Conformity: Types and Explanations Flashcards
Define Conformity:
A change in behaviour or belief as a result of real or imagined group pressure
What are the explanations of conformity?
- Normative Social Influence
- Informational social Influence
What are the types of conformity?
- Compliance
- Internalisation
- Identification
Who suggested the types of conformity?
Kelman
When did Kelman suggest the types pf conformity?
1958
What is the order of the strengths (starting with weakest) of the types of conformity?
- Compliance
- Identification
- Internalisation
Define Compliance:
- Agree in public
- Disagree privately
- Does not change the beliefs privately
- Temporary
Define Identification:
- Individual takes on the view
- Not necessarily result in chance of beliefs privately
Define Internalisation:
- Agrees publicly
- Agrees privately
- Longer lasting effect
Who proposed the explanations for conformity?
Deutsch and Gerard
When did Deutsch and Gerard propose the explanations for conformity?
1955
What did Deutsch and Gerard (1955) propose?
- Two-process theory
- Two central human needs
- Normative social influence
- Informational social influence
Define Normative Social Influence:
- Individual wish to be liked by majority
- Go along with majority
- Following the crowd to fit in with the norm
Define Informational Social Influence:
- Individual looks to majority for information
- Majority are thought to be genuinely right
Supporting research for NSI:
Schultz et al (2008)
What did Schultz et al (2008) find?
Hotel guests exposed to normative message that 75% guests re-used their towels each day (rather than requiring a fresh one) reduced their own towel use by 25% suggesting that people shape their behaviour out of a desire to fit in with their reference group.
Supporting research for ISI:
Wittenbrink and Henley (1996)
What did Wittenbrink and Henley (1996) find?
Participants exposed to negative information about African Americans (which they were led to believe was the majority view) later reported more negative beliefs about a black individual.
Lucas et al (2006) findings:
In a maths tests students we more likely to conform when they were faced with more difficult questions, than easier ones.
Which explanation does Lucas et al (2006) support?
Informative Social Influence
What is a major limitation to research into explanations and types of conformity?
- Temporal validity
- It is possible that the culture at the time caused different reasons for conformity.
Can the two-way process be merged? (Give an example)
- Yes
- Asch conformity decreased when someone else went against the majority, this means that not wanting to get it wrong and also be liked was considered
What did McGhee and Teevan (1976) suggest?
- Not everyone is as easily influenced by normative social influence
- High need of affiliation were more likely to conform.
