Exam (elaborations)
PYC4803 Assignment 2 2024 (785738) - DUE 26 July 2024
- Course
- PYC4803 (PYC4803)
- Institution
- University Of South Africa (Unisa)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS PYC4803 Assignment 2 2024 (785738) - DUE 26 July 2024
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PYC4803 Assignment 22024 (785738) - DUE 26
July 2024
[Company address]
,PYC4803 Assignment 2 2024 (785738) - DUE 26 July 2024
(A) Give your own example of destructive obedience that occurred in your
society and explain possible reasons as to the underlying reasons why people
comply with this form of social influence. (20 marks)
Example of Destructive Obedience
One example of destructive obedience in society is the obedience to authority
figures that occurred during the Stanford prison experiment conducted by Philip
Zimbardo in 1971. In this psychological study, participants were assigned to the
roles of guards and prisoners in a mock prison environment. The "guards" quickly
began to exhibit abusive behavior towards the "prisoners," leading to severe
psychological distress. Despite knowing they were part of an experiment, the
participants playing guards adhered to their roles and orders to the point of causing
real harm.
Possible Underlying Reasons for Compliance
1. Authority Influence:
o Legitimacy of Authority: Participants perceived Zimbardo as a
legitimate authority figure. His role as the principal investigator gave
him the power to dictate the experiment’s rules, and the guards
followed his implicit instructions to maintain order.
o Institutional Context: The experiment took place in a prestigious
academic setting, lending credibility to Zimbardo’s authority and the
experiment itself.
2. Situational Factors:
o Role Expectations: Participants were assigned specific roles (guards
or prisoners) with clear expectations. The guards felt compelled to act
according to the perceived expectations of their role, leading to an
escalation of abusive behavior.
o Deindividuation: The uniforms and mirrored sunglasses worn by the
guards contributed to a loss of personal identity, reducing their sense
of personal responsibility for their actions.
3. Conformity to Group Norms:
, o Group Dynamics: Within the group of guards, certain individuals
took the lead in establishing norms of behavior. As some guards
began to act abusively, others followed suit to conform to the
emerging group norm.
o Fear of Judgment: Guards may have feared judgment or ostracism
from their peers if they did not conform to the aggressive behaviors
exhibited by others in their group.
4. Psychological Distance:
o Lack of Personal Connection: The guards and prisoners had no prior
relationships, making it easier for guards to dehumanize prisoners and
treat them harshly.
o Anonymity: The anonymity provided by the guards' uniforms and the
prisoners' numbers (instead of names) further contributed to a sense of
psychological distance, reducing empathy and increasing the
likelihood of abusive behavior.
5. Gradual Escalation:
o Foot-in-the-Door Phenomenon: Initially, the guards' abusive actions
were minor. As these actions were tolerated, they gradually escalated
in severity, leading to more extreme behaviors.
o Desensitization: Repeated exposure to and participation in abusive
behaviors reduced the guards' sensitivity to the harm they were
inflicting, normalizing their actions over time.
6. Moral Disengagement:
o Justification of Actions: The guards might have rationalized their
actions by believing they were maintaining order or that the prisoners
deserved harsh treatment due to their behavior.
o Diffusion of Responsibility: The presence of multiple guards allowed
individuals to diffuse responsibility for their actions, believing that
others were equally or more responsible.
Conclusion
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