Conformity: Types and Explanations Flashcards
What are the 3 Types of Conformity?
Compliance
Identification
Internalisation
What is Compliance?
Publicly going along with others , but not privately changing opinion/behaviour
Temporary agreement - opinion stops as soon as group pressure ceases
What is Identification?
When we identify with a group because we value it and want to become a member
So we publicly change behaviour even if we don’t privately agree with everything the group stands for
What is internalisation?
When a person genuinely accepts a groups norms. It results in a private and public change of opinion.
Behaviour continues without the group as the attitudes of the group have become part of how the person thinks
What is informational social influence?
ISI is about a desire to be right
ISI is a cognitive process and leads to internalisation
E.g not knowing the answer in class and most of the class gives an answer you will go along with them as you believe they are most likely right
What is Normative social influence?
NSI is about norms, a desire to behave like other and not look foolish
Normal behaviour for a social group
NSI is an emotional process, people prefer social approval rather than rejection, Leads to compliance
When does ISI occur?
ISI occurs in situations that are ambiguous
- New or where there is some ambiguity
- When we have to make decisions quickly or when we assume the group is right
When does NSI occur?
NSI occurs in unfamiliar situations and with people you know
-When you don’t know the norms and look to others how to behave
-With strangers if you don’t want to be rejected
-Friends if you’re concerned about social approval
-Pronounced in stressful situations where people need social support
What is one strength of NSI?
Research support by Asch
-In Asch’s study, many participants conformed rather than fine the correct asnwer as they were afraid of disapproval.
-When the participants wrote their answer down on a piece of paper, there was no normative pressure so conformity dropped to 12.5%.
-This shows that some conformity is due to the desire to not be rejected by the group.
another strength : Support for ISI
(Lucas 2006)
There is research support for ISI
-Lucas 2006 found that participants were more likely to give an incorrect answer to a maths problem when the task was difficult.
-For hard problems the situation was ambiguous so the participants relied on answers they were given by others.
-This supports ISI as it is what ISI would predict
What is one limitation of explanations for conformity?
One limitation is individual differences in NSI
- Some people are concerned about being liked by others, nAffiliators who have a strong need to relate to others.
-McGhee and Teevan 1967 found that students who were nAffiliators were more likely to conform.
-This shows NSI underlies conformity for some people more than others, an individual difference not caused by a theory of situational pressure.
