Conformity

Question 1

What are the 3 types of conformity?

Answer 1

• Internalisation (changing behaviour and beliefs)
• Identification (changing behaviour to match peers)
• Compliance (changing behaviour to avoid standing out)

Question 2

What is informational social influence?

Answer 2

• A cognitive explanation of conformity

- Describes how we conform when we believe others have “better information”

Question 3

When is ISI most likely to occur?

Answer 3

In situations where:

• There is ambiguity about what to do
• A decision has to be made quickly
• The situation is new to an individual

Question 4

What is normative social influence?

Answer 4

• An emotional explanation of conformity

- Describes how we conform when we don’t want to be rejected or we want to be accepted

Question 5

When is NSI most likely to occur?

Answer 5

In situations where:

• An individual is concerned about being rejected
• An individual is concerned about the approval of their friends
• There is a lot of pressure and a need for social support

Question 6

Whats is some research support for ISI?:

Answer 6

• Lucas et al (2006),
• Gave students maths questions as a group
• Found conformity rate was higher when questions were higher

Question 7

How do we know ISI can be inconsistent?

Answer 7

-Perrin and Spencer (1980) found that conformity levels were significantly lower when dealing with engineering students (suggesting that ISI isn’t relevant to everyone)

Question 8

Whats is some research support for NSI?:

Answer 8

• Asch (1951), line comparison study

- conformity dropped to 12.5% when participants asked to write their answers instead of saying them out loud

Question 9

How do we know NSI can be inconsistent?

Answer 9

• nAffliators are more concerned with the opinions of others and so are more likely to conform
• McGhee and Teevan (1967), students in high need for affiliation were most likely to conform
• NSI affects people differently

Question 10

What is Deutsch and Gerrard’s ‘two-process’ approach and what evidence to we have against it?

Answer 10

• The two-process approach was based on the idea that behaviour is either due to ISI or NSI.
• Asch’s line comparison experiment had cases of both types of conformity in identical circumstances

Question 11

What conditions did Asch determine had an impact on conformity rates?

Answer 11

• Unanimity (dissenting confederate)
• Group size (stopped having an effect in groups larger than 3)
• Task difficulty (increased role of ISI)

Question 12

How can Asch’s studies be criticised?

Answer 12

• Only white american men took part in the study (poor external validity)
• The 1950’s was a particularly conformist time in america anyway (no longer relevant)
• The participants were presented with an artificial situation (low ecological validity, demand characteristics)
• Participants were deceived (ethical issues)

Question 13

What was the aim of Zimbardo’s study?

Answer 13

-To determine if our actions are controlled more by conforming to a role or how our personality influences us

Question 14

How can the Stanford Prison Experiment be criticised?

Answer 14

• Major ethical issues
• Lack of realism (guard based his character off of ‘Cool Hand Luke’)
• Zimbardo exaggerated the importance of situational variables (only 1/3 of the guards were violent)
• Partial recreation by BBC, very different results