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Exam question confusion

There are two exam questions, which I am not sure about.
Discuss the role of social processes in social change (16) and With reference to the article above, explain how social influence leads to social change (6).
For the two exam questions would you essentially write the same thing e.g. the snowball effect. Also to gain the full 16 marks what would you need to include?
Original post by amyl17
There are two exam questions, which I am not sure about.
Discuss the role of social processes in social change (16) and With reference to the article above, explain how social influence leads to social change (6).
For the two exam questions would you essentially write the same thing e.g. the snowball effect. Also to gain the full 16 marks what would you need to include?


Without seeing the article the best answer i can give you is

Milgram

Gradual commitment
Disobedient role model

If you succeed in getting people to comply with a small request (e.g. give a 15 volt shock) they may be committed to go along with further requests.

Therefore you can use foot in the door technique…

If there are disobedient models, others are able to resist obedience and will follow.


Rotter
Locus of control (Dispositional Factors)

Generally disobedient models have shown independent behaviour and have an internal locus of control and act autonomously.
Clearly Rosa Parks, Nelson Mandela, Ghandi etc. exhibited this personality.


Moscovici

Minorities must possess certain behavioural styles if they are to exert social influence on majorities.

Consistency (most important) Flexibility (not arrogant and dogmatic). Act out of principle and not self-interest. Have made sacrifices in order to maintain their position.

This is supported in real life examples by historical figures such as Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela - both of whom instigated social change, and both of whom campaigned for long periods of time, with the same underlying message (consistency) and who were both known for their modesty and willingness to listen to alternative viewpoints (not dogmatic).

Suffragettes showed confidence by protesting, commitment through ‘hunger strikes,’ consistency by sending the same message in different ways and flexibility through helping with the war effort. All these behavioural styles enabled them to bring about social change and the vote for women.


Hofling
21 out of 22 nurses obeyed doctor’s instructions (Blind obedience)

The education of doctors and nurses now includes courses in psychology. More rigorous signing off procedures for administering drugs should have changed practice for the better.


Asch/Milgram/Zimbardo

Ethics e.g.Deception

Societies such as the BPS have devised ethical guidance and codes of conduct in an effort to prevent unethical practices in psychological research.

This followed research by Asch, Milgram and Zimbardo which was done at a time when ethical guidelines didn’t exist.


THE SNOWBALL EFFECT

The majority is doing X because they have always done X; one person (the minority) starts to do Y; the majority start to question whether Y might be better than X; one or two of the majority change their behaviour to Y (having decided that it’s better than X); a few more of the majority see the first few change to Y, and follow suit; slowly, the rest of the majority change to Y; eventually everyone is doing Y - which equates to SOCIAL CHANGE.


SOCIAL CRYPTOAMNESIA

The majority is doing X because they have always done X; one person (the minority) starts to do Y; a few of the majority hear about Y and start to talk about and consider whether it’s a better option than X; they decide to do Y - but no one remembers where the idea for doing Y came from; slowly the rest of the majority change to Y; eventually everyone is doing Y - which equates to SOCIAL CHANGE.

ENLIGHTENMENT EFFECT



If people know why they’re behaving badly, they will be able to stop behaving badly.

However replications of Milgram’s obedience study show that obedience levels are just as high - suggesting that the ‘enlightenment effect’ has not happened. Also Blass (2000) found no link between the time of obedience studies and obedience levels - also suggesting that the ‘enlightenment effect’ hasn’t happened.

Hopefully this will help.

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