conformity Flashcards
Define compliance
- Most superficial, least permanent
- publicly change to fit in, private revert back
- linked to NSI + example
Define Identification
- possible private as well as public acceptance
- individuals look to group for guidance adjust belief to those of the group as membership is desirable and take on a role.
- when group no longer valuable may revert back
Define Internalisation
- Deepest and most permanent
- Publicly and privately change their behaviours and beliefs to go along with group and accept their attitudes to our own cognitions
- Linked to ISI
Name 3 types of conformity
- compliance
- identification
- internalisation
Define the term Informative social influence (3marks)
- The driven desire to be right
- When an individual is unsure and lacks knowledge about how to behave they conform by seeking information and assuming its right
- Cognitive process, leads to internalisation
Define the term Normative social influence (3marks)
- Driven desire to be liked
- Individual goes along with groups behaviour to avoid ridicule and gain acceptance from them and fit in.
- Emotional process, lead to compliance
Research to support ISI
Jenness:
- Guessed number of Jelly beans
- Private -> group -> Private
- 2nd private guess closer to group estimate than original
- Supports ISI bc task ambiguous as ppts were unsure of the answer.
COUNTER:
- Lacks eco val
- In artificial environment (Lab)
- Therefore diff to gen to real life examples of ISI as real life people less likely to conform to a group as there may be consequences for their actions
- reducing ext val of research into ISI.
Research to support NSI
Asch:
- State which line a,b,c was closest in length to stimulus line ‘x’ Conf answered first and gave wrong answer
- Ppts followed and gave wrong answer 37% of times
- Therefore supporting NSI as an explanation of conformity as task was unambiguous as ppts later said they knew the answer but conformed to avoid ridicule from the group
Describe the variables affecting conformity
Group size: conformity rate increase as the size of the majority group increases.
- 1conf = 3%,
- 2conf = 13%,
- 3conf = 32%, plateaued
- size of majority has effect to a point
Unanimity: complete agreement from a group of people about an answer.
- 1conf correct answer conformity = 5.5%
- lone conf answer different from majority and different correct answer conformity = 9%
- when dissenter breaks groups unanimous position conformity decreases
Task difficulty: conformity increases when difficulty of task increases.
- lines changed to be more similar, harder task
- ISI great role likely look to others for guidance when task harder, right answer less obvious, lose confidence in our own ability.
Evaluate variables into conformity
RTS by lucas et al
- asked students to do hard and easy maths problems
- ppts given 3 different answers from other students, conformed more when questions became harder
- Supports Asch as when task is harder conformity increases
However Lucas et al found conformity more complex than Asch suggested
- Ppt w high confidence conformed less on hard maths than w low confidence
- Shows individual level factor can influence conformity and interact with situational variables
- Limiting Asch’s research did not research the roles of individual factors.
Asch criticised to be gender bias
- only males tested, diff to gen findings to females suggested females may be more conformists regardless of variables
- more concerned about social relationships + being liked by their peers
- Weakens the ext val of research into variables effecting conformity
Outline Zimbardos research into conformity to social roles (5 marks)
Sample: 24 US male students
* Procedure: randomly allocated prisoner or guard
Prisoners:
- arrested own homes,
- searched, deloused dressed in smock uniforms,
- referred to by a number
Guards:
- uniform, night stick + mirrored glass, -
- keep prisoners under control no physical violence
- Zimbardo: superintendent parole process if wanted to leave.
Findings:
- within a day prisoners rebelled ripped numbers off
- prisoners rapidly became subdued and depressed
- intended to run for 2 weeks called off after 6 days
Conclusion:
- Guards, Prisoners and researchers conformed to their role in prison
- Social roles have extraordinary power over individuals
Evaluate Zimbardos research into conformity to social roles.
(1) Prone to demand characteristics
- As Zimbardo was prison superintendent, could influence how ppt acted within study
- For example may conform as they believed this is what Zimbardo wanted them to do, rather than actually conforming to their social role given due to prison environment.
- Fact they were paid could influence this further
- Lowering internal validity of research into social roles
(2) Ethical issues
- Was a lack of informed consent, prisoners did not consent to being arrested at their homes
- Lack of right to withdraw, prisoners had to ask to be released from prison (zimbardo), zimbardo responded as superintendent
- Not protected from harm showed signs of psychological damage
- However Z carried out debriefing found no psychological damage.
(3) Gender bias
- Male only sample (androcentric)
- Weakness as its difficult to generalise findings that ppl conform to social roles to women.
- prison guard role = violent, females more caring conform less
- Reducing external validity
