Conformity Flashcards

Question

Women being concerned more about being liked by peers than males study

Answer 1

Women being concerned more about being liked by peers than males study

Answer 2

However, the research to support NSI as an explanation for conformity, conducted by Asch is gender bias, as only males were tested. Therefore, it is difficult to generalise the findings to females as it is suggested that females might be more conformist because they are more concerned about social relationships and are more concerned with being liked by their peers than males (Neto,1995). Therefore, this shows that NSI explains conformity for some people (females) more than it does for others (males). This weakens the external validity of research into NSI as an explanation as to why people conform.

Answer 3

To investigate the effects of a majority opinion on individuals’ judgements

Answer 4

Lab experiment

Answer 5

123 American male students

Answer 6

* Participants were individually placed into groups with 7 to 9 confederates. * They were shown two large white cards at a time. On one card was a standard line ‘x’ and on the other card were three ‘comparison lines’ (A, B, C). * One of the comparison lines was the same length as the standard line, and the other two were substantially different. * Participants were asked to say which line (A, B or C) was the same length as the standard line (X). Participants were always last or second to last to answer. * On 12/18 trials, the confederates gave identical wrong answers.

Answer 7

Real participants gave a wrong answer 37% of the time when a confederate was present.

Answer 8

The majority of participants conformed publicly during the experiment, but not privately, as they wanted to avoid ridicule.

Answer 9

This supports NSI as participants conformed publicly, but not privately, in order to be accepted by the group.

Answer 10

Group size Unanimity Task difficulty

Answer 11

Conformity rates increase as the size of a majority group increases. However, the size of the group stops having an effect on conformity once the group reaches a certain size. * When there was one real participant, and one confederate conformity was 3% * When there were two confederates and one real participant conformity increased to 13% * When there were three confederates and one real participant conformity increased to 32% * However, conformity plateaued after this. * Suggesting that the size of the majority does have an effect on conformity but only to a point

Answer 12

Conformity rates increase as the size of a majority group increases. However, the size of the group stops having an effect on conformity once the group reaches a certain size.

Answer 13

Unanimity increases conformity rates as there is complete agreement from all members of the group of people about an answer or viewpoint. * In the original Asch study, the confederates all gave the same wrong answer and conformity was 37% * However, when Asch varied his study and had one confederate give the correct answers throughout the research conformity dropped to 5.5% * Asch then researched whether a ’lone’ confederate who gave an answer that was both different from the majority and different to the correct answer. In this variation it was found that conformity dropped to 9% * Asch concluded that when a group’s unanimity is broken, rates of conformity decrease.

Answer 14

Rates of conformity decrease

Answer 15

Conformity rates increase when the difficulty of a task increases. * In one variation of Asch’s research he made the stimulus line and comparison lines more similar in length so that the correct answer was less obvious and therefore the task was harder. When the difficulty of the task increased conformity rates increased. * This suggests that Informational Social Influence plays a greater role when the task becomes harder. When situations are unclear, we are more likely to look to others for guidance. * As the right answer becomes less obvious we lose confidence in our own ability and are more likely to conform.

Answer 16

Lucas et al

Answer 17

He asked students to solve ‘easy’ and ‘hard’ maths problems. Participants were given three other answers from other fake ‘students’.

Answer 18

The participants conformed more often when the problems were difficult rather than easy. This supports TASK DIFFICULTY as a variable affecting conformity BECAUSE it suggests that when the task is harder, conformity increases. Therefore, increasing the validity of task difficulty as a variable affecting conformity.

Answer 19

Research to support TASK DIFFICULTY as a variable affecting conformity was conducted by Lucas et al. He asked students to solve ‘easy’ and ‘hard’ maths problems. Participants were given three other answers from other ‘students’ . The participants conformed more often when the problems were difficult rather than easy. This supports TASK DIFFICULTY as a variable affecting conformity BECAUSE it suggests that when the task is harder, conformity increases. Therefore, increasing the validity of task difficulty as a variable affecting conformity

Answer 20

Conformity is more complex than Asch suggested

Answer 21

Participants with high confidence in their maths abilities conformed less on the hard math’s problems than those with low confidence This shows that an individual-level factor can influence conformity and interact with situational variables (such as task difficulty). This limits Asch’s research into variables affecting conformity, as he did not research the roles of individual factors

Answer 22

Lucas et al’s study found that conformity is more complex than Asch suggested. Participants with high confidence in their maths abilities conformed less on the hard math’s problems than those with low confidence. This shows that an individual-level factor can influence conformity and interact with situational variables (such as task difficulty). Limiting Asch’s research into variables affecting conformity, as he did not research the roles of individual factors.

Answer 23

Asch’s research into variables affecting conformity can be criticised as it is gender bias, as only males were tested.

Answer 24

It is difficult to generalise the findings to females as it is suggested that females might be more conformist, regardless of the variable affecting conformity, because they are more concerned about social relationships and are more concerned with being liked by their peers (Neto, 1995). Therefore, this shows that there are some factors which determine someone’s level of conformity more than the variables suggested, such as gender. This weakens the external validity of research into variables affecting conformity

Answer 25

Asch’s research into variables affecting conformity can be criticised as it is gender bias, as only males were tested. Therefore, it is difficult to generalise the findings to females as it is suggested that females might be more conformist, regardless of the variable affecting conformity, because they are more concerned about social relationships and are more concerned with being liked by their peers (Neto, 1995). Therefore, this shows that there are some factors which determine someone’s level of conformity more than the variables suggested, such as gender. This weakens the external validity of research into variables affecting conformity.

Answer 26

Social roles are the parts that people play as members of various social groups. These are accompanied by expectations that we have of what is appropriate behaviour in each role. We internalise these expectations, so they shape our behaviour.

Answer 27

To investigate how freely people would conform to the roles of guard and prisoner in a role-playing exercise that re-created prison life.

Answer 28

24 ’emotionally stable’ (determined by psychological testing prior to the study) US male university students

Answer 29

Controlled participant observation

Answer 30

PPTs randomly selected as prisoner or guard Prisoners were arrested in front of their homes There were visiting hours in the fake prison Prisoners given smock uniforms and referred to by number not name Guards given uniforms and mirrored glasses Basement of Stanford University was converted into a mock prison

Answer 31

A loss of personal identity

Answer 32

Within a day the prisoners rebelled and the guards took away their blankets, and kept making more severe punishments. Guards caused prisoners to be sleep deprived Identification was seen as prisoners referred to each other by their number Prisoners showed signs of stress and 5 were released early due to signs of psychological disturbance The experiment had to end after 6 days instead of 14.

Answer 33

14 days but it lasted 6 days

Answer 34

5 were released due to signs of psychological disturbance

Answer 35

Guards, prisoners and researchers conformed to their role within the prison. * Social roles have an extraordinary power over individuals, making even the most well-adjusted capable of extreme brutality towards others.

Answer 36

It has high control over extraneous variables

Answer 37

The way in which the participants were selected. Researchers assessed the emotional stability of the participants prior to the experiment, and randomly assigned them to the role of prisoner and guard. If guards and prisoners behaved very differently, and they were in those roles by chance, their behaviour must have been due to the role itself

Answer 38

This allowed Zimbardo to accurately measure the power of social roles on levels of conformity, rather than it being affected by individual personality differences. Therefore, this increases the internal validity of Zimbardo’s research investigating conformity to social roles.

Answer 39

One strength of Zimbardo’s research into conformity to social roles is that it has high control over extraneous variables. One example is the way in which the participants were selected. Researchers assessed the emotional stability of the participants prior to the experiment, and randomly assigned them to the role of prisoner and guard. If guards and prisoners behaved very differently, and they were in those roles by chance, their behaviour must have been due to the role itself. This allowed Zimbardo to accurately measure the power of social roles on levels of conformity, rather than it being affected by individual personality differences. Therefore, this increases the internal validity of Zimbardo’s research investigating conformity to social roles.

Answer 40

Gender bias Ethical issues Prone to demand characteristics

Answer 41

He used a male only sample

Answer 42

It is difficult to generalise the findings that people conform to their social roles to women. It could be argued that as the role of guard was a violent one, females would not conform as much due to stereotypically being more caring and concerned for others. Thus, reducing the external validity of the research into conformity to social roles.

Answer 43

Zimbardo’s research into conformity to social roles has gender bias, as Zimbardo used a male only sample, this is a weakness as it is difficult to generalise the findings that people conform to their social roles to women. It could be argued that as the role of guard was a violent one, females would not conform as much due to stereotypically being more caring and concerned for others. Thus, reducing the external validity of the research into conformity to social roles. DISCUSSION: However, when Zimbardo conducted this study, he was interested in explaining brutality within American prison systems, in which the majority of guards were male, which may explain his choice of using a male only sample

Answer 44

There was a lack of informed consent, as the prisoners did not consent to being arrested at their homes and were only told they were taking part in an experiment investigating prison life. Finally, the prisoners were not protected from harm as some showed signs of psychological disturbance. Therefore, some critics may argue that despite the benefits of understanding conformity to social roles the breaking of such ethical guidelines means it shouldn’t have been conducted in the first place.

Answer 45

This is because within his procedure, Zimbardo took on the role of the prison superintendent. Therefore, Zimbardo could have influenced how the participants acted within the study.

Answer 46

For example, they may have conformed to their role because this is what they believed Zimbardo wanted them to do (demand characteristics), rather than because they were actually conforming to their social role of prisoner or guard due to the prison environment.

Answer 47

One criticism of Zimbardo’s research into conformity to social roles is that it is prone to demand characteristics. This is because within his procedure, Zimbardo took on the role of the prison superintendent. Therefore, Zimbardo could have influenced how the participants acted within the study. For example, they may have conformed to their role because this is what they believed Zimbardo wanted them to do (demand characteristics), rather than because they were actually conforming to their social role of prisoner or guard due to the prison environment. Therefore, lowering the internal validity of the research into conformity to social roles

Conformity Flashcards

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