Social Approach Flashcards
What is conformity?
The tendency to change our behaviour (what we think, say and do), in response to the influence of others or social pressure
This pressure can be real or imagined.
What does conformity often involve?
Adjusting our behaviour or opinions to match the behaviours/opinions of a majority of others
This is often referred to as majority influence.
Give an example of conformity.
Fashion Trends
Fashion trends illustrate how individuals may change their style to align with the majority.
What does normative social influence (NSI) explain?
NSI explains that people conform to group norms to be accepted by that group
NSI is driven by the desire for social acceptance and belonging.
What happens if one goes against the norms of a group?
They may be rejected or disliked
This highlights the social pressures associated with group conformity.
What underlying need drives normative social influence?
The need to be liked
This need can lead individuals to conform even against their own beliefs.
What is informational social influence (ISI) concerned with?
Who has the better information, you or someone else
ISI reflects the uncertainty about right or wrong behaviors.
Why do people conform to the views of others according to ISI?
Because they want to be right
This reflects the cognitive aspect of ISI.
What is the two process model?
The two main reasons that explains why people conform
NSI and ISI
What is one strength of the two-process model?
It has research support
Research supports the idea that conformity can be influenced by social pressures.
What experiment did Solomon Asch conduct in 1951?
Asch’s Line Experiment
This experiment demonstrated the influence of group pressure on individual responses.
What was the conformity rate found by Asch in his study?
37% of the time
Participants conformed to an obviously incorrect answer due to fear of standing out.
What happened to conformity rates when participants wrote their answers down?
Conformity fell to 12%
This indicates that anonymity reduces the pressure to conform.
What is one weakness of the two-process model?
The processes (NSI and ISI) are interdependent
In real life, both normative and informational influences can operate simultaneously.
Fill in the blank: Solomon Asch’s study demonstrated that people conform due to fear of _______.
standing out
This fear drives individuals to align with the majority opinion.
What did participants fear in Asch’s experiment that led to conformity?
Fear of rejection
This fear motivated individuals to conform to group norms.
What is NSI?
Normative Social Influence
This refers to the influence of others that leads us to conform in order to be liked or accepted.
What is ISI?
Informational Social Influence
This refers to the influence of others that leads us to conform because we see them as a source of information.
