A01&3 Conformity

Question 1

Internalisation

Answer 1

When a person genuinely accepts group norms
Change more likely to be permanent because attitudes have become part of how the person thinks

Question 2

Identification

Answer 2

When we identify with a group that we value, we want to become part of it
Publically change our opinions even if we don’t privately agree with everything the group stands for

Question 3

Compliance

Answer 3

‘Going along with others’ in public, but privately not changing opinions
Results in only a superficial change and the behaviour stops as soon as group pressure creases

Question 4

Informational social influence

Answer 4

ISI is a cognitive process, a desire to be right
It most likely occurs in situations that are ambiguous, when decisions have to be made quick

Question 5

Normative social influence

Answer 5

NSI is an emotional process about norms, a desire to behave like others and not look foolish
NSI occurs in unfamiliar situations and with people you know may be more pronounced in stressful situations

Question 6

Strength of ISI

Answer 6

P- research support
E- Lucas et al. asked students to give answers to east and more difficult maths problems
E- there was more conformity to incorrect answers when the problems were difficult
L- people conform in situations where they feel they don’t know the answer, we look to others and assume they must be right

Question 7

Limitation of ISI

Answer 7

P- there are individual differences
E- Asch 1955 found that students were less conformist (28%) than other participants (37%)
E- Perrin and Spencer’s also found less conformity in students, these were engineering students
L- people who are knowledgeable are less influenced by the apparently ‘right’ view of a majority therefore there are differences in how individuals respond to ISI

Question 8

Limitation of ISI and NSI

Answer 8

P- the ‘two-process’ approach is oversimplified
E- this approach states that behaviour is due to either NSI or ISI
E- however, conformity was reduced when there was a dissenting partner in the Asch experiment which may reduce the power of NSI or ISI
L- therefore, it isn’t always possible to know whether NSI or ISI is at work. This questions the view of ISI and NSI as operating independently in conforming behaviour

Question 9

A strength of NSI

Answer 9

P- research support
E- Asch 1951 asked ppts. to explain why they agreed with the wrong answer, some said they felt self-conscious giving the right answer and were afraid of disapproval
E- when Asch asked ppts to write down their answers, conformity rates fell to 12.5%
L- this supports the ppts own reports that they were confirming because of NSI

Question 10

Limitation of NSI

Answer 10

P- there are individual differences
E- McGhee and Teevan found that students who were nAffiliators were more likely to conform
E- people who care more about being liked are more affected by NSI
L- the desire to be liked underlies conformity for some people more than others. Therefore, one general theory does not cover the fact that there are differences