Types of conformity and explanations for conformity

Question 1

Compliance

Answer 1

accepts influence
favourable reaction from those around them
adopted because of the rewards or approval associated with its adoption

Question 2

Conformity

Answer 2

exposure to the majority position
leads to compliance with that position
adopt the behaviour, attitudes and values of other members of a reference group.

Question 3

Identification

Answer 3

adopts an attitude or behaviour

they want to be associated with a particular person or group.

Question 4

Informational social influence

Answer 4

form of influence,

desire to be right - looking to others as a way of gaining evidence about reality.

Question 5

Internalisation

Answer 5

accepts influence

consistent with their own value system.

Question 6

Normative social influence

Answer 6

conforms with the expectations of the majority in order to gain approval or to avoid social disapproval.

Question 7

What did Kelman propose?

Answer 7

Three types of conformity- Compliance, Internalisation and Identification

Question 8

In what year did Kelman propose the three different types of conformity?

Answer 8

1958

Question 9

What are the differences between the different types of conformity?

Answer 9

Motivation- if prime motivation is to fit in with a group they may comply rather than internalise. However, if the motivation is to find the best way to respond to a particular situation, internalising may be the best way to achieve this.

Question 10

What was Nail’s view on Normative social influence?

Answer 10

people tend to conform to the majority position in public but do not necessarily internalise this view as it does not carry over into private settings nor does it endure over time.

Question 11

In what year did Nail propose his view on Normative social influence?

Answer 11

1986

Question 12

What is Normative social influence?

Answer 12

→ Gain approval and acceptance, to avoid censure and disapproval or to achieve specific goals
→ Individual may believe they are under surveillance by the group

Question 13

What is informational social influence?

Answer 13

→ Individual accepts information from others as evidence about reality
→ Need to feel confident that their perceptions and beliefs are correct
→ Individuals may make objective tests against reality (i.e.. Check the facts) or rely on opinions from others
→ Informational social influence takes place when the situation is ambiguous (right course of action is unclear) or where others are experts
→ Individual does not just comply with behaviour, their behaviour changes in line with group position
→ Internalisation because it changes both public and private views

Question 14

(Evaluation) Difficulties in distinguishing between compliance and internalisation

Answer 14

→ Complicated because of how we define and measure public compliance and private acceptance
→ For example, a person who agrees in public and disagrees in private is showing compliance however they may disagree in private because they have forgotten information or the information has been replaced by new information
→ Someone who agrees in public and private may have internalised their views because of self-perception (‘I agreed with the group therefore that must be what I believe’).

Question 15

(Evaluation) Likenbach and Perkins

Answer 15

2003
Research support for normative influence
§ Found relationship between normative beliefs and taking up smoking
§ Adolescents exposed to the simple message that the majority of their peers did not smoke were less likely to take up smoking

Question 16

(Evaluation) Schultz et al

Answer 16

2008
Research support for normative influence
Hotel guests exposed to the normative message that 75% of guests reused their towels each day reduced their own towel use by 25%

Question 17

(Evaluation) Wittenbrink and Henley

Answer 17

1996
Research support for informational influence
§ Participants exposed to negative information about African Americans (they believed was view of the majority) later reporter negative beliefs about a black individual

Question 18

(Evaluation) Fein et al

Answer 18

2007
Research support for informational influence
§ Judgements of candidate performance in US presidential debates could be influenced by knowledge of others’ reactions
§ Participants saw reactions of fellow participants on a screen during a debate
§ Produced large shifts in participants judgements of candidates’ performance

Question 19

(Evaluation) Normative influence may not be detected

+ study

Answer 19

→ Researchers have started to speculate whether individuals do actually recognise the behaviour of others as a causal factor in their own behaviour

Nolan et al (2008)
§ Investigated whether people detected the influence of social norms on their energy conservation behaviour
§ When asked, people believed that the behaviour of neighbours had the least impact on their own energy conservation, yet results showed that it had the strongest impact
This suggest people rely on beliefs about what should motivate their behaviour, and so under-detect the impact of normative influence

Question 20

(Evaluation) Informational influence is moderated by type of task

Answer 20

→ Non social criteria- places the sort of judgement within the realm of physical reality
§ E.g. whether Bristol is the most highly populated city in SW England
§ Physical means- consult statistics, census records
→ Social consensus
§ E.g. deciding whether Bristol is the most fun city in SW England

Question 21

(Evaluation) Laughlin

Answer 21

1999
Informational influence is moderated by type of task
§ Research shows majorities should exert greater influence on issues of social rather than physical reality