This document provides a digital summary sheet (created on powerpoint) for every module within the 'Social influence' topic of Psychology A level. Each summary sheet provides in varying detail an outline (AO1) and 3-4 evaluation points (AO3) of the topic. Every slide has the required information to...
Conformity= A person changing their behaviour due to real
or imagined pressure from a group of people. Conformity to social roles:
Obedience= Following an order from another individual to
carry out a specific action. Explanations for conformity:
Types of conformity: Normative Social Influence (NSI):
Compliance: This is an emotional response. It occurs when an individual conforms with the expe
- The most superficial level of conformity. majority to gain approval and avoid rejection. They feel under surveillance by the g
- Identifying with the majority is considered desirable. Therefore compliance. For example, you move to a new school and don’t agree with what som
people will change their views/actions to fit in with that reference you. However you want to make friends so you agree with them.
group.
- These changes aren’t the persons underlying attitudes, they are just Informational Social Influence (ISI):
the ones expressed in public. It is only a short term change of
behaviour. This is a cognitive response. It occurs when an individual accepts information from
- It’s caused by NSI about reality. This is likely to happen in a new, ambiguous situation. A person may a
behaviours of the more experienced people around them as they feel these people
Identification: leads to internalisation. For example, you don’t know what to wear at your new offi
- This is when someone conforms with the views/behaviours of a the same as the people who have worked there for ages and believe that is the righ
particular group because there is something about the group they
value.
- The person identifies with the group and wants to be a part of it. Normative social influence/ Compliance is supported by Asch’s study. After the study, partic
- They will publicly and privately accept the group’s norms when they interviewed and many said they conformed because they didn’t want to feel disapproval from
are within the group. However, when they leave the group, the group/ the majority. As well as this, when Asch made the confederates not unanimous in a va
person may not continue to conform. levels of conformity. This is because the person would no longer feel like they would be reject
something different to the majority.
Internalisation:
- This is the deepest level of conformity. Identification is supported by Zimbardo’s study. The participants readily conformed and acte
- It’s when a person genuinely accepts a groups views/behaviours and their assigned position. They conformed to the role of guards and prisoners.
alters their own both publicly and privately.
- The person will examine their beliefs in comparison to the reference Informational social influence/ Internalisation is supported by the variations of Asch’s study
group and convince themselves that their views are wrong and the study, there was a 32% conformity rate. However in one variation of this experiment Asch incr
groups views are right. difficulty by making the lines closer in length. This time conformity levels increased. This was b
- Occurs due to ISI participant was less confident in their answer and, therefore more likely to believe the confed
- Results in a permanent change to a person’s beliefs. them are correct. It shows how believing others know more/ are right can lead to conformity.
, Aims:
Zimbardo’s study: Conclusion:
Zimbardo (1973) wanted to examine how readily people would The participants type
conform to new roles. seen to be identificati
Findings: Participants conformi
Through the Stanford Prison Experiment he investigated whether seen to be due to situ
reported brutality by guards in American prisons was due to the The study was stopped on Day 6 instead of the planned 14 after the than dispositional one
sadistic personalities of the guards (dispositional) or the prison guards behaviour became a threat to prisoners psychological and It showed how readily
environment (situational.) physical health. to social roles they are
- The prisoners conformed to their role as prisoner.
Procedure: Ethical issues: Prison
- Initially on Day 2, the prisoners rebelled but were shut down by from their own home
- Zimbardo advertised for volunteers to take part in a study guards. After this they became increasingly submissive and with no informed co
on the psychological effect of prison life. passive surrounding their situation. well as this the aggre
- - Prisoners mainly discussed prison life and referred to themselves
24 male students were chosen to take part after all from the guards was
volunteers had undergone psychological screening. The as their numbers. psychological harm t
- Some experienced real depression and anxiety with 5 prisoners
most mentally and physically capable men were chosen. prisoners leaving due
- Each participant was randomly allocated to prisoner or released before Day 6 because of extreme reactions. as anxiety and crying
guard with the final ratio being 10 prisoners and 11 guards. guards may feel guilt
- The guards conformed to their role as a guard. their actions. Lastly w
- The guards became increasingly aggressive, cruel and sadistic.
Prisoners: attempted to leave, h
- Were arrested in their homes without warning. For example they woke prisoners up in the middle of the night become a snitch inst
- They were charged, strip searched and disinfected like real and forced them to complete repetitive, degrading tasks such as believe he couldn’t le
criminals. cleaning the toilet with their hands. participants right to
- The prisoners were then given smocks, blindfolded and - Zimbardo also conformed to the role of ‘Prison Superintendent,’ ethical issues questio
driven to a mock prison in the Stanford University Psychology not stopping any psychological harm given. study should’ve even
building.
- Given a number which they were referred to as from then High internal validity: The study was controlled. Participants interviewed and tested for any psycholog
on. disabilities (psychological screening.) This controlled variables so only capable men took part. Participa
- This heightened realism. assigned to the role of guard or prisoner. This ensured there was no researcher bias or possibility of dis
This all reduces the chance of extraneous variables influencing the study- increasing the internal validit
Guards:
- They were all given a kaki uniform, a wooden baton they Argued lack of realism: Study has been criticised for demand characteristics. P’s may have just been do
weren’t allowed to use and reflective sunglasses so they thought was expected of them. However Zimbardo found 90% prisoners conversations about prison lif
couldn’t make eye-contact. numbers. This alongside their treatment as real criminals adds realism and counters the criticisms. It su
- The guards were told to ‘enforce prison rules.’ were really conforming.
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