Social Influence, Conformity And Obedience Flashcards
Social influence
Implicit or explicit from a person or group that causes a temporary or permanent change in another person’s attitudes or behaviour
Conformity
When a person changes their attitudes or behaviour due to implied pressure (real or imagined) from another group or individual
Usually occurs amongst people with equal status
Compliance
When a person shows short-term change in their public behaviour but their private attitudes remain the same
Compliance occurs easily to temporarily fit in or avoid conflict with the majority group
Only lasts whilst the person is in the presence of the majority group
Shallowest form of conformity as it causes a superficial, short-term change in publicly expressed behaviour
Identification
When a person shows lasting change in their public and private attitudes or behaviour in order to show group membership
Identification occurs moderately easily to show a sense of belonging to the majority group
Only lasts whilst the person identifies with a particular group
Deeper form of conformity as it causes a genuine, lasting change in public and private attitudes or behaviour, for duration that person identifies with group
Internalisation
When a person shows a permanent change in their public and private attitudes or behaviour because they agree with the majority group
Doesn’t occur easily because it involves meaningful personal change
Lasts indefinitely because the person actually agrees with the majority group
Deepest form of conformity as it causes a genuine, permanent change in public and private attitudes or behaviour, as person actually agrees with majority
Two process theory of conformity
Deutsch and Gerrard 1955
Argued that there are two separate explanations for conforming; one based on the need to be right and the other based on the need to be liked
Normative social influence
When we conform to be liked or accepted
Occurs when people conform to fit in because they want to be liked or accepted by others
People change their public behaviour (but not private attitudes) because they worry about rejection or social exclusion from the majority group. It is an emotional rather than cognitive process
May lead to compliance because it usually results in a short-term change that only remains whilst the majority group is present
Informational social influence
When we conform due to lack of information
Occurs when people conform because they want to be right and they believe that others hold the correct answer
People change their public and private attitudes and behaviour because they are uncertain how to behave in a situation and assume that the majority group must know better
ISI is most shown in ambiguous situations where there is no obvious answer or where information is scarce. ISI is a cognitive process because it is to do with what you think
ISI is most closely linked to internalisation because it usually results in a long-term change that remains even if the majority group is no longer present
NSI research evidence
Asch (1955)
Participants conformed to majority group in their public estimation of length of a line in 36.8% of critical trials as they feared rejection if they gave a different answer
ISI research evidence
Jenness (1932)
Participants conformed to majority group in their estimation of number of beans in a jar as there was no obvious answer and they assumed the group knew better
