Types and Explanations of Conformity Flashcards
What is Internalisation?
When a person genuinely accepts the group norms, publicly and privately. This is permanent and the change persists in the absencce of other members.
What is Identification?
Conforming to the group because we value the group, we identify with it so want to be part of it. This means we publicly change our opinions even if we don’t privately agree with everything the group stand for.
What is compliance?
Going along with others in public but not changing personal opinions. This is only a superficial change - the behaviour stops as soon as the group stops.
What is Deutsch and Gerard’s two-process theory?
ISI - conforming due the group having more knowledge than you do
NSI - conforming due to the risk of social approval or outcasting.
What is the evaluation - NSI research support?
Asch’s post-experiment interviews confirmed that some conformed because they felt self-conscious. When they gave answers privately via paper, conformity fell to 12.5% This shows some conformity is due to a fear of social disapproval.
What is the evaluation - ISI research support?
Lucas found participants conformed more when the maths problems were difficult - when they were easy the participants were confident but doubted their answers when the problems were harder. ISI would predict the conformity that we saw.
What is the evaluation - Separating ISI/NSI?
It is unclear whether or not NSI and ISI work in research studies - Asch found conformity is reduced when there is one other dissenting participant. This could be NSI because they provide social support or ISI because they provide an alternative source of information. Therefore, it is hard to separate them in most scenarios.
What is the evaluation - individual differences in NSI?
NSI does not always predict conformity - some people are greatly concerned with fitting in - nAffiliators. McGhee and Teen fund nAffiliators almost always conformed. This shows NSI underlies conformity for some more than others, so the others must have another driver of conformity.
