Topic 5: Social influence Study Guide

Obedience to authority refers to complying with the instructions or commands of someone perceived to be in a position of power, even if those instructions go against one's own judgement or ethics. This phenomenon is influenced by various factors, including aspects of the individual's personality, such as their authoritarian leanings, and situational factors like the proximity of the authority figure, the legitimacy of the authority, and the presence of others defying or obeying orders. Psychological research, notably studies like Milgram's obedience experiment and variations, provides empirical evidence for these influences. Understanding obedience is crucial for explaining historical events, such as atrocities committed under authoritarian regimes, and for recognizing how social influence operates in everyday life settings. Ethical considerations are paramount in studying obedience, especially in research that involves deception or potential psychological harm to participants.

Piliavin et al. (1969) investigated factors influencing bystander intervention in a naturalistic setting. The study, conducted on New York City subway trains, aimed to observe how characteristics of a victim (drunk vs. ill) and the presence of a model helper affected prosocial behaviour. Researchers staged collapse incidents, varying victim type and the timing of a model's intervention. They found that victims perceived as 'ill' received help more frequently and quickly than those perceived as 'drunk'. The study also indicated that increasing the number of bystanders did not necessarily decrease the likelihood of intervention, challenging the 'diffusion of responsibility' theory in this specific context. This research provided valuable insight into bystander behaviour outside of a laboratory, highlighting the influence of situational factors.