Social influence Flashcards
What are the three types of conformity?
Compliance
Identification
Internalisation
What is the definition of Compliance?
We change our behaviour/opinions as the same geld by the majority to be accepted and fit in
Publicly - agree with majority
Privately - disagree with majority
What is the definition of Identification?
We change behaviour/opinions as the same geld by the majority to become a member of that group
Publicly - agree with majority
Privately - agree with majority whilst part of the group
What is the definition of Internalisation?
We change behaviour/opinions as the same held by thr authority as we think they’re right
Publicly- agree with majority
Privately - agree with majority
What is the definition of conformity?
A change in a person’s behaviour/opinions in response to real or imagined pressure
When does conformity occur?
When the majority influences the behaviour/opinions of the minority
What 3 variables did Asch look at in his conformity study?
Group size
Unanimity
Task difficulty
What was Asch’s conformity study?
Each participant sat amongst 6-8 confederate
Shown two cards one with a standard line and the other with comparison lines and we’re asked to judge which is the same length
All the confederate gave the wrong answer
What were the findings of Asch’s conformity study?
37% of real participants conformed to wrong answers to fit in
What did Asch find in his group size variable of conformity?
Conformity increased with group size up to a point
3 other members raised conformity to 32%
Any above 3 had little impact
What did Asch find in his unanimity variable of conformity?
Participants conformed less often with a confederate who gave a different answer to the majority
What did Asch find in his task difficulty variable of conformity?
Conformity increased as task difficult increased
What are the two explanations of conformity?
Normative social influence
Informational social influence
What is Normative social influence?
We conform to follow social norms; to do what is normal for a social group
In order to avoid rejection and gain approval (emotional), leading to compliance
What is Informational social influence?
We conform because we want to be right and think others have more knowledge than us
In order to bring right (cognitive, leading to internalisation
What research supports the NSI explanation of conformity?
Asch’s baseline study- conformity must have occurred to fit in due to clear wrong/right answer, confirmed in interviews with participants
What research supports the ISI explanation of conformity?
Asch’s variation: task difficulty
Why does having support for both NSI and ISI explanations of conformity make it difficult to explain conformity?
Asch’s variation: unanimity (descentre) difficult to tell if its due to no firm group norm (NSI) or more than 1 answer (ISI) making it difficult to decide most valid explanation
What is the limitation of the NSI explanation of conformity?
Personality role - impacts on if someone would conform (e.g low self confidence would increase conformity)
Individual differences play a role
Who conducted research into conformity to social roles?
Zimbardo
What was the procedure zimbardo uses in his experiment into conformity to social roles?
A mock prison environment
24 participants randomly assigned to prisoner or guard
Prisoners: referred to only by numbers, prison uniform
Guards: uniforms, clubs, whistles, reflective sunglasses
Zimbardi as prison superintendent
What were the findings of Zimbardo’s experiment into conformity of social roles?
Guards grew increasingly tyrannical and abusive towards the prisoners, the prisoners grew passive and accepting of this
Unaware of being watched this continued
Five prisoners had to be released early
The study lasted 6 of the 14 days intended
What are the two situational explanations of obedience?
The presence of Legitimate Authority
The theory of Agentic State
What is the presence of legitimate authority as an explanation of obedience?
Obedience increases when we think it is acceptable that the person giving the order is justified in doing so, due to societal position