rethinking social influence • Foucault experiments • Modern day examples
Classical Depictions
Social Psychology Depiction
Major Problems Presented �Do we make specific attempts to “fit in” or is it an ingrained part of our everyday lives within society? • Mainstream vs. critical social psychology �How do different historical, political, and social contexts affect pressures to conform and/or obey?
Highlighted Example: Physical Danger � Group of women move in together, develop eating disorders • None experienced such issues beforehand � Constantly comparing self to others, feeling pressure to diet dangerously � “The cruelest thing you could do was try someone else’s outfit and say it was too big. ”
Highlighted Example: Psychological Harm � Societal norm of double standard between women and men in context of sexual activity � “No win” for women either too loose or rigid � “The effect of term, ‘slag’, is to force girls to submit voluntarily to a very unfair set of gender relations. ” � Resistance: subversion vs. inversion *Experiment by Mc. Fadden
Relevance to class �“Trials of strength” • Abandonment of principles to conform • Obedience through power structure �Retaliation against ethnic Germans • Conforming to crowd behavior • Reversal of power structure �Velvet Revolution • Does theory hold? and nonviolence
Discussion
- Slides: 9