Welcome to Contemporary Social Psychology!
In our previous lessons, we looked at "classic" studies like Milgram and Asch. These were ground-breaking, but they were conducted decades ago. Psychologists today want to know: Do people still behave the same way now? This chapter covers three modern studies that help answer that question. We will look at Burger (2009), and your choice of either Yi Huang et al. (2014) or Haun et al. (2014).
1. Burger (2009): Replicating Milgram
The Big Question: Would people still obey an authority figure today, even if it meant hurting someone else?
Why did Burger do this study?
Milgram’s original 1963 study is famous, but it is often criticized for being unethical. Burger wanted to see if Milgram’s results still applied in the 21st century, but he had to make the experiment much safer for the participants.
The "150-Volt Solution"
Burger noticed that in Milgram’s original work, \(79\%\) of people who went past 150 volts went all the way to the end (\(450V\)). He decided that 150 volts was the "point of no return." By stopping the study at 150 volts, he could predict who would have gone to the end without actually causing the extreme stress of the higher shocks.
How he made it ethical:
- Screening: Participants were screened by psychologists to ensure they weren't prone to excessive stress or mental health issues.
- Right to Withdraw: Participants were told three times (twice in writing) that they could stop at any time and keep their \(\$50\).
- Immediate Debrief: As soon as the study ended, they were told the shocks weren't real and met the "learner" to see he was okay.
What did he find?
In the "Base Condition," \(70\%\) of participants were willing to continue past 150 volts. In Milgram’s original (Experiment 5), it was \(82.5\%\). This is a very small difference, showing that obedience levels haven't changed much in 45 years!
Key Findings:
- Gender: There was no significant difference between men and women.
- Personality: People with a high "desire for control" were slightly more likely to resist.
Quick Review: Burger’s study shows that situational factors (like the presence of an authority figure) still have a powerful effect on us today.
2. Yi Huang et al. (2014): How long does conformity last?
The Big Question: When we change our minds to fit in with a group, is that change permanent, or does it wear off?
The Experiment
Participants were asked to rate the attractiveness of various faces on a scale of \(1\) to \(9\). After they gave their rating, they were shown the "average" rating from a group of hundreds of other people.
For example: If you rated a face a \(5\), but the group "average" was an \(8\), you would see that you were different from the majority.
The Time Trial
The researchers brought the participants back later to rate the same faces again. They wanted to see if the participants would still conform to the group's "average" after:
- 1 day
- 3 days
- 7 days
- 3 months
What did they find?
Conformity has an expiration date! The "group opinion" influenced the participants for up to 3 days. However, after 7 days, the influence disappeared, and participants went back to their original opinions.
Key Takeaway: Social influence is like a "short-term patch" on our behavior. Unless we are constantly reminded of the group's opinion, we eventually return to our own way of thinking.
3. Haun et al. (2014): Children vs. Great Apes
The Big Question: Is the urge to conform unique to humans, or do our closest animal relatives (chimpanzees and orangutans) do it too?
The Procedure
The researchers used a "reward box" with three different colored sections.
- A group of "peers" (either other children or other apes) was trained to put a ball into a specific colored section to get a treat.
- The "subject" (the child or ape being tested) had already learned a different way to get the treat.
- The subject then watched the majority of their peers use the other color.
The Results
- Human Children (age 2): They were much more likely to drop their own successful method and copy the majority. They wanted to "fit in" even if their own way already worked!
- Chimpanzees and Orangutans: They generally stuck with what they knew. They didn't care what the "majority" was doing; they just wanted the reward using the method they already trusted.
Did you know? This suggests that conformity for the sake of social belonging is a specifically human trait that starts very early in life.
Summary Table: Evaluation of the Studies
When you write about these in the exam, you need to use the "Big Six" evaluation words: Validity, Reliability, Credibility, Generalisability, Objectivity, and Subjectivity.
| Study | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|
| Burger (2009) | High Reliability: He used a standardized procedure (the same script Milgram used), so it can be repeated easily. | Low Ecological Validity: It was a lab task. Giving shocks to a stranger isn't something we do in real life. |
| Yi Huang (2014) | High Objectivity: They used quantitative data (ratings \(1-9\)), which means there is no room for researcher bias. | Low Generalisability: Rating faces on a screen is a very specific task; it might not apply to conformitiy in deep beliefs (like politics). |
| Haun et al. (2014) | Credibility: Using a "reward box" task for both apes and humans makes the comparison fair and scientific. | Subjectivity: While the behavior was tallied, interpreting why a child copies a peer involves some guesswork. |
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Mixing up Voltages: Don't say Burger went to \(450V\). He stopped at \(150V\) for ethical reasons.
- Confusing "Classic" and "Contemporary": Remember that Moscovici and Milgram are the "old" classics. Burger, Huang, and Haun are the "new" contemporary ones.
- Sample Sizes: If you use numbers from the study, ensure they are accurate (e.g., \(70\%\) obedience in Burger).
Quick Tip for the Exam: If you get an 8-mark question on a contemporary study, always start by describing the Aim, Procedure, and Results (AO1), then switch to evaluating it using GRAVE (Generalisability, Reliability, Application, Validity, Ethics) for your AO3 marks.