The Power of the SituationThe Power of the SituationChapter 16Chapter 16

Music: Music: “He Got Game” “He Got Game” Public EnemyPublic Enemy

AgendaAgenda

1. Social Psychology:1. Social Psychology: A) DefinitionA) Definition B) Roles and Rules:B) Roles and Rules:

Zimbardo’s Prison ExperimentZimbardo’s Prison Experiment

2. Conformity: 2. Conformity: Asch’s Experiments Asch’s Experiments

3. Obedience to Authority:3. Obedience to Authority: A) Milgram’s Experiment A) Milgram’s Experiment B) Foot-in-the-door phenomenaB) Foot-in-the-door phenomena

4. Attribution Error4. Attribution Error 5. Deception in Psychological Studies5. Deception in Psychological Studies 6. Movie:6. Movie: “Power of the Situation” DVD # 10683 “Power of the Situation” DVD # 10683

Reminder: Reminder: Online Course EvaluationOnline Course Evaluation!!

Check the course website for the linkCheck the course website for the link

1. Social Psychology: 1. Social Psychology:

1.1. A): A): DefinitionDefinition Scientific study of how individuals behave, think and feel in social Scientific study of how individuals behave, think and feel in social

situationssituations How we are affected by the actual, or implied presence of others (p. 664)How we are affected by the actual, or implied presence of others (p. 664)

How we relate to one another (next week)How we relate to one another (next week) How social pressures can exert significant influence on behaviour How social pressures can exert significant influence on behaviour

(this week)(this week) E.g. Influence of cults; Jonestown mass suicide E.g. Influence of cults; Jonestown mass suicide

B) B) Social Roles and RulesSocial Roles and Rules Social role: Social role:

Socially defined pattern of behavior that is expected of a person when Socially defined pattern of behavior that is expected of a person when functioning in a given settingfunctioning in a given setting

See social schemas (p. 666)See social schemas (p. 666) E.g. Guards vs. prisonersE.g. Guards vs. prisoners

1.1. B) Zimbardo’s Prison B) Zimbardo’s Prison Experiment (1973)Experiment (1973)

• Corruption in prisons: Corruption in prisons: Bad seeds, or bad soil?Bad seeds, or bad soil?

• Study:Study:• 22 subjects screened for psychological maturity and health22 subjects screened for psychological maturity and health• Randomly assigned to role of guard or prisonerRandomly assigned to role of guard or prisoner• Guards:Guards:

• worked 8-hour shiftworked 8-hour shift• Wore uniform, whistle and clubWore uniform, whistle and club• Task=maintain reasonable degree of orderTask=maintain reasonable degree of order

• Prisoners: Prisoners: • stayed in mock prison 24hrs/daystayed in mock prison 24hrs/day• Wore degrading uniformWore degrading uniform• DepersonalizedDepersonalized• Lived in bare cells without personal belongings/dehumanized Lived in bare cells without personal belongings/dehumanized

• Therefore, no moral considerations apply?Therefore, no moral considerations apply?

1.1. B) Zimbardo’s Experiment B) Zimbardo’s Experiment (cont’d)(cont’d)

• Results:Results:• After 6 days of role simulation:After 6 days of role simulation:

Indoctrination into roles that could not be attributed to personal dispositionsIndoctrination into roles that could not be attributed to personal dispositionsGuards devised cruel routinesGuards devised cruel routinesPrisoners broke downPrisoners broke downStudy had to be called off.Study had to be called off.

• Prisoner abusePrisoner abuse• Process of deindividuation, devaluation of the prisoners, and power differentialProcess of deindividuation, devaluation of the prisoners, and power differential• Prisons are “bad soil” Prisons are “bad soil” • http://http://video.google.com/videoplay?docidvideo.google.com/videoplay?docid=5474164325345921501=5474164325345921501

• 2. Conformity2. Conformity• Adjusting our behavior or thinking to bring it in line with some group standardAdjusting our behavior or thinking to bring it in line with some group standard• Solomon Asch’s experiment (early 50’s)Solomon Asch’s experiment (early 50’s)

People can be led to say “black” People can be led to say “black” when they see “white”when they see “white”

• Why do we conform?Why do we conform?

2. Factors that promote 2. Factors that promote conformity:conformity:

Group size (p. 688) Group size (p. 688) Group unanimityGroup unanimity Ambiguity of situationAmbiguity of situation You identify with group members/ In group You identify with group members/ In group

pressurepressure Also see “groupthink” (p. 695)Also see “groupthink” (p. 695)

3. Obedience to Authority: 3. Obedience to Authority: Would you electrocute a stranger?Would you electrocute a stranger?

A) Milgram’s studyA) Milgram’s study::

http://tinyurl.com/2njwm9http://tinyurl.com/2njwm9 Emerged from a need to understand the Holocaust and the ways in Emerged from a need to understand the Holocaust and the ways in

which obedience could lead to the death of millions of peoplewhich obedience could lead to the death of millions of people Details on the experimental situation provided in lectureDetails on the experimental situation provided in lecture Conclusions:Conclusions:

Ordinary people, following authority, can become agents of aggression Ordinary people, following authority, can become agents of aggression Legitimate authority: Legitimate authority:

Someone who has the right to dictate behavior within a particular setting.Someone who has the right to dictate behavior within a particular setting. Conditions for disobedience: Conditions for disobedience:

Experimenter left the room or was replaced by an ordinary manExperimenter left the room or was replaced by an ordinary man The victim was right there in the roomThe victim was right there in the room Participant worked with peers who refused to go furtherParticipant worked with peers who refused to go further

3. b) Foot-in-the-door 3. b) Foot-in-the-door techniquetechnique

Get people to comply to small requests, and you Get people to comply to small requests, and you will be more likely to have them comply to will be more likely to have them comply to greater requests later (p. 703)greater requests later (p. 703)

Study in California: Study in California: (Described in class)(Described in class) Lawn sign: 17% say “yes”Lawn sign: 17% say “yes” #1 License plate sticker: 65% say “yes”#1 License plate sticker: 65% say “yes” #2 Lawn sign: 76% say “yes”#2 Lawn sign: 76% say “yes”

4. Attribution Error4. Attribution Error Attribution Dimensions:Attribution Dimensions:

Internal/external; stable/unstable (Fig. 16.3, p. Internal/external; stable/unstable (Fig. 16.3, p. 670)670)

4. Fundamental Attribution Error: 4. Fundamental Attribution Error: More likely to make internal attribution and underestimate More likely to make internal attribution and underestimate

situational influences for others’ behaviour (p. 671)situational influences for others’ behaviour (p. 671)

4. Attribution Error4. Attribution Error

Why do we blame the victim?Why do we blame the victim? Just world hypothesis:Just world hypothesis:

World is fair and we get what we deserveWorld is fair and we get what we deserve Also called defensive attribution bias (p. 672)Also called defensive attribution bias (p. 672)

Self-Serving Bias:Self-Serving Bias: Tendency to make internal attributions for positive Tendency to make internal attributions for positive

events, and external ones for negative events that events, and external ones for negative events that happen to us (ehappen to us (except for depressives)xcept for depressives)

Conclusions:Conclusions: The power of explanations The power of explanations

5. Ethics of Deception5. Ethics of Deception

Is it acceptable for psychologists to lie Is it acceptable for psychologists to lie to subjects in the name of research?to subjects in the name of research?

Pros:Pros:Cons: Cons: Ethics committees: Now require Ethics committees: Now require

deception to be kept to a minimum, and deception to be kept to a minimum, and to be justified. to be justified.

5. Movie: “Power of the 5. Movie: “Power of the Situation” Situation”

Excellent film, with several clips from studies Excellent film, with several clips from studies described in this lecturedescribed in this lecture

Available at the Sound and Moving Image Library Available at the Sound and Moving Image Library in Scott (DVD # 10683)in Scott (DVD # 10683)

2 exam questions will be extracted from this 2 exam questions will be extracted from this moviemovie