Explanations For Conformity

Question 1

What are explanations for conformity?

Answer 1

Reasons as to why people conform.

Question 2

Who devised the explanations for conformity?

Answer 2

Deutsch & Gerard (1955).

Question 3

What are the 2 explanations for conformity?

Answer 3

-Normative social influence.
-Informative social influence.

Question 4

What is normative social influence?

Answer 4

Conforming to majority behaviour to fit in - the need to be liked.

Question 5

What is informative social influence?

Answer 5

Conforming with majority behaviour in the belief that they are right - the need to be correct.

Question 6

Does normative social influence take place in ambiguous situations or non-ambiguous situations?

Answer 6

Non-ambiguous situations.

Question 7

Does informative social influence take place in ambiguous situations or non-ambiguous situations?

Answer 7

Ambiguous situations.

Question 8

What was the aim of Sherif (1935)?

Answer 8

To investigate whether people are influenced by others.

Question 9

What was the method of Sherif (1935)?

Answer 9

Used the auto kinetic effect (a still point of light in the dark appears to move). Participants had to estimate how far it moved on their own, then in groups of 3.

Question 10

What were the results of Sherif (1935)?

Answer 10

•On their own- personal norms.
•Groups of 3- a group norm developed.

Question 11

What was the conclusion of Sherif (1935)?

Answer 11

Participants were influenced by the estimates of other people. Supports informative social influence.

Question 12

What are evaluation points for Sherif (1975)?

Answer 12

-Artificial situation: lacks realism, everyday activity.
-Ambiguous: wasn’t obvious whether light moved or not, thus difficult to confirm conformity.
-Cause-and-effect: lab experiment, extraneous variables controlled.

Question 13

What was the aim of Asch (1951)?

Answer 13

To investigate majority influence.

Question 14

What was the method of Asch (1951)?

Answer 14

123 male participants, groups of 6 (1 participant, 5 confederates).
Presented with 3 comparison lines and a standard line. They were asked to state which comparison line was the same length as the standard line. Confederates gave the same incorrect answer in 12 out of 18 trials.

Question 15

What were the results of Asch (1951)?

Answer 15

36.8% conformed, with 75% conforming at least once.

Question 16

What was the conclusion of Asch (1951)?

Answer 16

Participants conformed to avoid rejection from the group. Supports normative social influence.

Question 17

What are the 3 factors affecting conformity level?

Answer 17

-Group size.
-Unanimity.
-Task difficulty.

Question 18

How does group size affect conformity level?

Answer 18

As group size increases, conformity level increases.
-<3 confederates- low conformity.
-=3 confederates- levels rose by 31.8%.
->3 confederates- levels plateau.

Question 19

How does unanimity affect conformity level?

Answer 19

As unanimity decreases, conformity level decreases.
-If a dissenter (non-conforming confederate) participates, conformity drops by around 25%.

Question 20

How does task difficulty affect conformity level?

Answer 20

As task difficulty increases, conformity level increases.
-If the comparison lines were more similar in length, participants tend to look at others for the correct answer.

Question 21

What are evaluation points for Asch (1951)?

Answer 21

-Cause-and-effect: lab experiment, extraneous variables controlled.
-Low population validity: only American males took part.
-Low temporal validity: 1950’s in America was anti-Communist, most people were scared to be different (McCarthyism).
-Perrin & Spencer (1980)- 1 out of 396 trials conformed.