Social Influence L2 - Explanations for Conformity

Question 1

Who developed the explanation for conformity

Answer 1

Deutsch and Gerard (1955)

Question 2

What did Deutsch and Gerard develop?

Answer 2

They developed a two process theory identifying the two reasons for conformity:
- The desire to be right - also known as informational social influence (ISI)
- The desire to be accepted - also known as normative social influence (NSI)

Question 3

How does the model view conformity

Answer 3

As a cognitive process (thinking) in which a person weights up the information given and their need for approval from the group

Question 4

Informative social influence (ISI)

Answer 4

When a person conforms as they are unsure of the correct behaviour/answer so they look to other for information. In most cases the drive for conformity is the need to be right. If the majority is right then so will be the conformer. If they are wrong, at least they won’t stand out

Question 5

What conformity is ISI most like

Answer 5

Internalisation e.g if not sure on answer to question, will accept what majority of class thinks as correct as you feel they are right, internalise it

Question 6

When is ISI most likely (x4)

Answer 6

• situation is ambiguous (not obvious answer/ no right or wrong)
• situation is more difficult or complex
• it’s a crisis with rapid action required
• we believe that someone else is an expert in it

Question 7

Normative social influence

Answer 7

When people follow the norms in society to fit in as people have a fundamental need to be liked
Often people copy the behaviour of others to fit in and avoid any behaviour that will make others reject or ridicule us

Question 8

What type of conformity is NSI most like

Answer 8

Compliance as people conform to expectations in public to be well liked, research shows that people like those who are similar to them so conformity is effective when wanting to be accepted

Question 9

When is NSI most likely to occur

Answer 9

It’s most likely to occur in situations with:
-strangers - concerned about rejection
- stressful situations where people have a greater need for social support

Question 10

Strength for ISI

Answer 10

Research support - Lucas study in 2006

Question 11

Lucas study (2006)

Answer 11

• Lucas asked students to answer maths problems with a variety of difficulty
• found conformity occurred more to incorrect answers when the problems were more difficult then easy
• especially true for students who felt their maths skills were poor compared to others -looked to others who had more knowledge and thus were right
• supports conformity is more likely to occur when situation is ambiguous/difficult

Question 12

Strength for NSI

Answer 12

Research support - Asch study (1951)

Question 13

Asch (1951)

Answer 13

• got participants to judge length of lines
• many participants went along with a wrong answer as others did
• they feared rejection so they agreed with the wrong answer
• the answer to his question wasn’t ambiguous/difficult but people conformed due to NSI

Question 14

Weaknesses for NSI & ISI (X3)

Answer 14

• individual differences between NSI & ISI
• ISI & NSI may work together to explain conformity rather then separately
• many studies for NSI & ISI are lab studies lacking ecological validity

Question 15

There are individual differences between NSI & ISI

Answer 15

NSI
- not everyone shows NSI, like those less concerned about being liked
- but their are some who are concerned about being liked - known as nAffiliators
- nAffiliators have a greater need for ‘affiliation’ - need to be in relationship with other people - they are more likely to conform
- McGhee & Teevan (1967) found that those in a high need of affiliation were more likely to confirm
- suggests nAffiliators will conform but those who aren’t won’t conform to NSI

ISI
- similarly, doesn’t affect everyone’s behaviour in the same way
- Asch(1955) found that students were not as conformist (28%) compared to other types of participants (37%) - such as people in offices
- suggests that even if the situation is ambiguous we don’t always look to others for support and won’t always conform

Question 16

ISI & NSI may work together in explaining conformity rather then seperately

Answer 16

• rather then seeing NSI & ISI as 2 different processes on why we conform, the truth is that both processes may be involved
• e.g. in Asch’s experiments conformity was reduced when there is one other dissenting participant (i.e. when another one disagrees with the majority)
• the dissenter may reduce the power of NSI as he is providing social support to the participant
• or may reduce ISI as the participant now has an alternative source of information from them
• shows it’s not always clear whether NSI or ISI is at work in situations

Question 17

Many supporting studies for NSI & ISI as explanations for conformity are lab studies that lack ecological validity

Answer 17

• most studies are carried out in lab conditions (more likely to show demand characteristics) and thus lack ecological validity
• may not mirror behaviour in real world
• e.g in the real world people are unlikely to be asked to judge lines (Asch (1951)) so how can we be sure they will behave the same way in real world situation

Question 18

Demand characteristics

Answer 18

When participants try to guess aims of study and change answer to fit in accordingly