1. Social Psychology (Chapter 8)
Lecture Outline:
Norms and Roles
Compliance and obedience
Milgram and Zimbardo (M146)

3. WOULD EVERYONE PLEASE STAND UP?

4. “Following the crowd” What “norms” are you conforming to right now?
Norms: Rules about how we are supposed to act
-Uncontrollable laughter during class, church
-Conformity: Doing what others do, e.g., cross against red
Roles: How people of certain identities should behave
-e.g., Clean cut, well dressed bands vs. The Beatles
Culture: Shared rules, values, beliefs, pasttimes

5. Compliance and Obedience
Compliance: Doing what someone has asked you to do
e.g., get on protest bus: what are we protesting?
Obedience: Following orders
e.g., we can be cruel to others when ordered to be so
Cults are examples of conformity, compliance, and obedience out of control

6. Milgram study videotape

7. Milgram Study
Would people violate their own ethical standards and obey instructions to be cruel to others?
66% to 90% will deliver unreasonable levels of electric shock when told “the experiment requires that you continue”
“Victim” behavior did not matter, even screams, heart condition, silence
Disobedience was common when experimenter was a normal person, experimenter left the room, victim was in room, peers refused to obey, or two experimenters gave conflicting demands

8. Zimbardo prison study videotape

9. Zimbardo study Random assignment as a “prisoner” or “guard”
Mock jail in basement of psychology building
Guards controlled prisoner life, but became abusive, overstepped their authority, quickly adapted to role
Premature termination of the study was required, prisoners were greatly relieved

10. Crimes of obedience
No personal responsibility, authority is to be blamed for your action “Just following orders”
Routinization, making the abuse seem normative, minimal, “part of procedure”
Rules of good manners, abusing others because you do not know how to stop “Could not say no”
Entrapment. People become more violent and extreme when isolated and are heavily invested in what they are doing, e.g., Alcatraz prison guards got “Carried away”

12. Entry into university
What roles are taken on during frosh orientation?
“Frosh boss” takes on role of authority
New students expect to play role of obedient new person
Potentially abusive/ exploitive, thus must be watched very closely to ensure experience is positive: Must ensure informative & non-discriminatory
Purpose: Group identity formation, attitude change, new role adoption, transition
Similar to “hazing rituals” for sports, groups

13. Frosh Boss Principles: This is not Zimbardo
Respect
Communication
Collaboration
Balance and moderation
Accountability
Acceptance