Conformity Flashcards
Conformity DEF
Changes in an individual’s behaviour and or beliefs because of real or imagined group pressure.
Compliance
Most superficial and least permanent change in attitude. Individual publicly change belief and behaviour to be in line with the group and to fit in but in private revert back to their original belief and behaviour.
Identification
Individual look to a group for guidance and adjust their behaviour and belief because the membership of the group is desirable. When the group is no longer seen as valuable, behaviour reverts back.
Internalisation
Deepest and most permanent. Individuals publicly and privately change their belief and behaviour because they accept their attitudes as their own.
Informative Social Influence
Desire to be right. When an individual is unsure about how to behave, they conform by seeking information from the group and assume it is right. This is a cognitive process.
Normative Social Influence
Desire to be liked. Individual will go along with a group’s behaviour to avoid ridicule and gain acceptance from them and fit in. This is an emotional process.
RTS ISI as an explanation of conformity was conducted by Jenness
PPTS were asked to individually estimate the number of jelly beans in a jar then decide on a group estimate and finally have a private guess.
Found the second individual guess was significantly closer to the group estimate.
Supports ISI as the task was ambiguous as PPTS are unsure of the answer and changed their answer to be more line with the group
RTS NSI as an explanation of conformity was conducted by Asch
PPTS were asked to state which line a, b or c was closest in length to stimulus line x. Confederate answered first and gave an incorrect answer.
He found that PPTS conformed and said the wrong answer as the confederate 37%.
Supporting NSI because the task was unambiguous and PPTS later stated they knew the answer but conformed to avoid ridicule.
