Paper 1 - Social influence Flashcards
What are the three types of conformity
Internalisation
Identification
Compliance
What is internalisation
A deep type of conformity when a person genuinely accepts the groups norms, resulting in a private as well as public change of opinions/behaviours
What does internalisation lead to
Far-reaching and permanent changes in behaviour even when the group is absent because the behaviours have been internalised (part of the way they think)
What does identification mean
When an observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like them. This may mean we publically change our opinions/behaviours to achieve this goal, even if we don’t privately agree with them
What is compliance
a superficial and temporary type of conformity where we outwardly go along with the majority view, but privately disagree with it. This change in behaviour only lasts as long as the group is monitoring us
What are the two explanations for conformity
Informational social influence
Normative social infleunce
What is informational social influence
Often we are uncertain about what behaviours/ beliefs are right or wrong so we look to others. Therefore we agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe it is correct. We accept it because we want to be correct as well, may lead to internalisation
What kind of process is ISI
Cognitive process
What four situations is ISI most likely to occur
Situations which are new to a person, so you don’t know what is right.
Where there is some ambiguity, so it isn’t clear what’s right.
When decisions have to be made quickly.
When one person is regarded as more of an expert.
What is normative social influence
It’s about norms which regulate the behaviour of groups and individuals so it’s not surprising we pay attention to them. People do not like to appear foolish and prefer to gain to social approval and acceptance rather be rejected. This may lead to compliance
What kind of process is NSI
Emotional process
What 3 situations is NSI more likely to occur
Unfamiliar situations where you don’t know the norms so look to others about how to act.
With people you know because people are more concerned about social approval of their friends.
In stressful situations where people have a greater need for social support.
One strength of ISI as an explanation for conformity
Research support. LUCAS asked students to give answers to easy and difficult math questions. Greater conformity to incorrect answers when they were difficult rather than when they were easier. This shows that people conform in situations where they feel they don’t know the answer - ISI as we look for other people to guide us to answers we don’t know
Strength of NSI as an explanation for conformity
Research support. ASCH asked participants to explain why they went along with the wrong answer. Some of the participants said they felt self-conscious giving the wrong answer and were afraid of disapproval. When ASCH repeated his study but asked participants to write down their answers, conformity rates fell to 12.5%. Supports participants own reports that they were condoning because of NSI
Limitation of ISI and NSI as explanations for conformity
The ‘two-process’ approach may be an oversimplification as it is more often both processes of NSI and ISI that are involved. In ASCH’s study conformity is reduced when there is one dissenting participant which may reduce the power of NSI (social support) or reduce the power of ISI (alternative possible answer). Shows it’s not always possible to be sure which explanation is at work, casts serious doubt over the view of ISI and NSI as operating independently in conforming behaviour
What are the two studies for conformity
ASCH
ZIMBARDO
What was the procedure of ASCH’s original research
Showed participants a ‘standard line’ and on the other card three stimulus lines.
One of the lines was the same as the standard and other two were clearly wrong.
Participants asked which of the three lines matched the standard.
What was the layout of ASCH’s original study into conformity
123 Male participants.
Groups with six to eight confederates.
The naive participant was always last or second to last to give their answer.
18 trials, 12 critical trials. On the first few confederates gave the correct answer and then started getting it wrong.
What were the findings of ASCH’s original study
Wrong answer 36.8% of the time, shows high conformity and is called the ‘Asch Effect’.
25% never conformed showing significant independence.
75% of the participants conformed at least once.
What is the ‘Asch Effect’
A description of participants behaviour in ASCH’s conformity study - confirming to answers given by three or more confederates on an unambiguous task
What did the interviews of ASCH’s original study find
When the participants were interviewed after the study most said they had conformed to avoid rejection and had conditioned to trust their own opinions privately
What was the conditions for ASCH’s variables study
Group size: varied between 1 to 15 confederates
Unamity: one dissenting confederate (either giving correct or a different, incorrect answer)
Task difficulty: made the line judging task more difficult by making the stimulus line and comparisons line more similar in length
Findings of ASCH’s effect of group size on conformity study
When there were two confederates conformity to the wrong answer was 13.6%
With three confederates conformity rose to 31.8%
Addition of further confederates made little difference
What were he conclusions of ASCH’s study into the effect of group size on conformity
A small majority is not sufficient for influence to be exerted but at the other extreme there is not need for a majority of more than three