Factors Affecting Conformity Flashcards
What are the 3 individual factors affecting conformity
Gender, Age and Self Esteem
How does gender affect conformity
Women are more likely to conform than men
Why are women more likely to conform?
They tend to hold a lower social status and tend to take on a role of nurturing and caring whereas men are more comfortable maintaining independence.
Example of why women readily conform
Mori and Arin (2010) and Eagly and Carli (1981)
How does age affect conformity
The younger you are the more likely you are to conform
Why are younger people more likely to conform?
Younger people are exposed to larger amount of peer pressure, with conformity rates remaining the same between 10-14 and then resistance to peer pressure increasing between the ages 14-18. This is due to significant periods of development during middle adolescence.
Give an example of conformity in age
A study found that exposure to peers during risk taking activity’s increased risky behaviour by 50% among college undergraduates and had no impact among adults.
How does self-esteem affect conformity
Those with lower self-esteem conform more readily
Why are people with low self-esteem more likely to conform
People with high self-esteem value control and know their self-worth so are a lot less likely to conform. Meaning people with low self-esteem feel more pressured by group and social norms.
What is an example of self-esteem in conformity
Burger (1992)
What are situational factors that affect conformity
Group Size, Task Difficulty and Group Unanimity
How does group size affect conformity
Group size only increases conformity up to 7 participants. The more confederates present between 3-7 the higher the levels of conformity.
Give an example of group size in conformity
Asch’s follow up studies in 1955
How does group unanimity affect conformity
Having an ally decreases conformity drastically
Why does having an ally decrease conformity
Having social support and someone who agrees with you makes the participant feel as though they are not an outlier from the group, and they do not feel as pressured to follow the social norm.
