social influence in interaction

1. social influence in interaction “but I was just following orders…” Social Psychology: October 2009

2. overview • what is social psychology? • why investigate obedience? • “I was just following orders…” • how far would you go? • testing obediece: The Milgram Scenario • results • conclusion • recap Social Psychology: October 2009

3. what is social psychology? “B=f(P,E)” (K. Lewin, 1951) The scientific study of how people's thoughts, feelings and behaviours are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others. Social Psychology: October 2009

4. what is social psychology? • Social psychology is the scientific study of how people's thoughts feelings and behaviours are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others Q.what are 3social influences that you can identify? Social Psychology: October 2009

5. social influence in interaction • a major area of Social Psychology is social influence in interaction • social influence in interaction investigates and explores the range and effects of social pressures on our attitudes, beliefs and behaviour • obedience and conformity are important areas of research and investigation Social Psychology: October 2009

6. “but I was just following orders…” • ‘A Report on The Banality of Evil’ • “in certain circumstances, the most ordinary decent person can become a criminal” Hannah Arendt, 1963 • contemporary examples • how far would you go? Social Psychology: October 2009

7. testing obedience Q. are ordinary people willing to obey authority in violation of their own conscience? A. The Milgram Scenario (1963,1965 & 1974) Social Psychology: October 2009

8. testing obedience Social Psychology: October 2009

9. testing obedience The experimenter (E) orders the teacher (T), the subject of the experiment, to give what the latter believes are painful electric shocks to a learner (L), who is actually an actor and confidant. The subject believes that for each wrong answer, the learner was receiving actual electric shocks, though in reality there were no such punishments. Social Psychology: October 2009

10. testing obedience: results • In Milgram's first set of experiments, 65% (26 of 40) of experiment participants administered the experiment's final massive 450-volt shock, though many were very uncomfortable doing so; • at some point, every participant paused and questioned the experiment, some said they would refund the money they were paid for participating in the experiment. • Only one participant steadfastly refused to administer shocks below the 300-volt level. Social Psychology: October 2009

11. testing obedience: conclusion “Ordinary people, simply doing their jobs, and without any particular hostility on their part, can become agents in a terrible destructive process… Social Psychology: October 2009

12. testing obedience: conclusion Moreover, even when the destructive effects of their work become patently clear, and they are asked to carry out actions incompatible with fundamental standards of morality, relatively few people have the resources needed to resist authority.” Stanley Milgram, “The Perils of Obedience”, 1974 Social Psychology: October 2009

13. Social Psycholgy: obedience “The power of authorities is demonstrated not only in the extent to which they can command obedience from followers, but also in the extent to which they can define reality and alter habitual ways of thinking and acting.” Phillip Zimbardo, The Lucifer Effect (2007) Social Psychology: October 2009

14. social influence in interaction THANKYOU “but I was just following orders…” Social Psychology: October 2009