A+ PYC4803
PYC4803
Assignment 2
(COMPLETE
ANSWERS)
2024 (785738)
- DUE 26 July
2024 ;100%
TRUSTED
workings,
explanations
and solutions
, PYC4803 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) 2024 (785738) - DUE 26
July 2024 ;100% TRUSTED workings, explanations and solutions.
(A) Give your own example of destructive obedience that occurred in your society and
explain possible reasons as to the underlying reasons why people comply with this form
of social influence. (20 marks) Study chapter nine (prosocial behaviour) in your
prescribed book before attempting to answer this question.
example of destructive obedience in society, we can look at historical events like the Milgram
experiment or real-world instances such as the obedience to authority in oppressive regimes.
Here's an example based on historical context:
Example: The Milgram Experiment
The Milgram experiment, conducted in the early 1960s by Stanley Milgram, aimed
to understand the obedience to authority figures, even when it conflicted with
personal conscience. Participants were instructed to administer increasingly severe
electric shocks to another person (an actor pretending to be a participant) whenever
they answered questions incorrectly. Despite hearing the actor's apparent distress
and pleas to stop, many participants continued to administer shocks as instructed
by the experimenter.
Possible Reasons for Compliance:
1. Legitimacy of Authority: Participants obeyed the authority figure (the
experimenter) because they perceived him as legitimate and knowledgeable.
This authority conferred a sense of responsibility onto the participants,
making them more likely to comply with his commands.
2. Social Norms: Society often emphasizes obedience to authority figures as a
virtue. Participants may have felt social pressure to conform to these norms,
fearing social disapproval or consequences if they disobeyed.
3. Gradual Escalation: The shocks in the Milgram experiment increased
gradually, starting from low levels. This incremental increase in severity
may have desensitized participants over time, making it easier for them to
continue administering shocks despite their discomfort.
4. Diffusion of Responsibility: Participants might have felt less personally
responsible for their actions because they were following orders. This
diffusion of responsibility can reduce feelings of guilt or moral conflict,
enabling people to comply with destructive commands.
PYC4803
Assignment 2
(COMPLETE
ANSWERS)
2024 (785738)
- DUE 26 July
2024 ;100%
TRUSTED
workings,
explanations
and solutions
, PYC4803 Assignment 2 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) 2024 (785738) - DUE 26
July 2024 ;100% TRUSTED workings, explanations and solutions.
(A) Give your own example of destructive obedience that occurred in your society and
explain possible reasons as to the underlying reasons why people comply with this form
of social influence. (20 marks) Study chapter nine (prosocial behaviour) in your
prescribed book before attempting to answer this question.
example of destructive obedience in society, we can look at historical events like the Milgram
experiment or real-world instances such as the obedience to authority in oppressive regimes.
Here's an example based on historical context:
Example: The Milgram Experiment
The Milgram experiment, conducted in the early 1960s by Stanley Milgram, aimed
to understand the obedience to authority figures, even when it conflicted with
personal conscience. Participants were instructed to administer increasingly severe
electric shocks to another person (an actor pretending to be a participant) whenever
they answered questions incorrectly. Despite hearing the actor's apparent distress
and pleas to stop, many participants continued to administer shocks as instructed
by the experimenter.
Possible Reasons for Compliance:
1. Legitimacy of Authority: Participants obeyed the authority figure (the
experimenter) because they perceived him as legitimate and knowledgeable.
This authority conferred a sense of responsibility onto the participants,
making them more likely to comply with his commands.
2. Social Norms: Society often emphasizes obedience to authority figures as a
virtue. Participants may have felt social pressure to conform to these norms,
fearing social disapproval or consequences if they disobeyed.
3. Gradual Escalation: The shocks in the Milgram experiment increased
gradually, starting from low levels. This incremental increase in severity
may have desensitized participants over time, making it easier for them to
continue administering shocks despite their discomfort.
4. Diffusion of Responsibility: Participants might have felt less personally
responsible for their actions because they were following orders. This
diffusion of responsibility can reduce feelings of guilt or moral conflict,
enabling people to comply with destructive commands.
