Conformity

Question 1

Who identified the 3 types of conformity

Answer 1

Herbert Kelman (1985)

Question 2

What are the 3 types of conformity

Answer 2

Compliance
Identification
Compliance

Question 3

Majority influence

Answer 3

• when a large group of people changes the beliefs, behaviours and attitudes of a smaller group
• linked to compliance

Question 4

Minority influence

Answer 4

• when a smaller group of people changes the behaviours, beliefs and attitudes of a larger group
• linked to internalisation

Question 5

Who proposed the two process theory

Answer 5

Deutsch and Gerard (1955)

Question 6

Two process theory

Answer 6

Informational social influence
Normative social influence

Question 7

Informational social influence

Answer 7

• The need to be right
• conform because they want to be right/gain knowledge
• go along with majority as you genuinely believe they are correct (internalisation)
• cognitive process

Question 8

Normative social influence

Answer 8

• The need to be liked
• want to be accepted by others and not rejected
• the desire to fit in motivates the individual to conform to the beliefs and opinions of a group so they don’t stand out

Question 9

Compliance

Answer 9

• weakest type of conformity
• person publicly changes their behaviour and beliefs to fit that of a group
• however, privately does not accept the behaviours and beliefs of the group, they just comply with them

Question 10

Identification

Answer 10

• stronger type of conformity than compliance because it involves the person both publicly and privately changing their behaviour and beliefs to fit that of a group they want to be part of
• however, only identifies with these beliefs as long as they are associated with the group
• when they leave the group they return to their original beliefs

Question 11

Internalisation

Answer 11

• strongest type
• person both publicly and privately changes their behaviour and beliefs to a group, but permanently
• maintain the beliefs even after leaving the social group

Question 12

Research Support ISI

Answer 12

Lucas et al (2006)
- gave students maths problems
- the more difficult the questions the higher the conformity rate
-> especially those who had rated their maths skills as “poor”
- supports that being an expert is a fundamental component of an ISI explanation

Question 13

Strength of NSI

Answer 13

• Asch
• only 1 not confederate
• pts conformed, and said the wrong answer on purpose because they felt self-conscious
• when the answers had to be written down conformity dropped by 12.5%
• supports the need of acceptance

Question 14

Limitation of NSI + ISI

Answer 14

• approach states that behaviour is either due to NSI or ISI
• conformity was reduced when there was a dissenting partner in Asch’s experiment
• the dissenter may reduce the power of NSI, or reduce the power of ISI
• isn’t always possible to know which one is the most prominent
• questions the view of them operating independently in conforming behaviour
• oversimplifies the theory

Question 15

Limitation of NSI + ISI

Answer 15

• they adopt a nomothetic approach, make general principles relating to human behaviour
• however, some people may react differently and not care about conformity or what other people think
• can’t necessarily be applied to everyone

Question 16

Limitation of NSI

Answer 16

• individual differences
• some people are less concerned with being liked, those with a high need for association are described as NAffiliators, therefore have a greater need for affiliation
• McGhee and Teevan suggested those with a higher afflication were more likely to conform