conformity - types & explanations Flashcards
types = conformity, identification & idealisation - explanations = ISI & NSI
how many types of conformity & name
3
- compliance
- identification
- internalisation
describe compliance
- lowest level
- temporary/short term
- public belief changes/way you act but not in private
- usually result of normative social influence
describe identification
- middle level
- changes public behaviour/way you act in presence of group
- usually short term/temporary
- often result of normative social influence
internalisation
- deepest level
- changes public/private beliefs & behaviour
- long term change
- often result of informational social influence
who proposed the explanations for conformity
deutsch & gerard
how many explanations for conformity & name them
2
- normative social influence
- informational social influence
describe normative social influence
- norm for social group
- want to fit in & not be rejected
- accepts group behaviour to gain social approval
- temporary
- emotional (not cognitive)
- more pronounced in stressful situations (social support)
- leads to compliance/identification
describe informational social influence
- individuals unsure & lack knowledge
- look to group for guidance
- in crisis situations when decision’s necessary
- want to be correct
- leads to internalisation
- cognitive (not emotional)
16 marker: explanations for conformity AO1
AO1: –> 1-2 para (6 KEY POINTS FOR 6 MARKS)
- deutsch & gerard
- 2 definitions
- informational social influence = lack own knowledge, ambiguous situations, want to be correct, look to group for guidance, crisis situation, cognitive, leads to internalisation
- normative social influence = want to fit in, accept group behaviour/ norm, emotional, leads to compliance/identification, pronounced in stressful situations
16 marker: explanations for conformity AO3 - 3-4 para
+)
P: practical application
E: this is evident as schultz et. al (2008) gathered datat from hotels over a week where guests were allocated rooms randomly (control or experimental). in the control, there was a door hanger stating the environmental benefits of reusing towels. in the experimental, the door hanger stated ‘75% of guests chose to reuse their towels each day’. the results showed, this reduced their need for fresh towels by 25%.
T: shows positive impact of NSI for encouraging people to be eco-friendly in society
+)
P: ISI has research to support
E: lucas et. al found participants conformed more to incorrect answers when maths problems were more difficult as situation was more ambiguous
T: shows ISI is valid explanation of conformity as results align with ISI’s predictions
-)
P: NSI does not predict conformity in every case
E: some people have a greater desire to be liked by others and a need for affiliation. McGhee & Teevan found such students were more likely to conform
T: shows that the NSI underlies conformity for some more than others & there are individual differences in conformity which cannot fully be explained by 1 general theory of situational pressures
+)
P: NSI has research support
E: evident as Asch (1951) found many participants went along with obviously wrong answers and when interviewed after, said they wanted to avoid group disapproval. furthermore, asch showed in a later variation (1955), when the pressure to publicly conform is reduced & write answers on piece of paper, conformity rates fell to 12.5%
T: shows how some conformity is due to desire to fit in
