Social Influence Lessons 01 - 04 (conformity)

Question 1

What is Social Psychology?

Answer 1

It looks at the relationships between people and how people affect each other’s behaviours (social influence)

Question 2

Conformity

Answer 2

A form of social influence where a person changes their behaviours, attitudes or beliefs so that they are in line with the majority.
Happens because of pressure from the majority (real or imagined)

Question 3

Three types of conformity

Answer 3

Compliance
Internalisation
Identification

Question 4

Compliance

Answer 4

When individuals adjust their behaviour, attitudes or beliefs IN PUBLIC so they are in line with the majority
No change to private behaviour
Conformity only lasts while the group is present
Superficial and temporary

Question 5

Internalisation

Answer 5

When individuals adjust their behaviour, attitudes or beliefs PUBLICLY AND PRIVATELY so they are in line with the majority
Individual examines their own behaviour based on what others are saying and decide that the majority is correct
Deeper than compliance, more permanent

Question 6

Identification

Answer 6

When an individual accepts social influence because they want to be associated with a role model or social group.
By adopting the role model/group’s behaviour, the individual feels more connected to them

Question 7

Normative Social Influence

Answer 7

People have a fundamental need for social approval and acceptance
We copy the behaviour of others in order to ‘fit in’
We avoid behaviour that might make others reject or ridicule us
People like those who are more similar to them so conformity is effective to ensure we fit in with a group
More likely to lead to compliance

Question 8

Informational Social Influence

Answer 8

People have a fundamental need to be right
We rely on the opinion of others to check if we are correct and then use this as evidence about reality
More likely to happen when the situation is ambiguous or when there’s an expert
More likely to lead to internalisation

Question 9

Evaluation of Normative and Informational Social Influence

Answer 9

+ Asch (1951) - Asked participants to say which of three ‘test lines’ was the same as the ‘standard line’. In 33% of trials, participants conformed. Chance of genuine mistake = 1%. Conformed due to NSI
+ Jenness (1932) asked participants to estimate how many beans they thought were in a jar. Each participant made an individual estimate then made an estimate in the group. In the group, the estimates are roughly the same (even though were previously different). Confirmed due to ISI (uncertainty)
+ Sherif (1935) used the autokinetic effect. A small spot of light (projected onto a screen) in a dark room will appear to move even though it is still (visual illusion). Participants estimated how far the light moved (estimates varied from 20cm to 80cm). They were put into groups of 3, where 2 had a similar estimate. The group converged to a common estimate. Conformed due to ISI (ambiguous)
- Third explanation - ingratiational conformity. Similar to NSI but is motivated by the need to impress or gain favour, not fear of rejection (McLeod 2007)
- Dispositional factors (personality traits). Kurosawa (1993) found that people with high self-esteem are more resistant to conformity than people with low self-esteem

Question 10

Procedure of Asch (1951)

Answer 10

Asch placed a naive participant (do not know what the experiment is about) in a group with several confederates (people who pretend to be participants but are actually part of the experiment). The group looked at a ‘standard line’ and then individually decided which of three other ‘test lines’ was the same length. They then gave their response aloud one at a time. The answer is obvious, however confederates gave the wrong answer 12/18 times. The naive participant was the last or 2nd to last to give their response so they had the rest of the group’s responses before giving their own

Question 11

Findings of Asch (1951)

Answer 11

Chance of making a genuine mistake = 1%
33% of responses given were incorrect
75% of participants conformed in at least 1/18 trials
Of that 75%, 5% conformed in every trial
25% did not conform on any trial.
After the experiment, Asch interviewed the participants and discovered that the majority who had conformed continued to trust their own judgement but they gave the wrong answer to avoid disapproval (NSI)

Question 12

Group size effect on Asch

Answer 12

Asch (1956) changed group size.
Groups with one confederate = conformity rate of 3%
Groups with two confederates = conformity rate of 13%
Groups with three confederates = conformity rate of 32%
We can resist the influence of two people fairly easily, but three people are harder to resist. There is little change to conformity once groups have reached four confederates

Question 13

Task difficulty effect on Asch

Answer 13

Asch (1956) decided to adjust the task difficulty, so he made the test lines more similar in length. The level of conformity increased (possibly because ISI had an impact). This is because when we are uncertain, we look to others for confirmation.
The more difficult the task became, the greater the ISI and the conformity

Question 14

Unanimity effect on Asch

Answer 14

When the group had unanimity (everyone agreed), conformity increased. However when only one other person gave a different answer than the others (not unanimous) conformity dropped
Asch (1956) found that the presence of one confederate who went against the majority reduced conformity from 33% to 5%.
Even when the confederate gave a different wrong answer, conformity dropped from 33% to 9%

Question 15

Evaluation of Asch (1951, 1956)

Answer 15

(-) May not have TEMPORAL VALIDITY (when a study reflects the current time period). The study was conducted 70 years ago and it is possible conformity has changed. Post-war attitudes encourage people working together (consent rather than dissent)
(-) Lacks MUNDANE REALISM (does not reflect real life) and ECOLOGICAL VALIDITY (cannot be generalised to real life). The task is artificial and unlikely to occur in real life. Conformity usually takes place in a social context, with people we know rather than strangers
(-) GENDER BIASED and CULTURALLY BIASED. The sample only contained males (beta bias), so may not represent female behaviour. The sample was also only white American men, so may not represent other cultures. However, the study has been replicated with different samples and has proven to be reliable (similar results have been found)
(-) Asch used a VOLUNTEER SAMPLE (participants offered to take part in the experiment). Their behaviour does not represent a wider population, so the study lacks POPULATION VALIDITY and cannot be generalised
(-) Several ETHICAL ISSUES: examples: DECEPTION (participants believed to be taking part in a test of perception), LACK OF INFORMED CONSENT (did not agree to take part in the conformity study), PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM (stressful and embarrassing situation). However deception was necessary to prevent DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS (when participants change their behaviour because they are in a study). DC would make the study INVALID (when a study does not measure what it intends to measure)

Question 16

What are Social Roles?

Answer 16

The behaviours expected of an individual who occupies a social position or status. People can conform to the social roles assigned to them

Question 17

Procedure of Zimbardo (1973)

Answer 17

A simulated prison was set up in the basement of the Stanford University Psychology department. 24 emotionally and psychologically stable young men were recruited and randomly assigned to the role of prisoner or guard. The guards had complete control over the prisoners, who were confined to their cells around the clock except for meals, toilet privileges, headcount and work. The guards were told to maintain order by any means necessary, except for physical violence

Question 18

Findings of Zimbardo (1973)

Answer 18

On the second day, the prisoners tried to rebel (ripping off prisoner numbers, barricading themselves in their cells). The guards sprayed them with CO2, stripped them naked, took their beds away and forced the ringleaders into solitary confinement. The guards became increasingly cruel and aggressive (verbal abuse, forced them to do repeated press ups, pushed them into urinals, left them in a pitch black cupboard for hours), prisoners became passive and depressed.
The study had to be ended after only six days (meant to last two weeks) because of concerns about the psychological health of the prisoners, who were showing signs of severe distress

Question 19

Evaluation of Zimbardo (1973)

Answer 19

(-) Highly UNETHICAL - prisoners were subjected to PSYCHOLOGICAL HARM. 5 prisoners had to be released early due to extreme reactions (crying, rage, acute anxiety). However the guards’ behaviours could not have been anticipated.
(-) Zimbardo took on the role of prison warden, which meant he became very involved in the experiment and lost his objectivity - had to be told to shut it down by a colleague. VALIDITY can be questioned
(-) Sample was UNREPRESENTATIVE. All but one participant were white, middle class male students. Cannot be GENERALISED to women (GENDER BIAS) or to other cultures (CULTURAL BIAS)
(-) The guards may have behaved that way due to DEMAND CHARACTERISTICS. Some said they acted that way because they thought that was what was wanted from them - study is not VALID
(-) Some guards did not conform and were reluctant to be cruel, whereas others were abusive. This suggests that INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES are important in determining he extent of conformity to social roles