Social Influence: Conformity

Question 1

Compliance

Answer 1

when a person goes along with social norms, but doesn’t believe them to be correct

Question 2

Identification

Answer 2

when individuals adjust their behaviour and opinions to those of a group as membership of the group is desirable

Question 3

Internalisation

Answer 3

when the individual accepts the group view and believes that view to be true
- often short term

Question 4

Informative Social Influence

Answer 4

looking to others for information

Question 5

Normative Social Influence

Answer 5

conforming for social approval

Question 6

What was Asch’s study?

Answer 6

8 students were placed around a table. They were asked to look at a line, then determine which line of A, B and C was the same in length. The confederates all picked the wrong answer. Only 1 participant was in each group.

Question 7

What variations did Asch do?

Answer 7

Group size
Task difficulty
Unanimity

Question 8

How many people conformed at least once in Asch’s study?

Answer 8

75%

Question 9

How did Size of Group affect the likelihood of conformity?

Answer 9

Bigger group size - more likely to conform
Group size 3 - 31.8% conformity

Question 10

What happened when the group wasn’t unanimous in Asch’s study?

Answer 10

If the whole group agrees, conformity increases.
If there is a dissenter, conformity decreases.
- conformity decreased to 5%

Question 11

What is the dissenter effect?

Answer 11

When another person goes against the group norm along with the participant
- social support
- conformity will decrease

Question 12

How did task difficulty affect the likelihood of conformity?

Answer 12

When the task was easier, conformity was lower.
When the task was harder, conformity increased.

Question 13

What are nAffiliators and what does this mean for conformity rates?

Answer 13

Participants whom are greatly concerned with being liked by others
- more likely to conform

Question 14

What are some strengths of Asch’s study?

Answer 14

Highly valid data
- highly controlled conditions
- increase reliability

Produced many applications
- simplicity of the task
- can explain both normative or informative conformity

Question 15

What are some weaknesses of Asch’s study?

Answer 15

Not representative of society
- all male, white, similar IQ, background, same country

Gender bias
- results are skewed towards men

Artificial Environment
- may have harmed the study
- people may have complied as they believed they were ‘helping’ the research