Psychology Experiments

Solomon Asch was interested in investigating...

• ...to what extent people are willing to help others in a social context.

• ...how being given a particular role, whether powerful or powerless, affects people's behaviour.

• ...how people respond to the commands of a perceived authority figure.

• ...to what extent people are prepared to conform with the judgements of others in a group setting.

Which statement about social psychology experiments is justified?

• Social psychology researchers may place people in unfamiliar, even confronting, social situations in their experiments.

• Studies of group behaviour never require people to interact in situations that may involve power relationships and role play.

• Studies of group behaviour rarely pose ethical concerns.

• The studies of social psychologists do not raise issues that require careful debriefing of participants afterwards.

Stanley Milgram's key interest was in investigating...

• how being given a particular role, whether powerful or powerless, affects people's behaviour.

• to what extent people are willing to help others in a social context.

• how people respond to the commands of a perceived authority figure.

• to what extent people are prepared to conform with the judgements of others in a group setting.

In Stanley Milgram's original study of power and obedience, ___ of his participants gave what they believed to be electric shocks up till the supposed "severe danger" level.

• 10%

• 65%

• 72%

• 40%

Which factor increased obedience in later versions of Milgram's study?

• Reducing the distance between teacher and learner

• Reducing the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure

• Having a "rebel" present who refused to follow orders

• Having two confederates present who obeyed all orders

Which factor most decreased obedience in later versions of Milgram's study?

• The presence of a rebel, who disobeyed the authority figure's instructions

• The presence of two obedient confederates, who obeyed the authority figure's instructions

• Greater proximity between the "teacher" and the "learner"

• Reducing the perceived legitimacy of the authority figure

Phillip Zimbardo's key interest was in investigating...

• to what extent people are willing to help others in a social context.

• how being ascribed a particular role, whether powerful or powerless, affects people's behaviour in a prison setting.

• how people respond to the commands of a perceived authority figure.

• to what extent people are prepared to conform with the judgements of others in a group setting.

Zimbardo instituted what he called a "degradation process", so that...

• the "prisoner" participants would experience the same demeaning experiences as real prisoners.

• the "warder" participants would experience the same demeaning experiences as real warders.

• he could illustrate his commitment to maintaining ethical guidelines.

• he could uphold his responsibility as a researcher to protect his participants' well-being.

What was the main finding of the Stanford prison experiment conducted by Philip Zimbardo?

• People quickly conform to assigned roles

• Prisoners naturally rebel against authority

• Guards are inherently abusive

• Prison environments have no effect on behavior

Which experiment demonstrated the power of authority in influencing obedience?

• Milgram's Obedience Study

• Asch Conformity Experiment

• Hawthorne Studies

• Bobo Doll Experiment