explanations For Conformity

Question 1

What are the two explanations for conformity?

Answer 1

The two explanations of conformity are informational social influence(ISI) and normative social influence(NSI)

Question 2

what is Informational social influence (ISI)

Answer 2

ISI occurs in situations where the correct behaviour is unclear, so individuals look to the majority for guidance on how to behave because they want to be correct. ISI often results in internalisation, that is, permanently adopting the views of the majority.

Question 3

what is Normative social influence (NSI)

Answer 3

NSI occurs in situations where individuals want to appear to be normal and one of the majority so that they are approved of and not rejected. NSI often results in compliance, or a superficial change in behaviour without change in personal values.

Question 4

support for informative Social influence

Answer 4

Jenness (1932)

Question 5

Jenness’ (1932)

Answer 5

A piece of research supporting informational social influence (and thus internalisation) is research is Jenness’ (1932) study. Jenness used an ambiguous situation that involved a glass bottle filled with 811 white beans. His sample consisted of 101 psychology students, who individually estimated how many beans the glass bottle contained. Participants were then divide into groups of three and asked to provide a group estimate through discussion. Following the discussion, the participants were provided with another opportunity individually estimate the number of beans, to see if they changed their original answer.
The average initial estimate of the male students was 790 beans. After conferring with the other participants this changed to 695 beans. The average initial estimate of the female students was 925 beans. After conferring with the other participants this changed to 878 beans. Jenness found that nearly all participants changed their original answer, when they were provided with another opportunity to estimate the number of beans in the glass bottle. These results demonstrate the power of conformity in an ambiguous situation and are likely to be the result of informational social influence. The participants in this experiment changed their answers because they believed the group estimate was more likely to be right than their own individual estimate, showing informational social influence

Question 6

support for normative social influence

Answer 6

Asch’s (1951)

Question 7

Asch’s (1951)

Answer 7

A piece of research supporting normative social influence (and thus compliance) is Asch’s (1951) study.

Question 8

Evaluation for Jenness (1932)

Answer 8

-Jenness’ study lacks mundane realism as estimating the number of beans in a jar is not an everyday task.

-Only used American students, so ethnocentric and not generalisable to people in other cultures.