1. SOCIAL INFLUENCE (Explanations of Conformity) Flashcards
What are the two main reasons why people conform, according to Deutsch & Gerard (1955)?
People conform due to Informational Social Influence (ISI), the desire to be right, and Normative Social Influence (NSI), the need to be liked.
What is Informational Social Influence (ISI)?
ISI is when people conform because they want to be correct or right in uncertain situations. They rely on others for information when the situation is unclear.
What is Normative Social Influence (NSI)?
NSI is when people conform to be liked or accepted by others, even if they do not privately agree with the group.
What is the key difference between ISI and NSI?
ISI is driven by the desire to be correct, often in ambiguous situations, whereas NSI is driven by the desire to be liked or accepted by others, often in clear situations.
What research supports NSI?
Asch’s (1951) study supports NSI, as participants conformed to avoid disapproval. When they gave answers privately, conformity dropped from 36.8% to 12.5%, suggesting compliance to avoid rejection.
How does Asch’s study support NSI?
Participants conformed publicly due to fear of disapproval. When answers were written privately, conformity decreased, supporting the idea that some conformity is driven by the desire to be liked (NSI).
What research supports ISI?
Lucas et al. (2006) found that participants were more likely to conform to incorrect answers in difficult maths problems because the situation was unclear, showing that people conform to be correct (ISI).
How does Lucas et al.’s research support ISI?
The study shows that participants conformed more in difficult situations where they lacked confidence, suggesting that when faced with ambiguity, people rely on others’ answers to be correct (ISI).
What is a limitation of ISI and NSI based on Asch’s study?
A limitation is that it is unclear whether ISI or NSI is responsible for conformity in studies. For example, Asch’s study showed that a dissenter could reduce conformity, but it’s unclear if this is due to social support (NSI) or alternative information (ISI).
What is a limitation of NSI based on individual differences?
NSI does not apply to everyone equally. McGhee and Teevan (1967) found that people who are “nAffiliators” (those with a strong need to be liked) are more likely to conform, indicating individual differences in how NSI influences behaviour.
What is a limitation of ISI based on task type?
ISI is moderated by the type of task. For example, for judgments with clear physical criteria (e.g., population size), people are less likely to conform, whereas social issues (e.g., which city is most fun) rely more on social consensus, making ISI less effective in these situations.
What research supports ISI and Internalisation?
Sherif’s (1935) study supports ISI and internalisation. Participants’ judgments of the movement of a light (an optical illusion) changed to align with the group norm, and they maintained this view even after the group was no longer present.
How does Sherif’s study support ISI and internalisation?
Sherif’s study shows that when people are unsure, they look to others for guidance (ISI). The participants internalised the group’s norm, maintaining it even without the group, demonstrating the permanent change associated with internalisation.
What is a limitation of both ISI and NSI in explaining conformity?
Both ISI and NSI are difficult to separate in real-life situations. In studies like Asch’s, it is unclear whether conformity is due to a desire for correct answers (ISI) or for social approval (NSI), making it hard to identify the primary cause.
