Social Psychology What is Social Psychology The study

Social Psychology

What is Social Psychology? • The study of how people influence and are influenced by other people. • How an individual is affected by the presence or implied presence of another individual or group • An individual’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior can all be influenced by the POWER OF THE SITUATION that they are experiencing.

Social Influence • Social psychology is a diverse field. We will focus on only one of the major areas of study. – Social influence • How we are influenced by others • Conformity, obedience, compliance

Social Influence • Social Influence: A few concepts – Social norms • Expectations / what is acceptable – Behavior, thoughts, affect – Social role • Sets of norms • Expectations for particular position • Unofficial Assignment: Violate a norm today (without getting expelled).

Conformity • Yield to real or imagined social pressure

Conformity • Changing one’s behavior or beliefs to match those of other group members, generally as a result of real or imagined, though unspoken, group pressure. – Sometimes conscious, sometimes not. • Is conformity good or bad? When?

Why do we conform? • Sherif (1930 s) AUTOKINETIC EFFECT – Was interested in the passing of norms from generation to generation. – Put people in a pitch black room that had a stationary pinpoint of light. – Would then ask participants how far the light moved. – Were questioned in groups of three multiple times. – Found that across sessions the answers began to align. – After a number of trials a new subject would replace one of the old subjects and would fall right into the group norm.

Why do we conform? • Private Conformity: involves both acting and believing in accord with social pressure. – Subjects still displayed these beliefs when placed in other groups or were shown the stimulus again and asked in private.

Why do we conform? Asch (1950 s) – Disagreed with the studies of Sherif • “Perceptual judgments” Only 1 real participant Others: confederates – – – • – Accomplices All responses scripted

Why do we conform? • • 18 trials, 50 participants = approximately 900 decisions to conform Conformity on 37% of trials 13 people never conformed, 74% conformed on at least one trial 14 people conformed on more than half their trials

Factors that affect extent of conformity • Group size – 1 < 2 < 3 < 4 = 5 = 6 = 7 = 8 = 9 = 10 = 11 = 12 … • Presence of a dissenter – If one other nonconformist , conformity rate drops from 37% to 5% Commitment • – Prior decision / initial judgment reduces later conformity Individual differences • – High self esteem = less likely to conform Friends versus strangers • – Asch method: Less conformity with friends

Why do we conform? • Public Conformity: publicly acting in accord with social pressure while privately disagreeing

Why do we conform? • Based on these two studies we can conclude two types of influences on conformity. – Informational Influence: conformity because you aren’t sure what to do (Private) – Normative Influence: Conforming to the group in order to gain acceptance (Public)

Obedience • Obedience: change in behavior based on a direct order from an authority figure – The figure can be legitimate (Arnal or Muhlhauser) or illegitimate (man holding a gun). • Stanley Milgram (1960 s)

Obedience • The Milgram Experiments – 18 studies between 1960 – 1963 • “The effects of punishment on learning” • Participants were the “teacher” • The “learner” was a confederate – All learner’s answers pre-scripted

Obedience • Teacher told to give increasingly intense shocks – 15 volt increments • • 15 -60 v 75 -120 v 135 -180 v 195 -240 v 255 -300 v 315 -360 v 375 -420 v 435 -450 v “slight” “moderate” “strong” “very strong” “intense” “extremely intense” “danger-severe shock” “XXX” • Each time the learner gave wrong answer the next switch was to be flipped. • NO ONE WAS ACTUALLY SHOCKED! – Except sample 45 volt shock

The Results • Predicted: • < 1% will obey to end – 450 volts • What really happened? • 65% obeyed to the end

Variations of original study: compare to 65% obeying to the very end -- 450 volts 1. No vocal feedback: Participants never heard screams / pounding – 93% 2. Proximity of victim: Learner in same room – 40% 3. Proximity of victim: Participant had to force the learner’s hand onto metal shock plate – 30%

Variations of original study: compare to 65% obeying to the very end -- 450 volts 4. Proximity of authority: Experimenter gave instructions by telephone – 20% 5. Personal responsibility: Participant read word pairs, another “teacher” (a confederate) pushed the button – 93% agreed to go to 450 volts 6. Gender: Women participants with original methodology – 65%

Ethical Implications • What do you think of this research?

“A hoax most cruel” April, 2004 • David R. Stewart was arrested in June 2004 • Charged with solicitation to commit sodomy, impersonating a police officer, soliciting sex abuse, unlawful imprisonment. • He pleaded not guilty • The trial lasted a week • Stewart was not convicted

Compliance • Compliance: adjusting one’s behavior because of an explicit request. – Key idea is that the requester has no real power or authority. – The goal as the requester is to get people to make a commitment.

Compliance • Foot – in – the – door technique (Freedman & Fraser, 1966) – 1 st: Ask for small favor • If agree… (99% do) – 2 nd: Ask large favor • 53% compliance • Compare: – Only large favor • 22% compliance • Self-perception change – “I guess I’m the type of person who…”

Compliance • Door – in – the – face technique (Cialdini and others, 1975) – 1 st: Make large, unreasonable request • 0% compliance – 2 nd: Make second, reasonable request • 50% compliance • Compare: – Only reasonable request • 17% compliance • Norm of reciprocity – Return favors

Compliance • Lowballing technique (Cialdini, 1978) – Make request and obtain compliance without admitting all costs • 56% compliance • Compare: – Request with all costs indicated “up front” • 31% compliance • Commitment – People follow through with decisions

Attitudes

Attitudes • Evaluation about some thing – Affective component • Emotions – Behavioral component • Predispositions to act – Cognitive component • Beliefs • Attitudes influence future behavior – However, sometimes behaviors do not match attitude. – Situational factors also impact behavior