Social Psychology - Milgram, Zimbardo prison study

Psychology- Milgram, Zimbardo prison study Sherif's Conformity and the autokinetic effect experiment Individuals were asked to estimate how far they thought The light moved, and then tested them together in a group. Group norm was established informational social influence Asch - Stimulus line- 74% of the innocent participants Went along with the group and conformed at least once Zimbardo's Prison simulation experiment- example of Normative influence, Volunteers were given authority and Asked to act as guards over other volunteers were prisoners. Aim: to see the psychological effects of making 'normal', 'Good' people into prisoners or guards.Volunteers: 24 mid Class, male college students, mentally fine and no criminal records, were paid $15 per day and divided into prisoners or guards by the flip of a coin.Procedure: Prisoners were arrested at their homes at the start of the study, blindfolded and taken to Stanford University basement, which had been converted into a realistic prison! From then on the volunteers were treated as prisoners by the other volunteers who were guards.End of the study: The Study was stopped after six days because the guards became sadistic and the prisoners became extremely stressed. Milgram's electric shock Obedience Aim: Milgram was interested in how easily ordinary people could be influenced into committing atrocities for example, Germans

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Psychology
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What causes crime?

Verity Reeves 26/1104 Psychology Assignment Crime A) One Biological explanation of crime is Low intelligence. Studies have tended to link between low IQ and crime, although the link is not a simple one. Rutter and Giller (83) suggest two possible links. Once is that low intelligence leads to educational failure and consequently low self esteem. This then manifests as emotional; disturbances, conduct disorders and criminal behaviour. The second is that intelligence and conduct disorders may have a common starting point which is not clear, for eg- neurophysiological. Also, more recent studies do tend to find that the average intelligence is below average (e.g. - an IQ of 92 compared to a norm of 100). One sociological explanation of crime is the learning theories of crime. Children usually learn through classical; conditioning, operant conditioning or through observation or imitation as suggested by the social learning theory. The view that criminal behaviour, in common with all other behaviour, is learned was most clearly expressed by Sutherland (93) in his theory of Differential Association which states that criminal behaviour is learned through association with other people. Sutherland was describing powerful social forces working on the individual and affecting skills attitudes and beliefs. B) In Evaluation biological explanations of crime help us to understand how

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Psychology
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What is conformity

What is Conformity? Conformity, which falls under the category of Majority Influence, occurs when individuals are exposed to types of behaviour, attitudes and values which differ from their own, and then 'take on' these behaviours, attitudes etc. Another definition of conformity is yielding to real or imaginary group pressure. But why do people conform? The majority of the time, we are not physically forced to behave in a certain way or think in a certain way but yet people will conform to various ways of behaving, to what they believe and even allow themselves to change their personal beliefs. Throughout this essay, I am going to discuss the various studies on conformity and explanations of conformity. There are various types of conformity. Deutsch and Gerard (1955) proposed: > Normative - Occurs due to wanting to be liked by the group and not being rejected i.e. the desire to 'fit in'. > Informational - Occurs as a result of the individual's uncertainty in situations and relies on their perception of the majority group abilities i.e. status, knowledge etc. Kelman (1958) also suggested: > Compliance - Agreeing to do something or act in a particular way but without changing our 'private' thoughts that the behaviour we are performing is not what we would want to do normally i.e. when the participant outwardly agrees with the group to save argument, but inwardly

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Psychology
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Critically consider research studies relating to the role of social learning in the behaviour of non -human animals.

Critically consider research studies relating to the role of social learning in the behaviour of non -human animals. Kawai (1965) has reported social learning in snow monkeys. His study took the form of a naturalistic observation. And started as a study of social behaviour. Kawai enticed the snow monkeys onto the beach to observe their behaviour more easily, he did this using food. The monkeys learnt that they got food by going to the beach and so began to spend more time there. Over the years Kawai observed that Imo a two year old female monkey began to wash her sweet potatoes in the sea before eating them. She found that they tasted better and so did this all the time. Shortly after th9is other monkeys began to imitate the behaviour and do the same. Over 80% of 2-7 year olds followed Imo's behaviour yet only 18% of 8+ year olds did, this suggests that the young learn better socially. Being a naturalistic observation Kawai couldn't control any extraneous variables in his study, he could never be sure that social learning caused the other monkeys to imitate Imo. Also is the fact that operant conditioning plays a role in the findings of this study for two reasons. The first being that the monkeys only went onto the beach as they were being rewarded to do so, they had learnt the behaviour through rewarding, the key concept of operant conditioning. Also, Imo found the

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Psychology
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A look at the main features of Conformity and Obedience.

Task 1: Introduction: I have been asked to continue on from my last assessment and this time look at the meanings and the main features of Conformity and also Obedience. Obedience: Obedience is the act of obeying what you are told or obeying authority. The dictionary meaning for obedience is "dutiful or submissive behaviour" Conformity: Conformity: Correspondence in form, manner, or character; resemblance; agreement; congruity; -- followed by to, with, or between. (Dictionary.com) Within conformity there are three main features, the first one is Behaviour. Every person is influenced by other people's behaviour, for example, if we are with a group of people and they all jump across a railway, you may not want to cross the railway but because the rest of the group are doing it you feel that you have to. Whereas if you were on your own, then you would walk across the bridge this is conforming to a group. People also conform to behaving well not only bad. For example you may not want to do your homework but you know that all your friends will do it so you conform, and get it done on time. The second feature is Attitude. People's attitudes are also affected by the people around them. If you are with a group of people that are in a really good mood then you will automatically cheer up but if everyone in the group is really negative and de-motivated then you will

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Psychology
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Conformity & Obedience to Authority.

Conformity & Obedience to Authority * Conformity focuses upon the ways in which other people exert their influence upon us in such a way that we go along with them. For example some teenagers may go along with what their friends do when they themselves would have preferred to have gone elsewhere. * Conformity normally involves some kind of social pressure in which the individuals intentions conflict with those of the groups. This kind of social pressure is known as conformity. Below are three definitions of conformity. They all have a common theme; that other people bring about a change in an individual or at least induce a situation of conflict. "A change in a persons behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined Pressure from a person or group of people." Aronson (1998) "Yielding to a group pressures or expectations." Crutchfield (1995) "The tendency to allow ones opinions, attitudes, actions and perceptions to be affected by prevailing opinions, attitudes and actions." Reber (1985) * However this is hard to prove and since the 1930's this form of social influence has been studied experimentally using a variety of techniques. The major experimenters in this area are M.sherif, S. Asch, R.S.Crutchfield and S.Milgram, who are all social psychologists. * · MUZTAFER SHERIF (1935) When a stationary spot of light is seen in a dark room it

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  • Subject: Psychology
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Discuss the Model of Wellness As Presented By Myers, Sweeney and Witmer (2000).

QUESTION 3: DISCUSS THE MODEL OF WELLNESS AS PRESENTED BY MYERS, SWEENEY AND WITMER (2000) The holistic model of wellness was developed by Myers, Sweeney and Witmer. "Wellness" refers to a way of life orientated towards optimal health and well-being in which body, mind, and spirit are integrated by the individual to live more fully within the human and natural community. Ideally, it is the optimum state of health and well-being that each individual is capable of achieving. The Model of Wellness consists of 5 life tasks, namely: . Spirituality 2. Self-direction 3. Work and leisure 4. Friendship and 5. Love These life tasks interact dynamically with each other, and with various life forces (eg. Family, community, religion). Global events, whether natural or human, have an effect on the life tasks and life forces. Changes in one area of wellness affect other areas (in positive and negative directions), and different components of wellness are more or less salient at different developmental stages, with healthy functioning occurring along a developmental continuum. The first life task, spirituality, which can be defined as an awareness of a being force that transcends the material aspects of life and gives a deep sense of wholeness/connectedness to the universe. Spirituality is the core characteristic of healthy people, and the source of all dimensions of wellness.

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Psychology
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How have sociologists described the effects of modern city life on people's psychic lives?

How have sociologists described the effects of modern city life on people's psychic lives? (Simmel, Wirth and Sennett) The dominant modern experience is essentially urban. That is to say, modern experience is largely played out in cities which provide people with a radically different quality of life compared to that of a more rural, traditional existence that is characteristic of small settlements and rural villages. Sociologists such as Simmel and Wirth have cited significant features of city life such as size, density and heterogeneity in an attempt to analyse the character of social relationships attributed to the metropolis and the effects that such features have on the psychic lives of its residents. For the sociologist Goerg Simmel, the metropolis was the crucible of modern life' (Simmel as discussed in Saunders, P. 1986, p.95). In a well-known article, "The Metropolis and Mental Life", Simmel explored the consequences of city life for social interaction and highlighted some the psychic effects of living in the metropolis. In Simmel's work it is possible to discern three core themes: size, division of labour and money/rationality. The effects of all three are readily visible and most intensely felt in the city (Simmel as discussed in Saunders, P. 1986, p.93). In physical terms, the sheer size of the city is significant and has implications on personal freedom and

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Psychology
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Interpersonal perceptions.

Interpersonal perceptions Implicit personality theories is describing how we place personalities together, for example if we described someone as "warm" it could also be said they were "friendly" and "funny". As in "asch's study" he found that people who were described warm, were more likely to have other positive attributes. The primacy effect is information we receive first, and is generally regarded most important. As in "luchin's study" he produced a study about a boy named Jim in a two short paragraph story, in the first paragraph he was described as being friendly and in the next he was being describe as a loner. From the results that showed that 95% people rated Jim as friendly only based upon the first paragraph, so it was concluded that first impressions have the greatest impact. The recency effect is information we later learn, the longer it is left between the primary and recency effect the more likely the primary effect will not have the greatest influence. Central traits are descriptions that alter people's impressions very strongly; where as peripheral traits are impressions which we regard as being less important in making our decisions in what we see in people. For example, "the halo effect" when we describe a woman as being always on time, we can interpret that she is positive and enthusiastic and all things she does is positive. Luchins study was to

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  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Psychology
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Animal Rights or Science

Jeffrey Gaynes Animal Rights or Science? As we've seen in our introduction to psychology and really in any medical/biological/behavioral a lot of the topics we talked about have come from vigorous research; and most likely this research was derived from animal testing/study. Over the years the American Psychological Association (APA) has established guidelines - in a sense to provide regulations of animal testing. These guidelines established by the APA comes down to really three main topics; justification, care, and research controls (management). The APA has established characteristics of what's deemed as justifiable research for animal testing. Characteristics of justifiable research include. All research must be done with a clear scientific purpose; the research done will result in a increased knowledge of the processes behind: evolution, development, control, alternation, maintenance, and/or biological significance of behavior. In addition to this justifiable research must increase understanding of the species studied and provide results that will benefit the health of humans and other people. In addition to justification another topic addressed in the guidelines relate to the care and welfare of the animal. Because the psychological wellbeing of an animal we questionable the APA has worked collaboratively with the USDA to mandate certain guidelines. These include: the

  • Word count: 780
  • Level: AS and A Level
  • Subject: Psychology
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