Types and explanations of conformity Flashcards
Define conformity
A change in a persons behaviour or opinions due to real or imagined pressure from a majority (person or group of people)
Outline sherifs experiment. How does this study show evidence of conformity?
-PPT put in darkened room with no visible objects and asked to focus on a spot of light
-PPT asked how far light had moved and in which direction (ambiguous task, unclear)
-Repeated experiment in groups of 3 and ppt changed individual views and agreed with other in group
-Dramatic variation in responses when done individually
Who came up with the three types of conformity and what are they?
kelman 1958
Internalisation
Identification
Compliance
Define internalisation
Deepest level of conformity.A person changes their public behaviour and their private beliefs to the majority view. Occurs even when the group is absent
Define identification
Middle level of conformity. people publicly change their behaviour in line with the group because they want to identify with the group. Privately they don’t change their behaviour (care about how group sees them)
Define compliance
Lowest level of conformity. A person goes along with others in line with the majority view, but privately disagrees (don’t care about how group sees them)
What is Deutsch and Gerards two process theory?
Informational (need to be right)
Normative (need to be liked)
What is informational social influence?
What type of process is it?
-occurs when we look to the majority group for information as we are unsure about how to behave. Person will conform as they genuinely believe the majority to be right
(occurs in ambiguous or new situation)
-It is a cognitive process as its how you think about a group and situation
What is normative social influence?
What type of process is it?
-occurs when we wish to be liked by the majority group, so we go along with them even though we may disagree.
(occurs in stressful situations where you feel you need social support)
-its an emotional process as people don’t like to feel foolish or rejected
Outline the study conducted by Jenness 1932.
What explanation of conformity does it show supportive evidence for.
Procedure
-individuals asked to guess how many jelly beans in jar
-then took part in group discussion
-individuals second private estimate moved towards the group estimate-more women conformed
supporting evidence for informational social influence as its trying to get the right answer in an ambiguous situation. Its a cognitive process
What type(s) of conformity is NSI most likely to lead to? why?
identification and compliance. because NSI involves going along with the majority even if we may not agree and in identification and compliance we don’t privately change behaviour
What type(s) of conformity is ISI most likely to lead to? why?
internalisation because ISI involves believing to the majority as we look to them for the right answer. Internalisation involves a change in behaviour/opinions when the group is absent.
What are 2 strengths of the two process theory
-Aschs research provides support for both NSI and ISI
-real life application
What real life application has NSI got? Why is this a strength?
Schulz et al- was able to change energy consumption of hotel guests.
One group was told to reuse their towels as everyone else is
Another group just simple asked to reuse towels-1st group used more
How does Asch’s research provide support for both NSI and ISI?
NSI- group size and unamity
ISI-task difficulty
What are 2 limitations of the two process theory?
-Individual differences
-ISI and NSI work together
What did McGhee and Teevan find? How is this a limitation of the two process explanation of conformity?
-Students who were highly in need of affiliation (to be liked) were more likely to conform. But no info about people who didn’t want to inform
How is ISI and NSI potentially working together a limitation of the two process explanations of conformity?
-Its hard to separate them and work out which one explains conformity as it could be both of them that explains it
eg) aschs study
