explanations of conformity

Question 1

normative social influence

Answer 1

individual conforms to gain approval or acceptance. driven by the desire to be liked, motivated by emotions- causes compliance

Question 2

informative social influence

Answer 2

individual conforms for a desire to be correct in ambiguous situations. motivated by cognitive reasons, driven by belief that others have more knowledge- causes internalisation

Question 3

strength- research support for NSI

Answer 3

Asch’s research supports NSI- 75% ppts conformed with the wrong answer to avoid discomfort. this is further supported by private variation- conformity dropped to 12.5%

Question 4

strength- research support for ISI

Answer 4

task difficulty increased= ambiguity of correct answer also increased so they were more likely to rely on other’s judgement. this supports ISI as an explanation of conformity

Question 5

Weakness- personality traits influence conformity

Answer 5

Conformity is also affected by individual traits. nAffiliators are more likely to conform, while people with a high internal locus of control are less likely to conform.

Question 6

weakness- hard to separate both explanations

Answer 6

influence of NSI and ISI may not be distinguished as people may not be aware of their motivations. some situations- you seek accurate info AND social approval.