Social Influence

Question 1

Define conformity

Answer 1

Change in behaviour or beliefs due to real or imagined pressure

Question 2

Define conformity

Answer 2

Change in behaviour or beliefs due to real or imagined pressure

Question 3

Types of conformity

Answer 3

Compliance, identification, internalisation

Question 4

Compliance

Answer 4

The shallowest level of conformity in which the individual changes their behaviour to avoid rejection. Private beliefs don’t necessarily change

Question 5

Define identification

Answer 5

Individual adopt the behaviour or beliefs of the group as they want to be part of a group or a relationship with it. They may not privately agree

Question 6

Define Internalisation

Answer 6

Individual accepts the behaviour or beliefs of the majority publicly and privately and it’s let of their belief system

Question 7

Explanations for conformity

Answer 7

Normative social influence and informational social influence

Question 8

Define normative social influence

Answer 8

Confirming to the majority to avoid rejection and being seen as an outcast. This is driven by a desire to be liked and social approval

Question 9

Define informational social influence

Answer 9

Conforming to the majority because of a desire to be correct in situations where right action or beliefs due is uncertain

Question 10

Key facts about as he study

Answer 10

.36.8% of naïve participants gave a wrong answer in clinical trials
.25% of ppl did not conform on any trials so at least 75% conformed at least once

Question 11

Pros of aschs study

Answer 11

It had a high level of control as he used experimental method so therefore has high control over extraneous variables. This is because it’s a lab experiment

Question 12

Negatives of aschs study

Answer 12

Low population validity as only 123 male rodents where used

Historical bias as it was done in Cold War America in the 50s. Perrin and Spencer did an experiment in 1980 and only 1 out of 396 showed unanimous wrong answers

Question 13

How does group size affect conformity

Answer 13

Increasing number of confederate in the group lead to higher rate of conformity but it levels of when greater than 3. Suggests people are sensitive to views of others as 1 or 2 is enough to sway opinions

Question 14

How does unanimity affect conformity

Answer 14

When all confederates unanimously picked the same option it lead to a higher rate of conformity. When a dissenter was introduced conformity dropped to less than a quarter

Question 15

How does task difficulty affect conformity

Answer 15

When like judging task became more ambiguous ppl looked to others for guidance and assume they are right and you are wrong (isi)

Question 16

How does task difficulty affect conformity

Answer 16

When like judging task became more ambiguous ppl looked to others for guidance and assume they are right and you are wrong (isi)

Question 17

Define informative social influence

Answer 17

Individual is motivated by the need to be correct and often uses others to identify others in ambiguous situations - leads to INTERNALISATION

Question 18

Define normative social influence

Answer 18

Individual is motovat d by the need to be accepted by others. They use others to identify behaviours to be accepted. Leads to COMPLIANCE

Question 19

Internalisation

Answer 19

Person genuinely accepts the group norm publically and privately. It is a part of their own beliefs

Question 20

Compliance

Answer 20

This is when people change their own opinions/behaviour to fit in with the group. Privately they don’t change

Question 21

Identification

Answer 21

Someone conforme to the opinions of others as they value something in a group. This does not mean they agree with everything the group stands for privately

Question 22

Research support for isi

Answer 22

Lucas et al found that people conformed more often when they were given hard maths problems. This is because for ambiguous problems participants did not want to be wrong so they relied on other ppl answers. Strength Isi/internalisation as ppl may conform in a public and private situation in unclear situations

Question 23

Research support for nsi

Answer 23

Aschs experiment when participants where interviewed some said they conformed because they felt self conciliatory and afraid of disproval

Question 24

Counterpoint for nsi and Isi

Answer 24

Unclear which one is the reason for conformity. Conformity decreased with a diameter as dissenter may lower power of nsi(social support) or power of Isi (alternative source of social info)