Conformity: Types and Explanations Flashcards
What is conformity?
A form of social influence that results in exposure to the majority position and this leads to compliance with that position.
What is compliance?
Conforms publicly but does not change their views privately. Tends to be shallow and temporary. ‘Going along with others’. Only lasts while the group are monitoring them.
What is internalisation?
Deepest level of conformity, also known as conversion. Accepts the views publicly and privately. Accept the majority view as correct.
What is identification?
Might accept influence in order to be associated with a person or group. Change in public views, even if they do not agree privately.
What are the two explanations for conformity?
Normative and informational social influence.
What is the two-process theory?
Two reasons why people conform - to be liked (NSI) and to be right (ISI).
What is normative social influence?
Desire to be liked- so others will approve and accept us. Emotional process. Occurs in situations with strangers or where you want to be socially approved.
Compliance.
What is informational social influence?
Desire to be right- how to behave in ambiguous situations where you are not sure or in crisis situations. Cognitive process.
Internalisation.
Evaluation- Research support for normative social influence?
Schultz et al- found hotel guests exposed to the message that 75% of guests reused their towels each day reduced their own usage by 25%. This supports the idea that people shape their behaviour out of a desire to fit into a reference group.
Evaluation- Research support for informational social influence?
Lucas et al asked students to complete a mathematical problem that was easy or more difficult. Greater conformity if the problem was difficult. Most true for students that labelled their mathematical ability as poor.
Evaluation- Individual differences in NSI?
Research shows NSI does not affect everyone’s behaviour in the same way. E.g. those who are less concerned with being liked, are less likely to be affected by NSI than those who are concerned with it (Affiliators). McGhee and Teevan found students high in need of affiliation were more likely to conform.
Evaluation- Individual differences in ISI?
Does not affect everyone in the same way. Asch- found students were less conformist (28%) than other participants (37%). Perrin and Spencer conducted a study involving science and engineering students and found very little conformity.
Evaluation- NSI and ISI work together?
More often, processes work together rather than behaviour being either NSI or ISI. Asch- people were less conformist with another dissenting partner. This could be due to NSI- social support or ISI- alternative source of information. Can not be sure if NSI or ISI is at work. This is the case in lab studies, but even truer in real life.
