Social Influence -A-Level Psychology

• Did the guards become more or less brutal and aggressive over time?

  More aggressive and brutal
• Why did one prisoner leave?

  Because he showed symptoms of psychological disturbance
• How did the prisoners feel after the rebellion was stopped?

  The prisoners became subdued, depressed and anxious
• What did the prisoners do when they rebelled?

  They ripped their uniform and shouted at the guards who retaliated with fire extinguishers
• When did the prisoners rebel?

  After 2 days
• How did the guards treat the prisoners?

  Harshly and aggressively, harrassing them and reminding of their powerlessness by performing headcounts at night
• How were the guards encouraged to behave according to their roles?

  They were reminded of their complete power over the prisoners
• How were the prisoners encouraged to behave according to their roles?

  Prisoners could 'apply for parole' rather than leave the study either and were 'arrested' from their homes
• What may have deindividuation by uniform done to the participants?

  Meant they would be more likely to conform to the perceived social role
• What did the uniforms do?

  Created a loss of personal identity (de-individuation)
• What was the guard's uniform?

  Wooden club, handcuffs and mirror shades
• What was the prisoner's uniform?

  A loose smock and a cap and were identified by number
• What were the two ways students were encouraged to conform to social roles?

  Uniform and instructions about their behaviour
• How were the students assigned to the roles of guard or prisoner?

  Randomly
• What was the sample in Zimbardo's study?

  They selected 21 men (student volunteers) who tested as 'emotionally stable
• Where did Zimbardo set up the mock prison?

  In the basement of the psychology department at Stanford University
• What was Zimbardo's experiment?

  A mock prison which would see whether brutality was based around the social role of guard
• Why did Zimbardo et al conduct the Standard Prison Experiment?

  They wanted to know why prison guards behave brutally, whether it was sadistic personalities or social role as a guard
• What was the study conducted by Zimbardo et al called?

  The Stanford Prison Experiment
• What does McGhee and Teevan's research into nAffiliators show about NSI?

  This shows that individual differences are present which cannot be explained by general theories of situational pressures
• What did McGhee and Teevan find about nAffiliators?

  They were more likely to conform
• What are nAffiliators?

  People who are greatly concerned with social relationships
• What is the main weakness of normative social influence?

  NSI doesn't always predict conformity
• How may ambiguity in terms of whether it is NSI or ISI at work have applied in Asch's study?

  Asch's dissenter may have reduced conformity because they provide social support (NSI) or because they provide an alternative source of social information (ISI)
• What is a problem with research support into NSI and ISI?

  It is unclear whether it is NSI or ISI in research studies which is affecting conformity
• What did Lucas et al find when the maths questions were easy in their study?

  The participants 'knew their own minds' and didn't rely on given answers
• What did Lucas et al find when the maths questions were difficult in their study?

  Some participants conformed more often to incorrect answers they were given as the situation was more ambiguous
• What is the main strength of informational social influence?

  Research support from Lucas et al
• Why did conformity fall when the participants in Asch's study wrote their answers down?

  There is no normative group pressure when giving answers privately
• What did conformity fall to in Asch's study when participants wrote their answers down?

  12.5%
• What did Asch find when he interviewed his participants?

  Some said they conformed out of feeling self-conscious of giving the right answer and afraid of disapproval
• What is the main strength of normative social influence?

  Research support from Asch
• Which situations is normative social influence more likely to occur in?

  Situations where we may be concerned with rejection (e.g., with strangers or with friends) or stressful situations where we rely on social support
• What type of process is normative social influence?

  Emotional
• Why do we conform according to normative social influence?

  So we don't look foolish and become rejected, instead gaining social approval
• What is normative social influence about?

  It relates to norms, which we pay attention to because they regulate behaviour
• Which situations is informational social influence common in?

  Ambiguous, new or crisis situations that require quick thinking
• What type of change does informational social influence lead to?

  Permanent
• What type of process is informational social influence?

  Cognitive, as it requires thought
• Why may we follow the behaviour of the majority according to informational social influence?

  Because we want to be right