asch: conformity

Question 1

Define conformity

Answer 1

Change in behaviour or belief as a result of real or imagined group pressure

Question 2

What are the 3 types of conformity?
(From shallowest to deepest)

Answer 2

Compliance
Identification
Internalisation

Question 3

What is compliance?
Are beliefs changes publicly and privately?
Give an example

Answer 3

Change behaviour to fit in with the group
Not permanent, only when the group is present
Beliefs change publicly, but not privately
E.g. laughing at an unfunny joke

Question 4

What is identification?
Are beliefs changes publicly and privately?
Give an example

Answer 4

Adopting/aligning behaviour or beliefs of a group
Accept groups norms to desire a relationship/association with the group
Beliefs change publicly, may or may not privately
E.g. Saying you like pop music because everyone else does
*relationships, culture, connection in e.g. work

Question 5

What is internalisation?
Are beliefs changes publicly and privately?
Give an example

Answer 5

Individuals accept behaviour and becomes part of their belief system
Both publicly and privately
E.g. starts recycling and campaigning for climate change after being surrounded by activists

Question 6

What are the 2 explanations for conformity?

Answer 6

Informational social influence
Normative social influence

Question 7

What is normative social influence?
What does it lead to?
Example?

Answer 7

To be liked
Avoid rejection and gain social approval
Leads to compliance
E.g. peer pressure

Question 8

What is informational social influence?
What does it lead to?
Example?

Answer 8

To be right
Appears when there’s ambiguity
Believe that others have more correct information
Leads to internalisation
E.g. copying your classmates answer on white boards

Question 9

Outline the same and procedure Asch’s study

Answer 9

Sample was male college students, groups varied from 8-10
Only 1 was an actual ppt, rest were confedarates
Asked to match 3 comparison lines to the actual line
The first few trials, confederates gave the right answer, then they began to give the wrong ones

Question 10

What did Asch find?
What does his research suggest?

Answer 10

75% of ppts conforming at least once
5% conforming every time
People will confirm due to normative social influence

Question 11

What are 3 variations of Asch’s study?

Answer 11

Group size
Unanimity
Task difficulty

Question 12

How did Asch vary the group size of his study?

Answer 12

Confederates ranging from 1-16
1 confederate=conformity rate 3%
3 confederates=conformity rate 33%
Suggests the presence of a small group has strong social pressure

Question 13

How did Asch vary unaminity?

Answer 13

Confederate broke groups unanimity by responding correctly>conformity rate dropped to 5.5 %
Suggests the presence of a dissenter provides social support

Question 14

How did Asch vary the task difficulty?

Answer 14

Repeated the experiment with smaller line differences>harder and ambiguous>conformity rate increases
Evidence for informational social influence

Question 15

One strength of Asch’s experiment is that it has high internal validity
PET

Answer 15

E: carefully controlled, standardized procedures were followed, giving each ppt the same experiences
E.g. all ppts viewed the same lines in the order
T: internal validity=whether results affected by changes in IV, in cause and effect relationship

Question 16

One weakness of Asch’s study is that it lacks mundane realism
PET

Answer 16

E: matching the length of lines doesn’t replicate real life social interactions, conforming happens in a social context, often with people we know rather than strabfers
T: artificial natures of Asch’s study is not a valid measure of real life conformity

Question 17

One weakness of Asch’s study is that it’s subject to gender and culture bias
PET

Answer 17

E: sample was only male americans
T: can’t be generalised across the genders and cultures

Question 18

One strength of Asch’s explanations for conformity is that there’s research support
PET

Answer 18

E: Asch’s study found normative social influence (75% of ppts conformed at least once) and informative social influence, (task difficulty variation)
T: there is evidence, increase validity

Question 19

One weakness of Asch’s explanations for conformity is that it can be difficult to separate the 2 explanations
PET

Answer 19

E: in ambiguous situations, individuals may simultaneously seek accurate info (ISI) and social approval (NSI) e.g. in a crisis, people need to know how to react for safety (ISI) and sticking together (NSI)

Question 20

One weakness of Asch’s explanations for conformity is that it does not explain individual differences
PET

Answer 20

E: NSI doesn’t affect everyone’s behaviour in the same way
E.g. some people aren’t concerned with being liked>won’t be as affected by NSI
T: cannot be generalised to everyone