Social Psychology: topic 1 ‘types of conformity’

Question 1

What is the definition of conformity?

Answer 1

• the tendency to change our views of behaviours in response to the influence of a larger group
• the social pressure we feel from this group can be real or imagined

Question 2

What are the 3 main types of conformity?

Answer 2

• internalisation, identification, compliance

Question 3

What is compliance?

Answer 3

• most superficial type of conformity
• agrees with group publicly but disagrees in private
• changing behaviour and opinions to be accepted by a group and avoid disapproval
• short term change in behaviour

Question 4

What is an example of compliance?

Answer 4

• trying the food that is recommended by the waiter

Question 5

What is identification?

Answer 5

• a moderate type of conformity
• when a person conforms to the views / behaviours of a group as they identify with that group (want to be a part of it)
• individual might mostly privately accept the behaviour they are adopting but the purpose of conforming is to be publically accepted

Question 6

What is an example of identification?

Answer 6

• supporting a football team that your friends support and going to the matches but not liking football

Question 7

What is internalisation?

Answer 7

• deepest level of conformity
• when an individual genuinely accepts the group norms publicly and privately
• ‘conversion’
• changes their way of thinking even when the group is absent
• long lasting change

Question 8

What is an example of internalisation?

Answer 8

• veganism: a majority group explain their reasons for being vegan and you accept them as valid reasons to change what you eat as a result

Question 9

What was Asch’s research into conformity?

Answer 9

• Asch aimed to test whether people would conform to group pressure through a line judgement task
• 123 american male undergraduates shown 1 standard line and 3 comparison lines
• had to judge which line was the same length as standard line
• 1 real ppt, 6 confederates
• confederates instructed to unanimously give the same incorrect answer 12/18 times
• ppt was always the last to answer
• found mean conformity rate if 37%
• 5% conformed on every trial
• 25% remained independent
• control group gave incorrect answers in 1% of trials