Wize University Psychology Textbook > Social Psychology
History of Social Psychology
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History of Social Psychology
Psychologists sought to understand how the atrocities of World War II could have occurred, birthing modern social psychology
Asch's Conformity Experiment - explored how social pressures from a group could force an individual to act against their own best intentions
- Participant would be in a group with other "participants" that were actually confederates (members of the research team that disguise themselves as participants)
- The task required participants to identify which line out of a series of 3 matched an original reference line (a fairly easy task)
- However, confederates would purposely give incorrect answers to see if the real participant would conform to the group's opinion, even though it was obviously wrong
- In most cases, participants conformed at least once
Milgram's Obedience Experiment - explored to what extent individuals would obey authority figures
- Participants were assigned to teach "learners" (confederates) on a memory experiment and were ordered to administer a shock to the learner for each incorrect answer (no shock was actually given)
- Shocks became increasingly larger until they reached a lethal level; participants could hear the "learners" screaming from another room
- Majority of participants delivered the maximum shock, even though they were under the impression it could kill the learner
Stanford Prison Experiment - explored how people adapt to being in positions of authority over others
- Participants were randomly assigned to either being a prisoner or prison guard; had to stay in these roles over many days in a mock prison
- "Guards" became abusive and humiliated the "prisoners". By Day 2, the prisoners had staged a riot and exhibited signs of psychological distress
- Study had to be prematurely stopped after 6 days, demonstrated how authority roles can facilitate dehumanizing behaviour and a loss of personal morals