Attitudes of Specific Referents Toward the Behavior

Initial Attitude of i Toward the Behavior

Behavior Attitude of i Toward the Behavior

Social Choice Based on Fixed Positions:

Asch

Milgram

Special Case Design Conditions

Here, all persons may be uncertain, open to interpersonal influence,

and in detailed communication with each other.

Asch is dealing with a special case of an influence network.

For example, he is not dealing with the following situation:

as opposed to mutual influence

Mutual Influences in

Triads and Tetrads

Milgram also deals with a special case:

Neither Asch nor Milgram deal with complex influence networks such as:

Now let’s dig into the Asch Experiment

Asch

Reverse Asch

(Minority Influence)

Asch Variation (One Dissenter)

Asch Variation

(Multiple Dissenters)

Independence and yielding are not psychologically

homogenous states, i.e., they can be the result of different

psychological conditions:

•Independence (confidence, sullen, doubt ridden)

•Yielding (modified perception, must be wrong, not wrong)

Independence and yielding in this circumstance is a binary

choice.

Effect of Nonunanimous Majorities

•The presence of one other person who responded

correctly (did not yield) markedly eroded the power the

majority faction, i.e., the yielding rate dropped from 33%

to 5.5-10.4%.

•The later withdrawal of the initial dissenter restored the

power of the majority faction.

•The appearance of a dissenter, after some period of

time, erodes the subsequent power of the majority

faction.

•The existence of compromise dissenter does not

significantly reduce the rate of yielding.

Asch Variation (One Dissenter)

Size of the Majority Faction

•The yielding effect appears in full force with a majority

of 3 persons.

•Larger majorities of 4, 8, and 16 did not produce

effects greater than the majority of 3 persons.

So, it’s not the number per se but the threshold triggering

of a state of yielding.

Asch

Reverse Asch (Minority Influence)

Negligible under the circumstances

Now let’s dig into the Milgram experiment

Milgram’s

Experiment

Confederate Trainee

Confederate Scientist

Getting Wired

The Shock Machine

The Naïve Subject

The Naïve Subject Refusing to Comply

Variations Percentage of Obedient Subjects

Remote 65%

Voice-Feedback 63%

Proximity 40%

Touch-Proximity 30%

Variations Percentage of Obedient Subjects

Women 65%

Poor Office 48%

Heart Problem 40%

Variations Percentage of Obedient Subjects

Absent Scientist 21%

Nonscientist 20%

Conflicting Scientists 0%

Variations Percentage of Obedient Subjects

Two Peers Rebel 10%

Peer Shocker 93%