Social - Conformity

Question 1

What points should I consider when evaluating a study?

Answer 1

The Validity - ecological and population
The Ethics - protection from harm and no deception
Supporting or contrary research or studies

Question 2

What points should I consider when evaluating explanations or theories?

Answer 2

Include:
Research evidence 
Supporting theories
Contrary theories 
Quality of data

Question 3

What to think about when answering stem questions?

Answer 3

Read the stem carefully for clues
Think about the whole course
Include course content
Involve the stem - relate back

Question 4

Define Conformity?

Answer 4

A group influence someone’s behaviour, look or views

Question 5

Define a Reference Group?

Answer 5

The group in which you belong to and consider yourself a member of, this may be in college, friendship group or sport

Question 6

Define Social Norms?

Answer 6

Are rules regarding the appropriate behaviour for that particular group or situation

Question 7

What does the term Implicit mean?

Answer 7

Not law but it is the expected and accepted thing to do: such as leaving people personal space in the EU there is lots of personal space whereas in the Eastern World we would feel as if they were too close

Question 8

What does the term Explicit mean?

Answer 8

It is the law such as the No Smoking law in England

Question 9

Define Compliance?

Answer 9

Where a persons behaviour changes publicly but still has their own views

Question 10

Define Internalisation?

Answer 10

The views go internally and therefore changes the persons views and behaviour

Question 11

What is Normative Social Influence (NSI)?

Answer 11

Type of compliance where we will change in the desire to be liked, approved of or accepted, so publicly we will go along with the majority but privately we will keep our own views

Question 12

What is Informational Social Influence (ISI)?

Answer 12

Type of internalisation where we want to be right, where in new situations that may be ambiguous or emergencies we will look to others whom we think are right and copy, leading eventually to long lasting change in belief or behaviour

Question 13

What does NSI lead to?

Answer 13

Public conformity, compliance is a result of public conformity

Question 14

What does ISI lead to?

Answer 14

Private conformity, internalisation is a result of private conformity

Question 15

What is the autokinetic effect?

Answer 15

It is optical illusion, darkened room with a spot of light which seems to move

Question 16

What was Experiment 1 of Sherif 1935?

Answer 16

The ppts judges individually to judge how far a point of light had moved.
There was only a variation between people at this point.
After the ppts were put into groups of 3 and announce judgements aloud, this outcome was their answers were different until the norm emerged when the answers were all the same

Question 17

What was Experiment 2 of Sherif 1935?

Answer 17

This time the first judgements were made in groups and he found that the group norm emerged more quickly.
And ppts in Experiment 1 were asked to estimate on their own after group judging and the norm was continued

Question 18

Explain the aims of the Asch experiment of 1951?

Answer 18

Investigate conformity to the majority

and Social influence in a ambiguous situation

Question 19

Explain the procedure of the Asch experiment of 1951?

Answer 19

1 naïve ppt and 7 confederates
Call out in turn the correct line on cards
12 critical trials 
18 trials in total 
50 male students in total

Question 20

What were the results of Asch’s experiment in 1951?

Answer 20

32% overall conformity rate
74% conformed at least once
26% never conformed

Question 21

State the changes in the results when variations were carried out?

Answer 21

1 confederate agreed with ppt - 5% conformed
Losing partner a confederate changes and goes with other confederates - 28.5% conformed
Gaining a partner - 8.7% conformed

Question 22

State the ecological validity issue with Asch?

Answer 22

The group is artificial and the answer would not have affected their day to day lives - could make a difference

Question 23

State the population validity issue with Asch?

Answer 23

Only one gender - male who when are less certain on what they are not good at meaning that they could be more susceptible to conformity

Question 24

How does Crutchfield study support Asch?

Answer 24

The % of conformity were similar - 30% C and 32% A, levels of conformity increase when people thought they were wrong also if the test got harder so did the compliance levels

Question 25

Why was it suggested that these Asch’s results were a product of the time?

Answer 25

Red scare meaning that people were more likely to conform due to fear

Question 26

Evidence that supports the results from Asch are a product of the time?

Answer 26

Perrin and Spencer 1980 - only 1 case of conformity

Question 27

Evidence that supports the results from Asch and that they were NOT products of the time?

Answer 27

The percentage has fallen in recent years
They were American not British - population validity?
They were maths and science students meaning they were used to making decisions