Types of conformity Flashcards
What was the aim of Asch’s study on conformity?
To investigate whether people would conform to the majority in situations where an answer was obvious.
Source: Asch’s study on conformity
How many participants were tested in each group in Asch’s study?
Participants tested in groups of 6 to 8.
Source: Asch’s study on conformity
What did each group in Asch’s study have to do with the presented lines?
Each group was presented with a standard line and three comparison lines. Participants had to say out loud which comparison line matched the standard line in length.
Source: Asch’s study on conformity
What was the role of the genuine participant in Asch’s study?
The genuine participant was seated second to last and did not know the other participants were fake.
Source: Asch’s study on conformity
What did the fake confederate participants do in Asch’s study?
The fake confederate participants all gave the same incorrect answer.
Source: Asch’s study on conformity
How many times were the confederates told to give the incorrect answer in Asch’s study?
Confederates were told to give the incorrect answer on 12 out of 18 trials.
Source: Asch’s study on conformity
What is compliance in the context of conformity?
Compliance occurs when an individual publicly conforms to a behaviour or view of a group, while privately maintaining their own opinion or belief.
This results in a superficial change in behaviour that stops when group pressure ceases.
What type of social influence is associated with compliance?
Normative Social Influence.
It is driven by the desire to fit in with the group and avoid rejection.
What did Asch’s research illustrate about compliance?
Many participants who conformed stated they continued to trust their own perception but changed their public behaviour to avoid disapproval.
This underscores how situational factors can influence conformity.
How does personality affect compliance?
Individuals with a strong Internal Locus of Control may exhibit less compliance due to greater confidence in their beliefs.
This suggests that personality traits can influence conformity.
What is identification in the context of conformity?
Identification occurs when an individual adjusts their opinions and behaviour to those of a group because they value membership in that group.
This change is generally temporary and not maintained when the individual leaves the group.
Provide an example of identification.
A group of students at college may adopt a similar dress code and hobbies.
Once they move to university, they may change their behaviour as they no longer feel part of that group.
What did Zimbardo’s research demonstrate about identification?
Participants embraced their roles as prisoners or guards, demonstrating behaviours typical of those roles, but did not continue these behaviours after the study.
This shows the importance of group presence in identification.
What is internalisation in the context of conformity?
Internalisation is the process by which an individual converts their private view to match those of a group, resulting in beliefs that are held both publicly and privately.
These beliefs become part of their value system and are not dependent on the group’s presence.
What often prompts internalisation?
A belief that the group is ‘right’ and possesses superior knowledge or way of life.
This type of influence is known as Informational Social Influence.
What did Asch’s task difficulty variation reveal about internalisation?
Participants were more likely to conform when the task difficulty increased, suggesting they looked to others for information in uncertain situations.
This indicates that we can internalise the views of others when we believe they are correct.
Is there overlap between internalisation and identification?
Yes, it can be difficult to determine whether the change in behaviour is a short-term or permanent change.
This complexity highlights the nuanced nature of social influence.
