In all likelihood, participants in Milgram's obedience experiments (conducted in the 1960s and 1970s) were willing to administer increasingly severe shocks to a confederate learner because they were concerned that the experimenter would be disappointed or perhaps even angry with them. Such concerns reflect the power of __________ to induce obedience to authority.
A) informational social influence
B) the reciprocity norm
C) mindless conformity
D) normative social influence

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Normative social influence refers to our tendency to conform to the norms of a group in order to fit in and be accepted. In Milgram's experiments, participants may have been motivated to obey the authority figure (the experimenter) in order to avoid social disapproval or to gain social approval. This is an example of normative social influence.

In All Likelihood, Participants in Milgram's Obedience Experiments (Conducted in the 1960s