Module 44 – Social Influence 1

The Power of the Situation Social Influence: the process by which the actions of an individual or group affect the behavior of others. Conformity Obedience/Compliance Group Behaviors Behavior is contagious

The Power of the Situation Social constraints on individual behavior: Norms: Expectations a group has for its members. Regulate human life, including social conventions, explicit laws, and implicit cultural standards. Mostly acquired through social interactions Makes social interaction with others predictable Roles: A given social position that is governed by a set of norms for proper behavior. Gender roles, occupational roles, family roles Ex: Women in managerial positions develop, over time, more confident and assertive personalities. Social Role Socially-defined pattern of behavior Social Norms Expectation a group has for its members Include social conventions, explicit laws, and implicit cultural standards Roles are sets of expectations about social positions. Roles define how those in a certain position ought to behave. Roles affect our attitudes. SOCIAL ROLES: Shared expectations about how particular people in the group are supposed to behave... Like division of labor Often improve group dynamics and performance. Among friends one may play the role of the supporter/listener, the other entertainer... SOCIAL NORMS: Expected standards of behavior and belief established and enforced by a group. Often conveyed informally within a group. Sometimes written protocols, but mostly learned through interactions Once formed relatively stable Norms increase conformity to the group (clarify ambiguity- increase cohesiveness)

Social Causes of Behavior Social roles and norms and situations may have strong effects on behavior Asch: Conformity People adopt others’ values, ideas due to a desire to be liked by them. Milgram: Obedience study How many people would obey the authority when directly ordered to violate their own ethical standards? Philip Zimbardo: The prison study How do social roles affect our behavior? Classical studies

People try to conform Definition: Conformity is adjusting one’s thinking or behavior toward the group standard 5

Asch’s conformity experiment (1955) Video Subjects in a group were asked which comparison line is the same length as the standard line. Confederates in the group picked the wrong line. Subjects went along with the wrong answer on 37% of trials. The experimenter asks to choose which of the three lines on the right matches the length of the one on the left

Why do we conform? Normative social influence: We understand the accepted and expected behavior and we avoid violating those rules. We want to gain social approval and avoid rejection. Informational social influence: We accept others’ opinions about reality. We want to be right /accurate Especially when we feel uncertain about what to do 7

When is conformity more likely? If you are made to feel insecure If the group has at least three people If the group is unanimous If the group is of high status If the individual has no prior commitment to a response If one’s behavior is observed by the group If one’s culture supports social norms 8

Milgram’s Obedience Study (video) (Yale University, 1961-62) How many people would obey the authority when directly ordered to violate their own ethical standards?

Cross-cultural example for obedience Vakit kalırsa diye...

Do these effects occur in "real life"? Hofling et al. (1966) Nurses were telephoned by a doctor they didn't know. They were ordered to administer a nonprescribed drug in double the maximum dosage to a patient. 22 nurses were called. Results: 21 out of 22 nurses (95.5%) followed the doctor's orders. More info http://www.stanleymilgram.com/

Stanford Prison Study http://www.prisonexp.org/slide-14.htm

Stanford Prison Study (video) Subjects: physically and mentally healthy young men who volunteered to participate for money. They were randomly assigned to be prisoners or guards. Those assigned the role of prisoner became distressed, helpless, and panicky. Those assigned the roles of guards became either nice, “tough but fair,” or tyrannical. Study had to be ended after 6 days, although planned as a 2-week experiment.

Stanford Prison Study Subjects: physically and mentally healthy young men who volunteered to participate for money. They were randomly assigned to be prisoners or guards. Those assigned the role of prisoner became distressed, helpless, and panicky. Those assigned the roles of guards became either nice, “tough but fair,” or tyrannical. Study had to be ended after 6 days, although planned for 2 weeks.