Chapter 7 - Summary Psychology and the Challenges of Life: Adjustment and Growth PDF

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Chapter 7

We may not know exclusively about Stanley Milgram's (July 1961) experiment to inform us that people obey authority. What was amazing about his experiment is how willing an individual would be to hurt someone else by only receiving verbal encouragement. In our everyday lives we are obedient in some way or the other. For example as simple as coming to class everyday and completing our respective assignments is a form of Milgram's experiment. The most severe case of his experiment happened before it was done, during the Holocaust in which orders were placed to eradicate all Jews. Sales persons will try and do any and everything to assure they are successful in acquiring you're services. Techniques which are used are foot in the door, where a small quote is started and then added upon to increase its final value. Bait and switch is popular amongst retailers where an inexpensive item with good qualities is advertised. When customers attempt to purchase the item it is not readily available and customers are offered a more expensive product. Finally one I have experienced personally was bait and switch while purchasing my first car. An asking price of $7995 was agreed upon negation for only the price to be increased by $2000 after various false charges were added.

Social influence drives individuals to react abnormally as to how they would react on an individual level. Conformity is one of these influences where in a group an individual will follow the answer of previous persons, in which individually they may be right but still give the wrong answer. Some factors which affect this behavior may be shyness, low self esteem and lack of belief. Being part of a large group may lead individuals to become de-individualized. A loss of individual identity and a gaining of social identity as a person join a group. Helping others or going out of the way to help is known as Altruism. For example rushing to someone aid that has been in a vehicle accident while the car is on fire not knowing if it will explode or not....