Social Influence: Conformity Flashcards
What is conformity?
A change in a persons behavior or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group of people.
What are the different types of conformity?
Internalization, Identification, compliance
What is Internalization?
When a person changes both their public and privation beliefs because they accept its norms. This is usually a permanent change.
What is Identification?
When a person adopts their behavior shown by a role model, because they have a quality the individual would like to possess.
What is Compliance?
When a person changes their public behavior(the way they act) but not their private beliefs. This is usually a short-term change and often the result of normative social influence.
What are the two explanations for conformity?
Informational, normative social influence.
What is Informational Social influence?
Where someone conforms to gain knowledge, or because they believe someone else is right. In this case the answer isn’t usually clear.
What is Normative Social Influence?
Where a person conforms in order to be accepted and belong to a group. They do this because it is socially rewarding and/or to avoid social rejection (e.g. ridicule for not ‘fitting in’). In this case the answer is clear.
State an example and explain research for ISI
Lucas(2006)
Lucas asked students to give answers to a mathematical problems that were easy or more difficult. There was a greater conformity to incorrect answers when the problems were more difficult, rather than when they were easier ones. This shows were more likely to conform when the answer is unclear.
Evaluate NSI and ISI (1 strength 1 weakness for each)
Evaluation of Normative Social Influence (NSI)
Point 1: Real-World Relevance
Point: NSI has strong real-world applications, particularly in understanding social behavior.
Evidence: Research shows that individuals often conform to fit in with peers, especially in adolescent groups.
Explanation: This demonstrates that the desire for social acceptance is a powerful motivator in everyday interactions.
Link: Therefore, NSI provides valuable insights into behaviors such as peer pressure and social conformity.
Point 2: Individual Differences
Point: NSI does not account for individual differences in susceptibility to social influence.
Evidence: Some people, such as those with high self-esteem, may be less likely to conform due to their confidence in their own opinions.
Explanation: This suggests that NSI may not apply universally to all individuals, as personal factors can significantly influence conformity.
Link: Consequently, understanding NSI requires consideration of individual traits that affect conformity levels.
Evaluation of Informational Social Influence (ISI)
Point 1: Effectiveness in Ambiguous Situations
Point: ISI is particularly effective in situations where the correct answer is unclear.
Evidence: Studies show that people are more likely to conform when they lack confidence in their knowledge or the situation is ambiguous.
Explanation: This highlights the role of social validation, as individuals look to others for guidance in uncertain scenarios.
Link: As such, ISI provides a compelling explanation for conformity in many real-world contexts, such as emergency situations.
Point 2: Overemphasis on Information
Point: ISI may overemphasize the role of informational influence at the expense of social factors.
Evidence: There are instances where people conform despite having clear information, suggesting that social dynamics also play a significant role.
Explanation: This indicates that conformity can result from a combination of factors, not solely from the desire to be correct.
Link: Thus, a comprehensive understanding of conformity must integrate both informational and normative influences.
Explain Asch (1951) Study on opinions and Social Pressure
(blurt on whiteboard)
A: To investigate the degree to which individuals would conform to a majority who gave obviously wrong answers.
M: 123 American male students took part in what they were told was a study of visual perception. Individual participants were placed in groups with between 7 to 9 others, who were in reality were pseudo-participants. The task was to say which comparison line, A, B or C, was the same as a stimulus line on 18 different trials. 12 of these were ‘critical trials’ where pseudo-participants gave identical wrong answers and the naïve participants answered last.
R: On 12 critical trails, there was a 32% conformity rates to wrong answers.
75% of participants conformed to at least one wrong answer.
C: The judgement of individuals are affected by majority opinions, even when the majority are obviously wrong.
Evaluate Asch’s study
Evaluation Point 1: Artificial Situation and Demand
Characteristics
Point: Asch’s study utilized an artificial situation and task, leading to potential demand characteristics.
Evidence: The controlled environment and the specific task of judging line lengths may have been perceived by participants as unrealistic.
Explanation: Participants might have simply gone along with what they believed was expected of them, conforming to group responses due to the artificial setting rather than genuine social influence.
Link: This suggests that the observed conformity may not accurately reflect how individuals would behave in real-life social situations, undermining the study’s ecological validity.
Point: Asch’s study involved deception, raising important ethical concerns.
Evidence: Participants were misled about the true purpose of the study, believing it was solely about visual perception.
Explanation: While deception can be necessary in psychological research to maintain the integrity of the study, it can lead to feelings of mistrust and psychological discomfort among participants once they learn the truth.
Link: This ethical issue highlights the ongoing debate in psychology about the balance between obtaining valid data and ensuring the well-being of participants, suggesting that future studies should prioritize transparency.
Evidence to support conformity
Point: Asch’s study provided robust empirical evidence supporting the concept of conformity.
Evidence: The study quantitatively demonstrated that a significant number of participants conformed to incorrect group answers, with about 75% conforming at least once.
Explanation: This empirical data was groundbreaking at the time and solidified the understanding of how social pressure can impact individual judgments and decisions.
Link: As a result, Asch’s findings have become a foundational reference in social psychology, influencing both theoretical frameworks and subsequent research on conformity.
Positive Evaluation Point: Real-World Applications
Point: Asch’s study has significant real-world applications in understanding social behavior.
Evidence: The findings demonstrate how group pressure can influence individual decision-making, particularly in situations like peer pressure.
Explanation: This knowledge is valuable in fields such as marketing, education, and social psychology, where understanding conformity can help shape effective strategies and interventions.
Link: Therefore, Asch’s study provides practical insights that extend beyond the lab, highlighting its relevance to everyday social interactions.
what variables affect conformity?
size of group
- conformity rates increase as the size of the majority influence increases. However when it reaches 3 it stays the same
unanimity
- conformity rates have been found to decrease when majority influence is not unanimous
task difficulty
- greater conformity rates are seen when task difficulty increases, as the right answer becomes less obvious.
Evaluate the variables affecting conformity
Variable 1: Group Size
Point: Group size significantly affects conformity levels.
Evidence: Research shows that conformity increases with group size up to a point, typically around three to four members.
Explanation: Larger groups create more social pressure, making individuals more likely to conform to group norms.
Link: However, after a certain size, additional members have diminishing returns on conformity, suggesting that the dynamics of social influence are complex.
Variable 2: Unanimity
Point: The presence of unanimous agreement among group members greatly influences conformity.
Evidence: Asch found that when one participant gave an incorrect answer, conformity rates dropped significantly.
Explanation: A single dissenting voice provides social support for individuals, making it easier for them to resist group pressure.
Link: This highlights the importance of individual agency in social situations and shows that conformity is not absolute.
Variable 3: Task Difficulty
Point: The difficulty of a task influences conformity.
Evidence: Studies indicate that when tasks are more ambiguous or challenging, individuals are more likely to conform to group answers.
Explanation: In uncertain situations, individuals may rely on the group for guidance, believing that others possess more accurate information.
Link: This suggests that the context of a task plays a crucial role in determining how and why people conform.
Explain Zimbardo’s Study (1973)
A - to see whether people will conform to new social roles
M - 21 male psychology students at Stanford University in California.
They volunteered to take part in the study and were tested for their ‘emotional stability’
They randomly selected two groups: prisoners and prison guards.
Prisoners were arrested from their home unexpectdly and taken to the stimulated prison
they were stripped and given a prison uniform and number
the prisoners wore a smock and stocking over their head with no underwear.
R - Asserting Authority: at 2:30 AM prisoners were awakened from their sleep by blasting whistles for the first of many counts. ( so guards could excerise control over prisoners )
Physical Punishment: push ups were a common form of physical punishment, imposed by the guards, where they would step or even sit on the prisoners. One of the prisoners stated ‘it was a form of nazi punishment in concentration camps’
Rebellion: during second day, prisoners rebelled by removing stocking caps, ripping off their numbers and barricaded themselves inside the cell. The ring leader of rebellion was placed into solitary confinement. As the prisoners became more submissive, the guards became more agressive and assertive.
Mental breakdowns: One of the prisoners began suffering from acute emotional distubance, disorganised thinking, uncontrollable crying, and rage. He was soon let out.
Another prisoner refused to leave as he would be labelled as a ‘bad prisoner’ and refer to his prisoner number rather than his own name.
C - social roles have a strong influence on individuals behaviour. The prisoners conformed so much that they didn’t even recognise it was an experiment anymore. Deindividualism - when an individual becomes so immersed within the norms of that group that you lose your sense of identity. The guards felt so sadistic because they did not think what they did not think what they had done was down to them personally - it was the group norm.
