CONFORMITY: types of conformity and explanations Flashcards
individual differences of normative social infleunce (weakness) McGhee and Teevan
*Some research shoes that NSI doesnt affect everyones behaviour in the same way there are individual differences that infleunce it.
*Affiliators are people that have a greater need of affiliation ( a need for being in a relationship with others) People who are less concerned with being liked are less likely affceted by NSI than those who care more about being liked - affiliators
*Mcghee and Teevan foynd that affiliators are more likely to conform. This shows that the desire to be liked underlies conformity for some people more than others
How does jenness support informational social influence?
He gave participants a task with no clear answer : they were told to estimate the number of jelly beans in a jar.
one group of participants were given a list of other peoples estimates which were all similar and were told to write down their estimate on how many jelly beans there were.
another group were givrn no estimates and were told to estimate the number of jelly beans in the jar
he found that the estimates of the group given a list of other estimates moved towards the estimates of the others. showing that they believed these estimates to be right as all of them were similar.
this supports informational SI as ps moved their estimates to be similar to others which shows they were attempting to be right.
What did Wittenbrink and Henley find that supports informational social influence?
Found that participants exposed to negative information about african americans (which they were told was the view of majority ) later reported negative beliefs about a black individual.
This shows how P,s changed their views because they were told majority had these views which led them to believe that this was the right view of black individuals.
What research supports informational social influence ?
Wittenbrink and henley : african americans
Jenness: jelly beans
how does Asch support normative social infleunce ?
Asch got participants to conform to answers given by others that were obviously incorrect. They chose the wrong line because confederates also chose the same incorrect line, they did this even though they knew the right answer.
average conformity rate to the wrong answer 33%
75% conformed at least once
Participants gave the wrong answer to fit in with the rest of the group in order to fit in. When questioned afterwards some said they :’ didnt want to look stupid’ or ‘be the odd one out’
What did Schultz et al find ? support for normative social infleunce
He found that hotel guests exposed to the normative message that 75% of guests reused their towels each day reduced their own usage by 25%,
This supports normative SI as it shows how hotel guests shaped thier behaviour in order to fit in with other guests
What is linkenbach and perkinsresearch ? supporting normative social infleunce.
Found that US adolescents exposed to a message that the majority of their age peers didnt smoke were subsequently less likely to start smoking.
This shows how people change their behaviour due to a desire to fit in.
What research supports normative social influence ?
Linkenbach and perkins : smoking
Schultz et al : towel usage
what are the 2 explanations for conformity?
Nomative social influence
Informational social influence
What is identification?
When an individualtemporarilyadopts the behaviour of a role model or group.
A person changes their behaviour because they want to be associated with another person or group.
what is internalisation ?
When views of others are taken onto a deep and permanent level.
When an individual is exposed to the different views of the other members of the group and bothacceptandinternalisesthem as their own.
The acceptance of the view is both public and private.
A group may convince the individual that the group is right and they are wrong.
what are the 3 types of conformity ?
Internalisation
identification
compliance
what is compliance ?
When an individual isconformingto behaviours or views of others publicaly even though they disagree with them privately.
It tends to be shallow and temporary.
example : laughing at a joke even if you dont find it funny, but you laugh because everyone else is.
What is informational social influence ?
When people conform because they have a desire to be right
What is normative social influence ?
when people conform because they have the desire to be liked
this often leads to compliance - agree in public but disagree privately
