Conformity

Question 1

Definition of conformity

Answer 1

It can be defined as changing behaviour or beliefs to come into line with others in a majority group.

Question 2

An example of conformity

Answer 2

It’s not illegal or wrong to crawl along corridor floors instead of walk but you would never do that and walk like everyone else as your conforming to social norms.
Another example is if all your friends got the same pair of shoes you would too as you are then conforming to a majority maybe because you want to be liked which is normative social influence.

Question 3

Definition of compliance

Answer 3

This is when someone goes along with a group publicly but not privately as they do not believe what this group believes.

Question 4

Example of compliance

Answer 4

For example if you go into a room and everyone has taken their shoes off you will follow this even if you think it is weird because other people are doing this.

Question 5

What type of social influence does compliance relate to?

Answer 5

Normative (NSI) to be liked

Question 6

What type of social influence does internalisation relate to?

Answer 6

Informational (ISI) to be right or gain knowledge.

Question 7

Definition of identification

Answer 7

This is when a person temporarily adopts a belief of a group but if they change to a different group they will no longer believe this and take the habits of the other group. They agree publicly and privately.

Question 8

Example of identification

Answer 8

For example, if you join a group which does not like someone then you will not like them too, however if you move to another group where the majority likes they person then you end up liking them too.

Question 9

Definition of internalisation

Answer 9

This is when a person permanently adopts the beliefs of the group. They may carry these be,Ives away from the group even if they do not re-join with the group. They believe publicly and privately.

Question 10

Example of internalisation

Answer 10

For example, you are with a group that believe English is the best subject, you were not sure at first but then gradually adopt this belief to the point that you believe English is the best subject even when you had joined a group that think maths is the best subject.

Question 11

What is informational social influence?

Answer 11

This is when uncertainty leads to a person adopting a behaviour or a belief of others because they want to be right.

Question 12

Example of informational social influence/research

Answer 12

In ASCH 1951 the participants went along with the majority confederates even when they thought their answer was wrong and theirs was right just to ensure the participants themselves were right.

Question 13

What is normative social influence?

Answer 13

This is when a person is not in doubt about anything but conform due to social norms. They conform to be liked by others.

Question 14

Example of normative social influence

Answer 14

An example is if you liked rock music but the group majority you were in liked pop music, you would just say you liked pop just to fit in with the group and be liked.

Question 15

What are the individual factors

Answer 15

Self esteem and gender

Question 16

Experimental research relating to gender

Answer 16

It was found by (Mori and Aria 2010) that women are more likely to conform than men.
They confirmed 40% of the time.

It was further found by (eagly 1987) that this may happen because women tend to take on more of a communal role and promote harmony in a group while men like to maintain independence. This may be because women are more concerned with social relationships with men

Question 17

Experimental research relating to self esteem

Answer 17

It was found by (Santee and Maslach 1982) that students with higher self esteem were less likely to conform than lose with low self esteem when incorrect solutions were put forward by other students.

It was found by (ASCH 1951) that people with lose self esteem are more likely to conform because they are more likely to fear rejection from a group.

Question 18

Explain why self esteem effects conformity

Answer 18

Conforming can actually make people feel better about themselves as it can boost their confidence.
It is said non conformity and self esteem go hand in hand.

Question 19

What are the situational factors?

Answer 19

Task difficulty
Unamity
Group size

Question 20

Explain group size and give research evidence

Answer 20

With group size it was shown that with more people in a group there was a higher percentage of conformity.

(ASCH 1951) found that 3% of people conformed with 1 confederate, 13% with 2 and 33% with 3 confederates.

This clearly shows that group size contributes largely to conformity rates.

Question 21

Explain unamity and giver research evidence as well as an example

Answer 21

Unamity means that for example if one confederate gives the correct response (disagreeing with the majority) then conformity drops to 5.5% from 32% due to social support (ASCH 1951)

For example if the majority want to go to Spain but you secretly want to go to France you will probably agree and say Spain but if one person says France you will then have more confidence to say France.

Question 22

Explain task difficulty and give experimental research

Answer 22

It was found by (ASCH 1951) that when the difference between the lines is smaller, conformity increases due to the role of informational social influence.

It was found that is a task was more difficult then the rate of conformity would go up as people do not want to be wrong.

Question 23

What are the two cultural factors

Answer 23

Individualist cultures and collectivist cultures

Question 24

Explain this factor and give experimental research

Answer 24

(Smith and Bond 1998) found that conformity was lower amongst individualistic cultures e.g North America which was 25% compared to collectivist cultures e.g Africa at 37%.

This is because in collectivist cultures conformity is viewed as favourable because it is a form of social glue that helps to keep the culture united.

Although conformity levels in individualistic cultures are lower but still quite high it shows that conformity is hard to deter due to social norms.