Conformity: Types and Explanations

Question 1

Outline the term ISI in regards to conformity

Answer 1

• Informational Social Influence
• Theory by Deutsch and Gerard
• We conform in order to be right
• Occurs when we look to the majority group for the right answer as we are unsure in our own knowledge
• Genuinely believe the majority to be right

Question 2

Outline the term NSI in regards to conformity

Answer 2

• Normative Social Influence
• Theory by Deutsch and Gerard
• We conform in order to be liked
• We wish to be liked by the majority group so we go along with them even if we don’t agree with them
• Following the crowd in order to fit in with the ‘norm’

Question 3

Outline the term compliance in regards to conformity

Answer 3

• Timeframe of behaviour = Temporary change (“surface level”)
• Public behaviour = Changes
• Private behaviour = No change
• Motivation for behaviour = To be liked by the group (NSI)
• E.g. skipping lessons with your friends but privately you know it is wrong and are worried about the consequences

Question 4

Outline the term identification in regards to conformity

Answer 4

• Timeframe of behaviour = Temporary change →continues as long as you’re a group member
• Public behaviour = Changes
• Private behaviour = Changes
• Motivation for behaviour = To be liked by the group (NSI)
• E.g. bullying someone because the rest of the group thinks it’s cool, but stopping when you are no longer a part of the group

Question 5

Outline the term internalisation in regards to conformity

Answer 5

• Timeframe of behaviour = Permanent change
• Public behaviour = Changes
• Private behaviour = Changes
• Motivation for behaviour = To be right (ISI)
• E.g. becoming an environmentalist after learning about the damaging impact of global warming

Question 6

What are two strengths for NSI and ISI?

Answer 6

P: Empirical evidence supporting Deutsch and Gerard’s concept of NSI
Ev: Schultz found that 75% of hotel guests reuse their towels when exposed to messages suggesting other guests do the same
Ex: Suggests that people do conform to be liked especially if they are acting differently to everyone else
L: Therefore adds support and increases validity of NSI as an explanation for conformity

P: Empirical evidence supporting Deutsch and Gerard’s concept of ISI Ev: Lucas asked students to give answers to easy or difficult math questions and found higher conformity to incorrect answers when the questions were difficult than easy
Ex: Suggests students conformed because they were unsure of their own answers and didn’t want to be seen as less able than others (social desirability)
L: Therefore supports and increases validity of ISI as an explanation for conformity

Question 7

What are two limitations for NSI and ISI?

Answer 7

P: Individual differences in NSI means explanation doesn’t apply to everyone
Ev: McGhee and Teavan found some people classed as nAffiliators are more concerned with being liked and how others view them
Ex: Suggests NSI does not influence everyone in the same way as nAffiliators are more concerned with getting social approval than others so are more likely to conform
L: Therefore Deutsch and Gerard’s two-process theory is incomplete as it does not consider individual differences

P: ISI and NSI work together so it may not be possible to tell them apart
Ev: For example if somebody makes a new friend and wants their social approval it is NSI, but if this friend then introduced them to a religion and they converted it would be ISI
Ex: Suggests that both NSI and ISI play a key role in the behaviour of a person because they convert for the approval from their friend but also because they want to be right in what they believe in
L: Therefore both NSI and ISI are present in some scenarios and it may be hard to differentiate the two