Welcome to Social Psychology: The Psychological Environment!
Ever wondered why you act differently when you're with your friends compared to when you're alone? Or why people sometimes follow orders they know are wrong? That is exactly what we are going explore in this chapter. We are looking at the Social Approach, which studies how the people and situations around us shape our behavior.
Don't worry if this seems like a lot at first! We will break it down into three famous studies and the big ideas behind them. By the end, you'll see the world (and the people in it) a little differently.
Section 1: The Social Approach – The Basics
Before we dive into the studies, we need to understand the "rules" of this approach. Social psychologists believe two main things:
- Social contexts (the situation you are in) and groups influence our behavior, thoughts, and emotions.
- Other people influence us even if they aren't actually there! This can be their actual presence (someone standing next to you), implied presence (knowing a CCTV camera is watching), or imagined presence (thinking "What would my mom say?").
Analogy: Think of yourself like a phone. Your "hardware" is the same, but you run different "apps" (behaviors) depending on which "Wi-Fi network" (social environment) you are connected to!
Quick Review: Key Assumptions
Social Context: The environment or situation.
Situational Explanation: Believing people act a certain way because of the environment they are in, rather than their personality.
Section 2: Milgram and the Power of Obedience
The first big study is by Milgram (1963). He wanted to know why people during World War II followed such terrible orders. Was it because they were "evil" (a dispositional explanation), or was it the situation they were in (a situational explanation)?
The Experiment
Participants were told they were taking part in a study about "learning." They were ordered by an experimenter in a lab coat (an authority figure) to give electric shocks to another person (the "learner") every time they got a memory question wrong.
Important Note: The "learner" was actually an actor and never really got shocked, but the participant didn't know that!
What happened?
The shocks went from 15 volts to 450 volts. Even when the learner screamed and eventually went silent, every single participant went up to 300 volts, and 65% went all the way to the maximum 450 volts just because they were told to.
Memory Aid: The 4 Prods
If the participant wanted to stop, the experimenter used 4 standard phrases (prods):
1. Please continue.
2. The experiment requires that you continue.
3. It is absolutely essential that you continue.
4. You have no other choice, you must go on.
Key Takeaway: Most people will obey an authority figure even if it means harming someone else. This shows that the situation is often more powerful than our own personality.
Section 3: Perry et al. and Personal Space
Have you ever felt uncomfortable when someone stands too close to you? That’s your personal space (also called interpersonal distance). Perry et al. (2015) wanted to see how our brain chemicals and our empathy levels change how much space we need.
The Role of Oxytocin
Oxytocin is often called the "love hormone" because it helps with social bonding. Perry wanted to see if giving people oxytocin would make them want to be closer to others.
The Results
The researchers found that it wasn't just about the hormone; it was about the person's personality too.
- People with high empathy felt more comfortable being closer to others when they had oxytocin.
- People with low empathy actually wanted more space when given oxytocin.
Real-world example: Think of your personal space like an invisible bubble. If you are a very empathetic person, your "bubble" might shrink when you're feeling social. If you aren't, your bubble might stay big and "tough" to protect you.
Key Takeaway: Our need for personal space is a mix of our biology (hormones like oxytocin) and our individual traits (empathy).
Section 4: Piliavin et al. – The Subway Samaritans
This study looks at bystander apathy. This is the idea that when there are lots of people around, we are less likely to help someone in need because we think someone else will do it. This is called diffusion of responsibility.
The "Subway" Study
Researchers staged "collapses" on a New York subway. They tested two types of victims:
1. An ill victim (carrying a cane).
2. A drunk victim (smelling of alcohol and carrying a bottle in a bag).
What they found:
- The ill victim received help 95% of the time, usually within 5 seconds!
- The drunk victim received help only 50% of the time.
- Interestingly, they found no evidence of diffusion of responsibility. Because the participants were trapped in a moving train carriage, they couldn't leave, so they helped anyway!
Did you know?
Piliavin suggested the Cost-Reward Model. Before we help, our brain does a quick "math" problem:
\( \text{Likelihood of helping} = (\text{Rewards of helping} + \text{Costs of NOT helping}) - (\text{Costs of helping}) \)
If it's "cheaper" (less embarrassing or dangerous) to help than to ignore, we will help!
Key Takeaway: We are more likely to help people we perceive as "deserving" (the ill person) than those we "blame" for their situation (the drunk person).
Section 5: Big Debates in this Chapter
To do well in your exams, you need to connect these studies to the "big picture" debates:
1. Situational vs. Individual (Dispositional)
Milgram and Piliavin strongly support situational explanations—the lab setting or the subway carriage changed how people acted. Perry et al. shows a mix, as empathy (an individual trait) changed how the hormone worked.
2. Application to Everyday Life
These studies are very useful!
- Milgram: Helps us understand why soldiers might follow illegal orders.
- Perry et al.: Helps us design rooms or therapy settings for people with social difficulties.
- Piliavin: Helps us understand how to encourage people to help others in emergencies.
Common Mistake to Avoid:
Don't confuse Obedience with Conformity.
Obedience is following a direct order from someone with power (like Milgram's experimenter).
Conformity is changing to fit in with a group of your equals (like wearing the same clothes as your friends).
Final Quick Review Box
Milgram: People obey authority (Situational).
Perry et al.: Space depends on Oxytocin + Empathy (Biological/Individual).
Piliavin: We help based on a cost-benefit analysis (Social/Situational).
You've got this! Just remember: Social psychology is all about the "where" and the "who" surrounding the behavior.