Conformity Flashcards

Question

Asch varied some of the situational factors in his original study. What changes did he introduce? (5)

Answer 1

``` A non-unanimous majority The size of the Majority Losing a partner Gaining a partner The nature of the task ```

Answer 2

levels of conformity dropped to just 5% when just one other person agreed with the naïve participant

Answer 3

Optimum conformity = majority of 3 (32%)  increasing size above 3 did not increase conformity rates  when only one confederate was used, no conformity effects were found  When only two confederates were used, conformity rates dropped to 12.8% of their original judgements

Answer 4

– naïve participants started with a ‘partner’ who responded correctly to begin with but ‘deserted’ to the majority half way through proceedings. - This resulted in conformity levels of 28%

Answer 5

When a naïve participant gained a partner half way through it reduced conformity to 8.7%

Answer 6

The level of conformity increased as the tasks were made more difficult

Answer 7

Crutchfield 1955

Answer 8

1. When participants can't see each other | 2. Individual differences

Answer 9

>He felt the face-to-face element was what influenced conformity - Therefore, he arranged his participants in separate booths, out of sight - He controlled the lighting but told people that they were other peoples answers > Conformity levels were 30% using Asch’s line technique > As the activities got harder, conformity levels rose

Answer 10

>Found that participants (business and military men on 3 day courses) with high scores on intelligence and leadership studies displayed less conformity >However, there is insufficient evidence from subsequent research that this is the case that there is a ‘conforming personality’ AO2 – criticised for artificial setting - no ecological validity - can’t be generalised - other factors (e.g. laziness) could’ve influenced conformity

Answer 11

Furman and Duke (1988) – Confidence and conformity • Music and non-music students were asked to state a preference for a version of an excerpt. • When confederates stated a different preference only non-music students were significantly affected and conformed • Music students were not influenced to change their already stated preference

Answer 12

Historical differences | Cultural differences

Answer 13

Smith and Bond (1998) – meta-analysis of studies in different cultures using Asch’s procedures • They concluded: - Collectivist cultures = higher levels of conformity as people emphasise loyalty to the group - Individualistic cultures = more concerned of individual initiatives

Answer 14

Perrin and Spencer (1980) – Used British students in 396 trials • They concluded that cultural changes over 30 years lead to reduction in the tendency of students to conform. - factor that might have influenced = all were from maths, chemistry or engineering courses (may have learned how to not conform under pressure) Perrin and Spencer (1981) – Youths on probation as pps and probation officers as confederates • Demonstrated similar levels of conformity to those found by Asch in 1952 • Concluded that conformity still exists, regardless of the perceived costs to individuals (e.g. in this case, prison)

Answer 15

Aim – To investigate how readily people would conform to the new roles by observing how quickly people would adopt the roles of guard or prisoner, in a prison life stimulation at a mock prison, ‘Stanford’. Zimbardo wanted to find out if the brutality recorded among guards in American prisons was due to the sadistic personalities of the guards (dispositional explanation) or had more to do with the prison environment (situational explanation) Procedure 1. Well adjusted, healthy males were paid $15 a day to take part in a two week simulation 2. Volunteers randomly allocated to the roles of prisoners and guards 3. Local police arrested 9 ‘prisoners’ at their homes, they were taken to Stanford, blindfolded and dehumanized with prison smocks and numbers etc. 4. 3 guards on each shift 5. No physical aggression was permitted Findings • The guards harassed and humiliated the prisoners and conformed to their new roles [• People will readily conform to the social roles they are expected to play, especially if the roles are as strongly stereotyped as those of prison guards] • Prisoners rebelled against the guards after just two days – guards quelled the rebellion with fire extinguishers • Some prisoners became distressed and anxious Findings [• People will readily conform to the social roles they are expected to play, especially if the roles are as strongly stereotyped as those of prison guards] • Conformity can be explained on terms of situational factors rather than dispositional (personality) factors • The roles people may play shape their attitudes and behaviours

Answer 16

1. Zimbardo was wrong to act as both superintendent and as chief researcher as this produced conflict in his role: need for independent surveillance. Need for aesthetic distance. 2. ETHICS >Harm to Participants – criticised for humiliation of participants: Had to be stopped after 6 days due to emotional and behavioural effects. DO FINDINGS JUSTIFY PROCESS? Savin says no; Zimbardo says yes: no lasting negative effects in subsequent interviews and we learned valuable lessons >Deceiving Participants – Some say it was not necessary in research and is unethical when they are made to feel foolish and humiliated. More ethical methods should be used. However, it eliminated demand characteristics.

Answer 17

>Haslam and Reicher (2005)

Answer 18

>Similar to Zimbardo’s study however, the researchers remained independent and an ethics committee regulated investigation >Systematic observation and unobtrusive filming for 10 days

Answer 19

1. Would guards abuse power? | 2. Wold prisoners succumb to rebel against oppression?

Answer 20

Guards were uncomfortable about exercising power and became divided and powerless – they never developed a group identity • On the other hand, prisoners = unhappy about inequalities they faced so shared a social identity and challenged the guards authority • A commune of ex-guards and ex-prisoners was established, only to be broke down by those who wanted to instate a more tyrannical power system – at this point the experiment was ended

Answer 21

‘Shared social identity can create social power and lead to positive outcomes. Individuals are not slaves to their social roles; rather they contribute the social norms and values of the group to which they belong.’ Haslam and Reicher (2005)

Answer 22

Turner (2006) has praised Haslam and Reicher’s study for challenging the negative views of groups to which Zimbardo and others have long subscribed