Explanations for conformity Flashcards
What is informational social influence (ISI)?
A motivational force to look to others for guidance in order to be correct. Driven by cognition
What is normative social influence (NSI)?
A motivational force to be liked and accepted by a group. Driven by emotion
What did Jenness study and using what?
ISI; jellybeans
What did Jenness find?
After making an initial estimate, participants discussed their estimates in a group and then made another private estimate; the second estimate converged (got closer to) the group estimate, suggesting they genuinely believed the group were right due to the ambiguous nature of the question
What did Asch study and using what?
NSI; lines of varying lengths
Who was Asch’s sample?
123 male American student volunteers
What was the task used in Asch’s study?
To say which line was the same as a stimulus line across 18 different trials
What was the conformity rate across all the trials in Asch’s study?
32% to wrong answers
How many participants conformed at least once in Asch’s study?
75%
What were the three reasons Asch found that the participants attributed to their behaviour?
Distortion of action, distortion of perception and distortion of judgement
Who created a study without the demand characteristics that were present in Asch’s study and how did they do this?
Mori and Arai; used filter glasses which were placed on real participants that distorted their view
Did Mori and Arai’s study support Asch’s findings?
Only the female participants conformed at similar rates (an average of 4.41 times), suggesting there may have been cultural or generational effects since his experiment
In what environment was Asch’s study conducted in?
The 1950s during issues with communism and post-WWII
What specific real-life practical application does Asch’s study have?
The research makes people aware that they are likely to conform - applies to juries
