Conformity Flashcards
What is conformity?
A change in a person’s behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group of people.
What is internalisation?
A deep type of conformity where we take on the majority view because we accept it as correct.
What is identification?
A moderate type of conformity where we act in the same way as the group because we value it and want to be part of it.
What is compliance?
A superficial and temporary type of conformity where we outwardly go along with the majority view, but privately disagree with it.
What is informational social influence (ISI)?
An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe it is correct.
What is normative social influence (NSI)?
An explanation for conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we want to be accepted, gain social approval and be liked.
What is a strength of ISI
P: A strength of ISI is that there is research support.
E: Lucas et al (2006) asked students to give answers to easy and
more difficult maths questions. There was more conformity to incorrect
answers when the problems were difficult, this was truer for the
students who rated their maths ability as poor.
I&D: Explanations of conformity adopt a nomothetic approach as
they attempt to provide general principles to relating to human
behaviour when observed under group pressure from a majority.
C: People conform in situations where they feel they don’t know the
answer (ISI). We look to others and assume they know better than us
and must be right.
What is a limitation of ISI?
P: A limitation of ISI is that there is individual differences.
E: Asch (1955) found that students were fewer conformists (28%) than
the other participants (37%). There is also evidence from Perrin and
Spencer (1980) who also found that there was less conformity in
students.
I&D: However, Asch only used male participants in his sample which
shows beta bias as his research may have ignored or minimised the
differences between men and women in relation to conformity.
C: People who are knowledgeable and/or more confident are less
influenced by the apparently ‘right’ view of the majority. Therefore
there are differences in how individuals respond to ISI.
What is a limitation of ISI and NSI?
P: A limitation of ISI and NSI is that the ‘two process’ approach is
oversimplified.
E: However, conformity was reduced when there was a dissenting
(rebel) partner in the Asch experiment. The dissenter may reduce the
power of NSI or reduce the power of ISI because they are an
alternative source of information.
C: Therefore it isn’t always possible to know whether ISI or NSI is at
work. This questions the view of ISI and NSI as operating
independently in conforming behaviour.
