Many concepts and studies in social psychology can be used to understand social change.
The two studies I have chosen are Conformity (Asch) and the Prison Study (Haney, Banks and Zimbardo).
In the Asch study of conformity, the researcher showed seven students a 10-inch line and simply asked them to choose which of the three other given lines where the same in length. The answer was very obvious, but when the first person said one answer, everyone else went on with the same answer. She said B, and the rest of the people said B. The outcome of the study is that people who were ask to do this alone, gave the right answer. However, in the case where it was a group at least one error was made and very few were able to completely resist conformity. At times of the answers are right and for this we can conclude that human beings are complicated. We do things sometimes just to try to fit in a certain group regardless of what the outcome may be.
The Asch study of conformity can help us to understand what happened in Montgomery, Alabama because all of us act differently when we are around a bunch of people than when we are by ourselves. The bus driver simply ordered Rosa Parks to move to the back of the bus for the sake of conformity. Rosa Parks was the only black person on the bus and so the white people figure she would do as they say under group pressure. .
The researchers in this study wanted to find out what happens when everyday college students becomes prisoners and guards. The guards were very harsh to the prisoners and took their roles as if it were a real job. Due the behavior of the guards, the researchers had to end the study early. The outcome of the Prison study is to illustrate the power of roles. People quickly learn their respective roles in a matter of time forgetting about their personalities and private values. .
The Prison study can help us to understand the story of Rosa Parks; it infers that people can go from good to bad.