Conformity: Types and explanations Flashcards
Kelman (1958) suggested 3 ways in which people conform…
Conformity: Types & explanations
Internalisation, Identification & Compliance
What is internalisation?
Conformity: Types & explanations
A person genuinely accepts the group norms
Private and public change of opinions
Usually permenant because attitudes are internalised
What is indentification?
Conformity: Types & explanations
Conforming to opinions of group because we value them
We want to be a part of the group
Opinions are publicly changed but not neseccarily privately
What is compliance?
Conformity: Types & explanations
‘Going along with others’ but opinons don’t change opinions
Superficial change - opinion stops as soon as group pressure stops
What two central human needs is Deutsch and Gerard’s (1955) two process theory based on?
Conformity: Types & explanations
Need to be right (ISI)
Need to be liked (NSI)
What is ISI?
Conformity: Types & explanations
Informational social influence
Who has better info - you or rest of group
if you are unsure, you accept the majority response because you feel they are likely to be right
Cognitive process - to do with what you think & leads to permenant change
Most likely happens in situations that are new to person - also in crisis where quick decsions need to be made
What is NSI?
Conformity: Types & explanations
Normative social influence
What is normal or typical behaviour for a social group
People don’t want to appear foolish and prefer to gain social approval
Emotional rather than cog and leads to temp change
Most likely to occur in situations with strangers where you fear rejection
Also occurs with friends because we are most concerned about their social approval
Research support for NSI
Conformity: Types & explanations
Strength
Asch (1951) interviewed his ppts, some said they conformed cause they felt self-conscioys about being wrong and feared disapproval
When ppts wrote down answers, conformity fell to 12.5% as giving answers privately meant there was no normative group pressure
Therefore, some conformity is due to fear of rejection by group for disagreeing with them
Research support for ISI
Conformity: Types & explanations
Strength
Lucas et al (2006) found ppts conformed more to incorret answers when given difficult maths probs.
When probs were easy ppts ‘knew their own mind’ but when probs were hard the situation became ambiguous
Ppts did not want to be wrong so relied on given answers
Therefore, ISI is valid exp of conformity because the results are what ISI would predict
Counterpoint: Research support for ISI
Conformity: Types & explanations
However, unclear whether it is NSI or ISI at work
E.g. Asch (1955) found conformity is reduced when there is one other dissenting ppt
Dissenter may reduce power of NSI or may reduce power of ISI
Both are poss
Therefore, hard to seperate ISI and NSI and both processes prob operate together
Individual differences in NSI
Conformity: Types & explanations
Limitation
Some people are greatly concerned with being liked by others
Such people are called nAffiliators - strong need for affiliation
McGhee and Teevan (1967) found students who were nAfilliators were more likely to conform
Therefore, NSI underlies conformity for some people more than others
