Social influence is defined as the effects of the presence or actions of others, either real or imagined, on the way people

think, feel and behave. A group is any collection of two or more people who interact with and influence one another and who share a common purpose. Status refers to the importance of an individuals position in the group, as perceived by members of the group. Power refers to an individuals (or groups) ability to control or influence the thoughts, feelings or behaviour of another person (or group) A role is the behaviour adopted by an individual that influences the way in which they function or act in different situations and life in general.

Zimbardos Stanford Prison Experiment

In the summer of 1971 American psychologist Philip Zimbardo Stanford University in California
Zimbardos aim was to find out the psychological effects of being either a prison guard or a prisoner. He set up a simulated prison environment in the basement on Stanford University complete with cells, security doors and dull surroundings without windows or light.

Zimbardos Stanford Prison Experiment

Procedure: Placed an ad in the local newspaper Out of the 70 that responded 24 were selected Equal number of participants were randomly allocated to either of the two experimental groups- either a mock guard or mock prisoner.

Zimbardos Stanford Prison Experiment

Prisoners:
Held little to no power or status To enhance reality were arrested from their homes by real police. Following their arrest they were searched, fingerprinted and charged. When taken to the mock prison they were stripped naked, skin-searched, sprayed for head lice, given a uniform, bedding, soap and towel. Placed in a 2x3 metre barred cell accompanied by two other prisoners.

Prison guards:
Role carried considerable power and status Given military style khaki uniforms, batons, whistles to use to maintain order and reflective sunglasses to conceal identities and emotions. Worked 8 hour shifts and after their shift were permitted to go home.

Zimbardos Stanford Prison Experiment

After six days the experiment was terminated. Guards became increasingly aggressive, abusive of power and became brutal toward the prisoners. Prisoners became more and more withdrawn and increasingly passive and traumatised.

The results showed that the behaviour of well educated men can be significantly affected when a role they are given involves considerable power and status.

In 1963 American psychologist Stanley Milgram Investigated factors involved in determining obedience
Obedience occurs when we follow the commands of someone with authority

Milgrams aim was to find out if individuals would obey an authority figure who was instructing them to inflict pain on another person.

Milgram advertised for 40 male participants between the ages of 20 and 50. Was conducted at Yale University. Deception occurred

Upon arriving each participant is tested one by one First met the experimenter, then the other participant who unknown to them was a confederate Confederate became the learner Participant became the teacher.

Procedure: The Participant sees the learner being strapped into a chair Sees electrodes be placed on the learners wrists Taken to adjoining room and given instructions.

Instructions:
Told they have to teach the learner to remember pairs of words Instructed to give a 15 volt electric shock the first time a mistake is made and to increase for the further error.

 Learner deliberately made errors Made noises and yelled out as the shocks increased Teacher continued to administer shocks without question until 300 volts Teacher is reassured to continue

Participants were debriefed afterward Results show that none of the participants stopped before 300 volts, over half proceeded to give shocks at 450 volts and only 5 refused to continue at the 300 voltage.

Factors affecting obedience

Social Proximity Legitimacy of authority figures Group pressure

Conformity is the tendency to adjust ones thoughts, feelings or behaviour in ways that are in agreement with those of a particular person or group.

American psychologist Solomon Asch (19071996) Conducted experiment investigating group pressure to conform. Asch studied factors that he believed to influence conformity.

Procedure: Participant enters a room with 6 others and an experimenter Sits at a purposely vacant chair All of them are told they are participating in a psychological experiment on visual judgement

 The experimenter shows two cards one with three lines the other just one Participant and confederates are told to select the line out of the three that matched the single line one at a time. There were 18 trials all with different cards.

Results: The results of Aschs study showed that a majority of the time participants conformed and gave an incorrect answer if the group had. When questioned later some participants admitted to giving wrong answers like the others due to feeling some degree of self-doubt and those who generally conformed said they did so knowing their answer was wrong

75% of participants agreed with the confederates incorrect answers at least once 33% of them agreed with the wrong answers for more than half 22% did not conform at all