Conformity Flashcards
What is internalisation?
When a person genuinely accepts group norms. This results in a change of opinion both in private and public.
What is identification
When a person identifies with a group that they value, they want to become part of it. This results in a public change of behaviour even if the individual doesn’t agree privately.
What is compliance?
This involves ‘going along with others’ in public but not changing opinions or behaviour privately.
What is informational social influence (ISI)?
The desire to be right in regard to information.
What type of process is informational social influence (ISI)?
A cognitive process
When is informational social influence (ISI) most likely to occur?
In a situation that is new or ambiguous. It can also occur when decisions have to be made quickly or when someone is regarded as being more of an expert
What is normative social influence (NSI)?
The desire to behave like others and be classed and ‘normal’.
What type of process is normative social influence (NSI)?
An emotional process, people prefer social approval as opposed to rejection.
When is normative social influence (NSI) most likely to occur?
In situations that an individual doesn’t know the ‘norms’ so looks to others to see how to behave. It may be more pronounced in stressful situations where people have the need for social support.
Who is normative social influence (NSI) more likely to occur around?
People are more concern about social approval of friends than strangers.
What is one strength of informational social influence (ISI)? What did the researcher do to find this?
Lucas te al. (2006) asked students to give answers to easy and more difficult maths problems.
What did Lucas et al. (2006) find? (ISI)
There was more conformity to incorrect answers when the problems were more difficult. Therefore it is clear that people conform in situations where they feel they don’t know the answer and furthermore look to others and assume they know better.
What is one limitation of informational social influence (ISI)? What did the researcher do to find this?
Asch (1955) found that students were less conformist than other participants.
What did Asch (1955) + Perrin and Spencer (1980) find? (ISI)
People who are knowledgeable or more confident are less influenced by the majority.
What is one strength of normative social influence (NSI)? What did the researcher do to find this?
Asch (1951) asked participants to explain why they agreed with the wrong answer and some said it was because they felt self-conscious and afraid of disapproval.
