Social Influence - Conformity Flashcards
What is conformity?
…
Research into conforming to social roles
Zimbardo: Stanford Prison Experiment
- normal people conform to social roles
- Guards were cruel & prisoners became mentally unstable
- some prisoners were outcasts (conform to fit in)
Haslam & Riecher
- recreation if Zimbardo for BBC
- researchers not involved
- guards did not become violent or abusive, disliked power given
Real life implications of conformity to social roles
Abu Graib
- USA soldiers with no history of violence conducted horrific acts
- Zim argued it was the situation that caused the behaviour
- “bad cider is caused by bad crate, not bad apples”
Types of conformity
- Compliance
- Identification
- Internalisation
What is compliance?
Individuals adjust them behaviour & opinions to be accepted into a group/avoid disapproval
- public behaviour changes
- Private behaviour & opinions remain the same
e. g. social smoking
What is identification?
Individuals adjust when they want to become a member of a group
- public & private behaviour & opinions change while in that group
- once they leave the group they will adopt new things
e. g. Music & fashion taste
What is internalisation?
(True conformity)
Individuals adjust genuinely
- both publicly & privately
- permanent change
e.g. Religion
Why does conformity occur? What are the explanations of conformity?
- Normative social influence
2. Informational social influence
What is informational social influence?
Changing your opinions because of the desire to be RIGHT
e.g. following other people in a fire alarm/joining a new job
Research to support Informational social influence?
Jenness: Sweet Jar
- participants’ answers changed following group discussion
- second answer converged to group norm
- predictions were private so not to be liked, but to be right
What is normative social influence?
Changing behaviour or opinions because of a desire to be LIKED
- explains why people alter behaviour when with friends or part of a crowd
e. g. going to a band with your friends that you don’t like
Research to support social influence
Asch: original line study
- right answers obvious (pilot test)
- 6 confederates (actors) answered wrong
- actual participant answered last
- 32% conformity rate to wrong answers & 75% at least once
- following interview most Ps knew they were right but wanted to avoid ridicule (Normative)
- rest of 75% doubted own judgement after hearing others’ answer (Informational)
Factors affecting conformity
GUT
Group Size
Unanimity
Task Difficulty
How did varying factors affect conformity in Asch study?
Group Size ⬇️ to 3%
- less pressure
Unanimity ⬇️ to 6%
- social support
Task Difficulty (harder) ⬆️
- more of a chance that Ps might be wrong
