Social Influence: Conformity

Question 1

What is conformity?

Answer 1

A change in a persons behavior or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group of people.

Question 2

What are the different types of conformity?

Answer 2

Internalization, Identification, compliance

Question 3

What is Internalization?

Answer 3

When a person changes both their public and privation beliefs because they accept its norms. This is usually a permanent change.

Question 4

What is Identification?

Answer 4

When a person adopts their behavior shown by a role model, because they have a quality the individual would like to possess.

Question 5

What is Compliance?

Answer 5

When a person changes their public behavior(the way they act) but not their private beliefs. This is usually a short-term change and often the result of normative social influence.

Question 6

What are the two explanations for conformity?

Answer 6

Informational, normative social influence.

Question 7

What is Informational Social influence?

Answer 7

Where someone conforms to gain knowledge, or because they believe someone else is right. In this case the answer isn’t usually clear.

Question 8

What is Normative Social Influence?

Answer 8

Where a person conforms in order to be accepted and belong to a group. They do this because it is socially rewarding and/or to avoid social rejection (e.g. ridicule for not ‘fitting in’). In this case the answer is clear.

Question 9

Evaluate NSI and ISI (1 strength 1 weakness for each)

Answer 9

Evaluation of Normative Social Influence (NSI)

Point 1: Real-World Relevance

Point: NSI has strong real-world applications, particularly in understanding social behavior.
Evidence: Research shows that individuals often conform to fit in with peers, especially in adolescent groups.
Explanation: This demonstrates that the desire for social acceptance is a powerful motivator in everyday interactions.
Link: Therefore, NSI provides valuable insights into behaviors such as peer pressure and social conformity.

Point 2: Individual Differences

Point: NSI does not account for individual differences in susceptibility to social influence.
Evidence: Some people, such as those with high self-esteem, may be less likely to conform due to their confidence in their own opinions.
Explanation: This suggests that NSI may not apply universally to all individuals, as personal factors can significantly influence conformity.
Link: Consequently, understanding NSI requires consideration of individual traits that affect conformity levels.

Evaluation of Informational Social Influence (ISI)

Point 1: Effectiveness in Ambiguous Situations

Point: ISI is particularly effective in situations where the correct answer is unclear.
Evidence: Studies show that people are more likely to conform when they lack confidence in their knowledge or the situation is ambiguous.
Explanation: This highlights the role of social validation, as individuals look to others for guidance in uncertain scenarios.
Link: As such, ISI provides a compelling explanation for conformity in many real-world contexts, such as emergency situations.

Point 2: Overemphasis on Information

Point: ISI may overemphasize the role of informational influence at the expense of social factors.
Evidence: There are instances where people conform despite having clear information, suggesting that social dynamics also play a significant role.
Explanation: This indicates that conformity can result from a combination of factors, not solely from the desire to be correct.
Link: Thus, a comprehensive understanding of conformity must integrate both informational and normative influences.

Question 10

Explain Asch (1951) Study on opinions and Social Pressure
(blurt on whiteboard)

Answer 10

A: To investigate the degree to which individuals would conform to a majority who gave obviously wrong answers.
M: 123 American male students took part in what they were told was a study of visual perception. Individual participants were placed in groups with between 7 to 9 others, who were in reality were pseudo-participants. The task was to say which comparison line, A, B or C, was the same as a stimulus line on 18 different trials. 12 of these were ‘critical trials’ where pseudo-participants gave identical wrong answers and the naïve participants answered last.
R: On 12 critical trails, there was a 32% conformity rates to wrong answers.
75% of participants conformed to at least one wrong answer.
C: The judgement of individuals are affected by majority opinions, even when the majority are obviously wrong.

Question 11

Evaluate Asch’s study

Answer 11

Evaluation Point 1: Artificial Situation and Demand
Characteristics

Point: Asch’s study utilized an artificial situation and task, leading to potential demand characteristics.
Evidence: The controlled environment and the specific task of judging line lengths may have been perceived by participants as unrealistic.
Explanation: Participants might have simply gone along with what they believed was expected of them, conforming to group responses due to the artificial setting rather than genuine social influence.
Link: This suggests that the observed conformity may not accurately reflect how individuals would behave in real-life social situations, undermining the study’s ecological validity.

Point: Asch’s study involved deception, raising important ethical concerns.
Evidence: Participants were misled about the true purpose of the study, believing it was solely about visual perception.
Explanation: While deception can be necessary in psychological research to maintain the integrity of the study, it can lead to feelings of mistrust and psychological discomfort among participants once they learn the truth.
Link: This ethical issue highlights the ongoing debate in psychology about the balance between obtaining valid data and ensuring the well-being of participants, suggesting that future studies should prioritize transparency.

Evidence to support conformity

Point: Asch’s study provided robust empirical evidence supporting the concept of conformity.
Evidence: The study quantitatively demonstrated that a significant number of participants conformed to incorrect group answers, with about 75% conforming at least once.
Explanation: This empirical data was groundbreaking at the time and solidified the understanding of how social pressure can impact individual judgments and decisions.
Link: As a result, Asch’s findings have become a foundational reference in social psychology, influencing both theoretical frameworks and subsequent research on conformity.

Positive Evaluation Point: Real-World Applications

Point: Asch’s study has significant real-world applications in understanding social behavior.
Evidence: The findings demonstrate how group pressure can influence individual decision-making, particularly in situations like peer pressure.
Explanation: This knowledge is valuable in fields such as marketing, education, and social psychology, where understanding conformity can help shape effective strategies and interventions.
Link: Therefore, Asch’s study provides practical insights that extend beyond the lab, highlighting its relevance to everyday social interactions.

Question 12

what variables affect conformity?

Answer 12

size of group
- conformity rates increase as the size of the majority influence increases. However when it reaches 3 it stays the same
unanimity
- conformity rates have been found to decrease when majority influence is not unanimous
task difficulty
- greater conformity rates are seen when task difficulty increases, as the right answer becomes less obvious.

Question 13

Evaluate the variables affecting conformity

Answer 13

Variable 1: Group Size

Point: Group size significantly affects conformity levels.
Evidence: Research shows that conformity increases with group size up to a point, typically around three to four members.
Explanation: Larger groups create more social pressure, making individuals more likely to conform to group norms.
Link: However, after a certain size, additional members have diminishing returns on conformity, suggesting that the dynamics of social influence are complex.

Variable 2: Unanimity

Point: The presence of unanimous agreement among group members greatly influences conformity.
Evidence: Asch found that when one participant gave an incorrect answer, conformity rates dropped significantly.
Explanation: A single dissenting voice provides social support for individuals, making it easier for them to resist group pressure.
Link: This highlights the importance of individual agency in social situations and shows that conformity is not absolute.

Variable 3: Task Difficulty

Point: The difficulty of a task influences conformity.
Evidence: Studies indicate that when tasks are more ambiguous or challenging, individuals are more likely to conform to group answers.
Explanation: In uncertain situations, individuals may rely on the group for guidance, believing that others possess more accurate information.
Link: This suggests that the context of a task plays a crucial role in determining how and why people conform.

Question 14

Explain Zimbardo’s Study (1973)

Answer 14

A - to see whether people will conform to new social roles
M - 21 male psychology students at Stanford University in California.
They volunteered to take part in the study and were tested for their ‘psychological stability’
They randomly selected two groups: prisoners and prison guards.
Prisoners were arrested from their home unexpectdly and taken to the stimulated prison
they were stripped and given a prison uniform and number
the prisoners wore a smock and stocking over their head with no underwear.
R - Asserting Authority: at 2:30 AM prisoners were awakened from their sleep by blasting whistles for the first of many counts. ( so guards could excerise control over prisoners )
Physical Punishment: push ups were a common form of physical punishment, imposed by the guards, where they would step or even sit on the prisoners. One of the prisoners stated ‘it was a form of nazi punishment in concentration camps’
Rebellion: during second day, prisoners rebelled by removing stocking caps, ripping off their numbers and barricaded themselves inside the cell. The ring leader of rebellion was placed into solitary confinement. As the prisoners became more submissive, the guards became more agressive and assertive.
Mental breakdowns: One of the prisoners began suffering from acute emotional distubance, disorganised thinking, uncontrollable crying, and rage. He was soon let out.
Another prisoner refused to leave as he would be labelled as a ‘bad prisoner’ and refer to his prisoner number rather than his own name.
C - social roles have a strong influence on individuals behaviour. The prisoners conformed so much that they didn’t even recognise it was an experiment anymore. Deindividualism - when an individual becomes so immersed within the norms of that group that you lose your sense of identity. The guards felt so sadistic because they did not think what they did not think what they had done was down to them personally - it was the group norm.

Question 15

Evaluate Zimbardo’s Study

Answer 15

Can Do Cant Do With Participants.
C - consent: all participants have to be aware of the kind of tests that are going to be conducted and the effects it may have on them.
D - deception: no participant should be deceived regarding the test. No information should be withheld from the participant.
C - confidentiality: confidentiality of each participant should be maintained in terms of their personal info, tests conducted on them and their results.
W - withdraw: participants should be aware that they can leave the study at any time, even if they were paid to take part.
P - protection from harm: protection from physical and/or physiological harm must be provided.

Question 16

Explain Milgram’s Study (1963)

Answer 16

A- to see if an individual would obey the orders of an authority figure that incurred negative consequences and went against ones moral code.
M- 40 American males volunteered for a study of memory and learning at yale. A confederate experimementer wearing a grey lab coat (to give him an appearance of authority). There were a series of switches from 150v to 450v labelled xxx. Participants were told by experimenter to give a shock each time mr wallacae got an answer wrong. (15v up each time)
At 150 v learner began to protest to be released, this became more persistent at 300v (screaming), at 330v the screaming stopped.
R - 65.5% participants went up to 450v, however 100% of participants went up to 300v.
c- obeying those in authority is normal in hierarchically organised society. Even orders that cause distress and disagree with moral code

Question 17

Evaluate Milgram’s study

Answer 17

phsychological harm
p - Milgram’s study was accused of exposing severe stress to participants
e - 3 participants experienced seizures which is argued to be justified as they were deceived in advertisement. Not given informed consent.
e - this experiment did not protect them from harm and deceived them.
a - participants were tested later on and were found there were no signs of long term damage.
l- study is justified by recourse to a cost-benefit analysis, short term damage outweighed long term

generablility
p - Milgram’s study only used males, meaning results cannot be generalised to females.
e - 40 american males
e - many ppl would imagine that females would be much less obedient to orders with destructive consequences
a - however, females can be more obedient because their gender roles may indicate that they may be more submissive, especially to assertive males

Real life application
p- milgrams study cam be applicable explanations to real life scenarios
e - holocaust. in ww2, adolf Eichmann committed the genocide of millions in concentration camps. when asked his reasoning why, he stated he was only ‘following orders’.
E - Milgram’s study shows that we obey orders even if they go against moral code.
L - this is a strength because the study has practical applications providing explanations why people do what they do.

Question 18

What is Milgram’s Agency theory?

Answer 18

Milgram (1974) proposed that people have two behavioral states in social situations:

Autonomous state: Individuals direct their own actions and take responsibility for them.
Agentic state: Individuals allow others to direct their actions and pass off responsibility for the consequences.
The transition from the autonomous state to the agentic state is called agentic shift.

Question 19

What does an individual experience in the agentic state.

Answer 19

In the agentic state, individuals feel moral strain—negative emotions from perceiving an action as morally wrong while still obeying. To cope, they may use strategies like shifting responsibility to the victim or denying the harm caused, which Milgram termed binding factors.

Question 20

What is the legitimacy of authority?

Answer 20

To be obedient, we must perceive the person giving instructions as having legitimate authority, determined by society’s social hierarchy. From a young age, we learn to accept authority figures, trusting them to use their power appropriately, even at the cost of some independence.

Question 21

What is destructive authority?

Answer 21

Problems occur when authority is abused and becomes destructive, as charismatic leaders can use their power to instruct others to act cruelly or dangerously, exemplified by figures like Hitler and Stalin, under whom atrocities were committed.

Question 22

What are the situational variables affecting obedience?

Answer 22

1. Location
   The location of an interaction affects conformity. Formal settings, such as laboratories or institutions, enhance the authority of figures present, making individuals more likely to obey. In contrast, informal or less prestigious locations may diminish perceived authority, leading to lower levels of conformity.
2. Proximity
   Proximity refers to how physically close an authority figure is to an individual. When authority figures are nearby, individuals feel increased pressure to comply with their demands, as the immediacy can create a sense of obligation. Conversely, greater distance may lead to increased autonomy and resistance to conformity.
3. Uniform
   The presence of a uniform enhances the perception of authority and legitimacy. Individuals are often more inclined to conform to the requests or commands of someone in a uniform (like police officers or medical staff) because uniforms symbolize power and expertise. However, if the authority’s actions are perceived as unethical, individuals may choose to resist conformity regardless of the uniform.

Question 23

Evaluate situational variables

Answer 23

Proximity

Point: Proximity between the authority figure and the participant influences obedience levels.
Evidence: In Milgram’s variation, when the learner was in the same room as the participant, obedience rates dropped from 65% to 40%.
Explain: This shows that when participants are physically closer to the consequences of their actions, they experience increased empathy and discomfort, making them less likely to follow harmful orders.
Link: Therefore, proximity is a key situational variable that decreases obedience by heightening awareness of the impact of one’s actions.

Location

Point: The location of an experiment affects how legitimate the authority appears, which influences obedience.
Evidence: Milgram found that obedience rates dropped from 65% at Yale University to 47.5% in a rundown office building.
Explain: This suggests that prestigious settings, like a university, can increase perceived authority and legitimacy, leading to higher obedience. Conversely, a less authoritative location reduces this effect.
Link: Thus, location is a significant situational factor in determining how people respond to authority, as it affects their perception of the legitimacy of commands.

Uniform

Point: Wearing a uniform can increase obedience because it symbolizes authority.
Evidence: In a variation of Milgram’s study, when the experimenter wore ordinary clothes instead of a lab coat, obedience rates fell from 65% to 20%.
Explain: Uniforms create an impression of legitimate authority, leading individuals to comply more readily with instructions. Without this symbol, the authority figure’s influence weakens, resulting in lower obedience.
Link: This highlights how uniform as a situational variable enhances perceived authority, thereby increasing obedience.
These concise PEEL paragraphs each focus on a different situational variable related to obedience. Would you like further help with any of them?