Conformity: Types and explanations Flashcards by Tommy Radford

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What are the three types of conformity?

Internalisation;
Identification;
Compliance.

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Conformity (Definition:)

A change in a person’s behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group of people.

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Internalisation (Definition:)

A deep type of conformity where we accept the majority view because we believe it is correct.

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Identification (Definition:)

A moderate type of conformity where we act in the same way as a group because we value it and want to be a part of it.

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Compliance (Definition:)

A superficial and temporary type of conformity where we outwardly go along with the majority view, but privately disagree with it.

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Which type of compliance involves changing both our public and private views?

Internalisation.

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For which type of compliance does the change in opinion persist even in the absence of other group members?

Internalisation.

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What are the three levels of conformity?

Shallow, Intermediate and Deep

Shallow = Compliance;
Intermediate = Identification;
Deep = Internalisation.

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Morton Deutsche and Harold Gerard (1955) developed a two-process theory on the explanations of conformity, what were the exlpanations?

Informational Social Influence (ISI);

Normative Social Influence (NSI).

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The two-process theory was based on two central human needs, what are these and which principle do they correspond with?

The need to be right = ISI;

The need to be liked = NSI.

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What is Informational social influence?

An explanation for conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe it is correct, we accept it because we also want it to be correct.

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What is Normative social influence?

An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we want to be accepted, gain social approval and be liked.

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Which explanation of conformity is more permanent and therefore results in internalisation?

Informational social influence (ISI).

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Which explanation of conformity is more temporary and likely therefore to lead to compliance or identification?

Normative social influence (NSI).

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Which explanation is a cognitive process?

Informational social influence (ISI).

Which explanation is an emotional process?

Normative social influence (NSI).

Which explanation is likely to occur when someone is presented with a new situation or ambiguous situation where right and wrong are not clearly distinguishable?

Informational social influence (ISI).

The Informational social influence (ISI) suggests people accept the answer because …….?

They want to feel they are likely to be right.

Which explanation is likely to occur when someone else in the group is an expert in a certain field?

Informational social influence (ISI).

Which explanation is likely to occur in a crisis situation where decisions have to be made quickly?

Informational social influence (ISI).

“People do not like to appear foolish and prefer to gain social approval rather than be rejected”, which explanation is this referencing?

Normative social influence (NSI) as it is an emotional process rather than cognitive.

Which explanation is likely to occur when you are with strangers when you may feel concerned about rejection?

Normative social influence (NSI).

Which explanation is likely to occur with people you know and are concerned about their social approval?

Normative social influence (NSI).

Which explanation is likely to occur in stressful situations where there is a greater need for social support?

Normative social influence (NSI).

AO3: Research support for ISI.

Lucas et al. (2006) asked students to give answers to mathematical problems that were easy or difficult. There was greater conformity to incorrect answers when they were difficult rather than easy. Demonstrating people conforming when they do not know the answer, as predicted by the ISI explanation.

AO3: Research support for NSI.

Asch (1951) found that many participants in his study went along with the clearly wrong answer just because the confederates did. Some of the participants said they felt self-conscious giving the incorrect answer and they were afraid of disapproval, demonstrating the NSI explanation.

Which explanation of conformity was supported by Solomon Asch's studies?

Normative social influence (NSI).

AO3: Individual differences in NSI.

McGhee and Teevan (1967) found that students with a high need for affiliation were more likely to conform. Showing the strength of the NSI is varied between people as some are not affected by it (nAffiliators)

What is a nAffiliator?

A person who is less concerned with being liked and therefore are less affected by NSI.

AO3: ISI and NSI working together.

In Asch's experiment, conformity is reduced in the presence of another dissenter. This may reduce the power of either the ISI or the NSI but it is impossible to tell which, decreasing the control of variables in the lab study.

AO3: Individual differences in ISI:

Asch (1955) found that students (28%) were less conformist than other participants (37%), this couples with the engineering student study by Perrin and Spencer (1980).

Which type of conformity is being shown here? Liz is by nature a smart dresser but she wears jeans and a sweater to work on 'Dress Down Friday' because she doesn't want to give the impression of being standoffish to her work colleagues who she likes.

Compliance (or identification).

Which type of conformity is being shown here? Lewis is eating alone at a Chinese restaurant. Although he finds eating with chopsticks rather tedious and inconvenient, he uses them because he feels too awkward to ask for a fork.

Compliance.

Which type of conformity is being shown here? Jenny is at a local restaurant with five of her friends. They will say "go on try it" after they have all ordered an unusual spicy dish which is the chef's recommendation. She follows suit because she doesn't want to look unadventurous to her friends.

Identification.

Which type of conformity is being shown here? Jack is on a solo visit to London for the day. At a pedestrian crossing everyone suddenly urges across as soon as there's a gap in traffic even though the lights are still red. Jack follows, feeling uncomfortable but too embarrassed to be the only one not to cross.

Compliance.

Which type of conformity is being shown here? Winston is visiting the UK from the US. At a concert he stands up for the National Anthem because he doesn't want to upset his hosts.

Identification.

Which type of conformity is being shown here? Len slows down to 30 mph as soon as he reaches that speed zone because he believes it is wrong to drive faster than that in a built-up area.

Internalisation.

Which type of conformity is being shown here? Sally put some money in the charity box even though she doesn't particularly agree with the cause because she feels uncomfortable walking past the collector in the local small supermarket.

Compliance.