Types of Conformity Flashcards
(AO1) Name all types of conformity.
Internalisation, identification, compliance
(AO1) What is internalisation?
This is when a person truly takes in the group’s norms, this change is normally permanent and may occur publicly or privately.
(AO1) What is identification?
This is when we conform to the certain ideologies of a group as there is something in the group we value rather than the opinions.
(AO1) What is compliance?
This is when a person just goes along with the group whilst in private they still hold their own separate values.
(AO1) Explanations to conformity?
(1955) Deutsch and Gerard - two process theory. Two main reasons people conform, the need to be right (ISI), and the need to be liked (NSI).
(AO1) Informative social influence (ISI)
This is where a person conforms because they have a desire to be right, and look to others who they believe may have more information. It is a cognitive process, as it’s to do with what you think.
(A01) Normative social influence (NSI)
This is where a person conforms in order to be accepted and belong to a group. It is an emotional process, as it can be driven by feelings of fear, of being seen as foolish.
(AO3) Research support for NSI (strength)
Asch asked participants why they conformed:
- They said they conformed into giving the incorrect result due to feeling self conscious and a fear they would be met with disapproval from their peers.
- Though when being asked to give their written answers conformity fell to 12.5% as there was no normative group pressure put on them.
(AO3) Research support for ISI (strength)
- This study found participants conformed to giving the wrong answers when the maths questions were hard.
- When an answer is easy the participant knew their own minds, but when difficult the situation became unclear and did not want to risk being wrong so relied on the answers given to them.
(AO3) Research support for ISI (strength) Counterpoint
Asch found that conformity reduced when there was a dissenting participant, they provide social support (reducing the power of the NSI) or they provide a different source of social information (reducing the power of the ISI).
(AO3) Individual differences in NSI (Limitation)
NSI does not predict conformity in every case. People concerned with being liked are known as “nAffiliators”, they have a need to affiliate with others (they want to relate to other people).
- Study’s show people who are nAffiliators were more likely to conform. This shows that NSI can show conformity in some people more than it does for others.
(AO3) Is NSI/ISI distinction useful?
Asch’s previous research shows us that both NSI and ISI are reasons for conformity to occur in an individual. The fear of rejection is a strong reason that pushes towards the need to conform.
