Transcript 1. Characteristics a. Experimenter manipulates independent

Soc 319: Sociological
Approaches to Social
Psychology
Thursday February 5, 2009
Research Methods (cont’d) and
Socialization
C. Experiments
1. Characteristics
a. Experimenter manipulates independent
variable
b. At least two levels of independent
variable
c. Random assignment
2. Settings
a. Laboratory
b. Field experiment
Conceptual model of an experimental design
Randomly assigned to
“violent”
video clip group
+
Randomly assigned to Ref.
“neutral” or control
video clip group
Number of shocks delivered
to “learning partner” in
experimental task
Effect of witnessing violence on
children’s play (Bandura)
25
Acts of aggression
20
15
10
5
0
Live
Video
Cartoon Control
C. Experiments (cont’d)
3. Strengths
a. High internal validity
4. Weaknesses
a. Unnatural setting
b. Demand characteristics
c. Experimenter effects
d. Low external validity
III. Ethics
A. Sources of harm
1. Physical harm
a. EXAMPLE: Zimbardo prison study
b. EXAMPLE: Venkatesh, “rogue sociologist”
2. Psychological harm
a. EXAMPLE: Milgram obedience studies
b. EXAMPLE: Iowa stuttering studies
3. Breach of confidentiality
a. EXAMPLE: Humphreys’ Tearoom Trade
study
B. Strategies to protect subjects
1. Informed consent
2. Debriefing
Physical and emotional harm
A scene from the Stanford Prison Experiment.
Results: Milgram experiment
Slight though very strong
shock (0-240 volts)
100%
Intense shock
(255-300 volts)
88%
Extreme intensity Shock
(315-360 volts)
68%
Danger: severe shock
(375-420 volts)
65%
“XXX”
(435-450 volts)
65%
What if you knew your research subject was
planning a drive-by-shooting?
I. Socialization
A. What is it?
B. Outcomes
1. Gender roles
a. Influence of parents
b. Influence of schools/teachers
c. Influence of peers
2. Racial socialization
a. Influences of above socializing agents
Controversy: How much do
socialization agents matter?
Socialization (cont’d)
2. Moral development
a. What is it?
b. Sources of influence
c. Piaget’s study
d. Kohlberg’s model of moral development
i. Six stages
ii. Gilligan’s critique
Kohlberg Model of Moral
Development
1. Preconventional morality - moral judgment is based on
rewards/punishments
Stage 1: Obey the rules to avoid punishment
Stage 2: Obey the rules to get reward
2. Conventional morality - moral judgments are based on social
consequences of act
Stage 3: Conform to the rules that are defined by others’
approval or disapproval
Stage 4: Rigid conformity to society’s rules
3. Postconventional morality - moral judgments are based on
internal ethical principles
Stage 5: Rules may be changed for better alternatives
Stage 6: behavior should conform to internal principles
Socialization
C. Subgroup differences
1. Historical differences
a. Alwin v. Middletown studies
2. Social class contrasts
a. Baumrind typology
b. Bowles & Gintiss theory
Parental values for children

If you had to choose, which thing on this list would
you pick as the most important for a child to learn to
prepare him for life?
To obey

To be well-liked or popular

To think for himself

To work hard

To help others when they need help

To be religious
Which comes next in importance? Which comes third….?

Values change over time
 1920s: To be religious
 1950s: To obey
 1970s: To think for himself
 2000s: ???????????
Baumrind’s Childrearing Typology
High Control
Low Control
High Warmth
Low Warmth
Authoritative
Authoritarian
Permissive