Social Influence

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Social Influence

• Obedience
• Conformity
• Helping

Todays Music Selections
c
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Stanley Milgram
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Why?
Authority Responsibility Proximity Unfamiliar
situation
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Factors influencing obedience

• Original study

Different building
Teacher with learner
Put hand on shock
Orders by phone
Ordinary in charge
2 teachers rebel
Teacher chooses shock level
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2. Conformity

• Adopting attitudes or behaviors of others because
  of pressure to do so

Solomon Asch
Informational influence other people provide
useful information Normative influence desire to
be accepted by the group
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Asch (1951)
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Diffusion of Responsibility
Darley Latane (1968)
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Bystander Intervention
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The Good Samaritan Study
"And Jesus answering said, 'A certain man went
down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among
thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and
wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
And by chance there came down a certain priest
that way and when he saw him, he passed by on
the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he
was at the place, came and looked on him, and
passed by on the other side. But a certain
Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was
and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,
And went to him, , and took care of him. . Then
said Jesus unto him, 'Go, and do thou likewise'."
--- Luke 1030-37 KJV
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New York Subway Study
When will people help? Collapse on subway
car 95 get immediate help Why
different? (1) Shared fate (2) No escape
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Bystander Intervention
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Summary

• Situations are more powerful than we expect
• Obedience is easy
• Nonconformity is hard
• Helping is unlikely if people are not sure if it
  is an emergency or do not assume responsibility