(1) Conformity (social Roles)

Question 1

What are the 3 types of conformity from weak to strong

Answer 1

Compliance - temporary, agree in public disagree in person
Identification - temporarily agree or change when in a group
Internalisation - permanently change opinions/personality

Question 2

NSI vs ISI

Answer 2

NSI = normative social influence
People are influenced by social norms to
increase social desirability
Leads to compliance
Asch
ISI = informational social influence
People are influenced when they don’t have
much info, others around them seem smarter
more informed
Leads to internalisation
Lucas et al

Question 3

Talk about the Asch process + variables

Answer 3

123 American men, groups of 6-8
1 real participant
Two large white cards. Line on left card was standard, 3 lines on right as comparison
Had to say which of right hand side was same length as left hand side
Variables:
Group size
Unanimity
Task difficulty

Question 4

Results of different Asch variables

Answer 4

Group size:
- varied group from 2 to 16
- with 3 confederates, conformity = rate
increased to31.8% but
Levelled out after
Unanimity:
- confederates that disagreed with other
Confederates
- rate dropped by 75%
Task difficulty:
- lines were more similar
- conformity increased

Question 5

Evaluation of Asch

Answer 5

+
- supported by Lucas et al
-
- artificial: participants could’ve known, did demand
Characteristics
- limited application: men (research = women more
conformative) and USA (individualistic soc.)

Question 6

What was Lucas et al?

Answer 6

Gave participants easy and hard maths questions
Gave participants 3 answers from others
Mostly conformed when problems were harder- supports Asch in ISI

Question 7

Talk about the process of Zimbardo’s experiment

Answer 7

Participants randomly assigned prisoner/guard role
Encouraged to conform to social roles through instructions and uniforms
Uniforms:
- prisoners: loose smock and identified by
Assigned number
- guards: khaki uniform, wooden club, handcuffs,
Shades
- created de-individualisation

Question 8

Findings and conclusion of SPE

Answer 8

Findings:
Both settled into roles quick
Guards began harassing prisoners
Prisoners rebelled
Eventually prisoners adapted suitable behaviour, became submissive, guards became more aggressive
Experiment ended after 6 instead of 14 days

Conclusions:
Social roles have high influence on behaviour

Question 9

Evaluation of zimbardo

Answer 9

+
High internal validity - guards and prisoners random
-
Individual differences + personality affect results
Not all guards were harsh