Discuss research into conformity (8 marks) – Theory based
NSI/ISI
ZIMARDO
WITTENBRINK AND HENLY
This is a direct form of social influence where the individual has less choice in whether they give way or not. (obedience to authority)
The individual is faced with the choice of whether to comply with a direct order from a person with higher status, or whether to defy the order.

Social Influence
Motivation
Obedience
Direct order from someone with perceived authority
Fear of punishment, belief in legitimacy of authority
Milgram set out to investigate whether ordinary people will obey a legitimate authority even when required to injure an innocent person.
Research into obedience – Milgram (1963)
Procedure
He recruited 40 male participants by advertising to take part in a study that would be held in Yale University, (they were paid $4.50). There were 2 confederates involved in the study (the authority figure) and the learner. The machine was tested on the learner to show him that it worked The learner sitting in another room gave mainly wrong answers and received his (fake) shocks in silence until they reached 300 volts.
At this point he pounded on the wall and then gave no response to the next question.
If the teacher asked to stop, the experimenter had a set of prod to repeats such sayings, “It is absolutely essential that you continue”.
Milgram’s findings and conclusion
Before the experiment, Milgram asked the participants to predict how far they would go before