Conformity: Types and explanations

Question 1

conformity definition

Answer 1

-a change in a person’s behaviour or opinions
-as a result of a real or imagined pressure
-from a person or group of people
(Aronson 2011)

Question 2

Types of conformity

origin

Answer 2

Herbert Kelman (1958)
3 ways to conform

Question 3

types of conformity

Answer 3

Internalisation
Identification
Compliance

Question 4

Internalisation

Answer 4

• deep conformity
• conform as accept as correct
• permanent change with and without group

Question 5

Identification

Answer 5

• moderate conformity
• conform as value/want to be part of group
• don’t always agree with everything

Question 6

Compliance

Answer 6

• superficial conformity
• go along with group view in public, but don’t change opinions
• temporary change- only when with group

Question 7

Explanations for conformity

origin

Answer 7

-Deutsch and Gerard (1955)- two process theory

└need to be right (ISI) / liked (NSI)

Question 8

Explanations for conformity

Answer 8

Informational social influence

Normative social influence

Question 9

Informational social influence

Answer 9

-agree with conformity as we believe it is correct – we want to be correct too
└→internalisation

Question 10

Normative social influence

Answer 10

-agree with conformity as we want to be accepted/liked

└→compliance

Question 11

Normative social influence

strengths

Answer 11

Research support for NSI
└Asch (1951)
└participants conformed as self-conscious
└when wrote down- conformity dropped to 12.5 %

Question 12

Normative social influence

limitations

Answer 12

Individual differences in NSI
-nAffiliators
└people less concerned with being liked
└less affected by NSI
-McGhee and Teevan (1967)
└students needing affiliation conformed more

Question 13

Informational social influence

strengths

Answer 13

Research support for ISI
-Lucas et al (2006)
└greater conformity to more difficult maths problems- especially from people bad at maths
└people conform in situations they don’t know the answer

Question 14

Informational social influence

limitations

Answer 14

Individual differences in ISI
-Asch (1955)
└students (28%) less conformist than other participants (37%)
-Spencer (1980)
└little conformity with science students

Question 15

Herbert Kelman (?)

Answer 15

1958
types of conformity
origin

Question 16

Deutsch and Gerard (?)

Answer 16

1955
Explanations for conformity
origin

Question 17

Lucas et al (?)

Answer 17

2006
Research support for ISI
└greater conformity to more difficult maths problems- especially from people bad at maths

Question 18

Individual differences in ISI
└Asch (?)
└students: ? %
└other participants: ? %

Answer 18

1955
└students: 28 %
└other participants: 37 %

Question 19

Spencer (?)

Answer 19

1980
Individual differences in ISI
└little conformity with science students

Question 20

Research support for NSI
└Asch (?)
└participants conformed as self-conscious
└when wrote down- conformity dropped to ? %

Answer 20

1951

12.5%

Question 21

McGhee and Teevan (?)

Answer 21

1967

Individual differences in NSI
└students needing affiliation conformed more