explanations for conformity Flashcards
2 explainations for conformity
normative social influence - NSI
informational social influence - ISI
what is NSI
desire to be liked (neve wants to be liked)
what is ISI
desire to be right (india always wants to be right)
what does NSI lead to
compliance
what does ISI lead to
internalisation
what motivates ISI
- humans have a basic need to feel confident that their ideas and beliefs are correct (a need for certainty)
- this helps them feel in control, and provides the motivation behind ISI
what motivates NSI
- people do not like to appear foolish and prefer to gain social approval so people conform to the majority behaviour in order to fit in with the group, and to avoid rejection
is ISI cognitve or emotional
cognitive
is NSI cognitve or emotional
emotional
when is ISI more likely to have an effect
- when a question asked does not have an obviously correct answer
- when an individual is not sure of the answer
- when the majority are regarded as having more knowledge about the topic
when this happens, people look to others for more information and may agree with the majority view.
when is NSI more likely to have an effect
- with strangers where you may feel concern about rejection
- among people you know, as we are most concerned about the social approval of our friends
- in stressful situations where people have a greater need for social support
what does ISI cause to change
both private beliefs and public behaviour
what does NSI cause to change
only public behaviour
does ISI cause a temporary or permanent change
permanent
does NSI cause a temporary or permanent change
temporary
what study supports ISI
Lucas (2006) math questions
explain lucas experiment for supporting ISI
Lucas (2006) conducted a study where he asked students mathematical questions varying in difficulty. Students were more likely to conform to the answers of harder math questions. Students who rather their mathematical abilities as poor were more likely to conform.
what study contradicts support for NSI
Mcghee and Teevan (1967) need for affiliation
2 studies which support NSI
- Linkenbach and Perkins (2003) adolescent smoking
- Schultz (2008) towel usage.
does NSI and ISI operate independantly?
- conformity doesn’t operate independently in many situations. - people are less likely to conform when a person dissent from other views
- this may be because the dissenter may provide a pathway for others to not conform (NSI) or because their opinion may provide additional information that others may agree with (ISI)
explain Mcghee and Teevan (1967) need for affiliation study
Not everyone is affected by NSI to the same extent. McGhee and Teevan (1967), when testing conformity, found that those participants with a high need for affiliation (a concern for being liked, and for being in a relationship with others) more likely to conform than those with a low need.
explain the two studies which show support for NSI
Shultz (2008) found that hotel guests that were exposed to a normative message that 75% of hotel guests reuse their towels decreased their towel usage by 25%.
Linkenbach and Perkins (2003) looked at the relationship between peoples normative beliefs and the likelyhood of them smoking and found that adolescents who were exposed to to the message that ‘most people their age do not smoke’ were less likely to smoke.
what % did towel usage go down
25%
lucas (2006) provided evidence for ?
support of ISI
Mcghee and Teevan (1967) study provided evidence for what?
negative of NSI
Schultz (2008) study provided evidence for what?
Support of NSI
Linkenbach and Perkins (2003) study provided evidence for what?
Support of NSI
