SOC3704 - Group Dynamics
Summary Long Questions and
Answers
,An essay on the contributions of the
pioneering experimental studies on
social influence processes within
groups and indicate how studies of
social influence have changed over
time.
a) The experimental studies by
Sherif, Asch and Milgram briefly (15)
The experimental studies by Sherif,
Asch ad Milgram on social effect of
the groups reveals how social
influence change with time. Sherif's
work suggested that our knowledge
of the world was influenced by
others in the absence of objective
cues. Asch suggested that even with
the physical cues, our perception of
the world is coloured by others (or at
least our verbal behaviour regarding
the perception of the world is
coloured by the group). Asch also
suggested that the size of the group,
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,the role of an ally and the magnitude
of group error all influence our
perceptions. Milgram's position is
that aside from group influence,
there is another kind of influence,
the influence of authority, especially
the authority of just one other
person, a person of superior status.
The task of the experiment was to
make the subject obey commands
that involved hurting another
person. The event which motivated
the study was the prosecution of
Adolph Eichmann in Jerusalem for his
role in deporting the Jews of Europe
to the ghettos and eventually to the
death camps in Poland, principally
Auschwitz. Several million people
were murdered at Auschwitz.
b) The concepts that were developed
to explain conformity in each of
these instances. In psychological
terms, conformity refers to an
individual's tendency to follow the
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, Stuvia.com - The study-notes marketplace
unspoken rules or behaviors of the
social group to which he or she
belongs
Sherif informational induced
conformity was based around the
fact that a stationary light seen in
the dark will appear to move, if there
is nothing to judge it against. Sherif
asked students the direction and
distance that a stationary light
appeared to them to move. This
varied from individual to individual,
some seeing small, limited
movements, others lengthy,
complicated movements. However,
when all the students were gathered
together to watch the light and to
state what they saw, one after
another, a group norm developed
that fell between what any of the
students, as individuals, had seen.
Those who described very small
movements increased the
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Summary Long Questions and
Answers
,An essay on the contributions of the
pioneering experimental studies on
social influence processes within
groups and indicate how studies of
social influence have changed over
time.
a) The experimental studies by
Sherif, Asch and Milgram briefly (15)
The experimental studies by Sherif,
Asch ad Milgram on social effect of
the groups reveals how social
influence change with time. Sherif's
work suggested that our knowledge
of the world was influenced by
others in the absence of objective
cues. Asch suggested that even with
the physical cues, our perception of
the world is coloured by others (or at
least our verbal behaviour regarding
the perception of the world is
coloured by the group). Asch also
suggested that the size of the group,
Downloaded by: praisezondi91 |
Distribution of this document is illegal
,the role of an ally and the magnitude
of group error all influence our
perceptions. Milgram's position is
that aside from group influence,
there is another kind of influence,
the influence of authority, especially
the authority of just one other
person, a person of superior status.
The task of the experiment was to
make the subject obey commands
that involved hurting another
person. The event which motivated
the study was the prosecution of
Adolph Eichmann in Jerusalem for his
role in deporting the Jews of Europe
to the ghettos and eventually to the
death camps in Poland, principally
Auschwitz. Several million people
were murdered at Auschwitz.
b) The concepts that were developed
to explain conformity in each of
these instances. In psychological
terms, conformity refers to an
individual's tendency to follow the
Downloaded by: praisezondi91 |
Distribution of this document is illegal
, Stuvia.com - The study-notes marketplace
unspoken rules or behaviors of the
social group to which he or she
belongs
Sherif informational induced
conformity was based around the
fact that a stationary light seen in
the dark will appear to move, if there
is nothing to judge it against. Sherif
asked students the direction and
distance that a stationary light
appeared to them to move. This
varied from individual to individual,
some seeing small, limited
movements, others lengthy,
complicated movements. However,
when all the students were gathered
together to watch the light and to
state what they saw, one after
another, a group norm developed
that fell between what any of the
students, as individuals, had seen.
Those who described very small
movements increased the
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