conformity - types & explanations

Question 1

how many types of conformity & name

Answer 1

3
- compliance
- identification
- internalisation

Question 2

describe compliance

Answer 2

• lowest level
• temporary/short term
• public belief changes/way you act but not in private
• usually result of normative social influence

Question 3

describe identification

Answer 3

• middle level
• changes public behaviour/way you act in presence of group
• usually short term/temporary
• often result of normative social influence

Question 4

internalisation

Answer 4

• deepest level
• changes public/private beliefs & behaviour
• long term change
• often result of informational social influence

Question 5

who proposed the explanations for conformity

Answer 5

deutsch & gerard

Question 6

how many explanations for conformity & name them

Answer 6

2
- normative social influence
- informational social influence

Question 7

describe normative social influence

Answer 7

• norm for social group
• want to fit in & not be rejected
• accepts group behaviour to gain social approval
• temporary
• emotional (not cognitive)
• more pronounced in stressful situations (social support)
• leads to compliance/identification

Question 8

describe informational social influence

Answer 8

• individuals unsure & lack knowledge
• look to group for guidance
• in crisis situations when decision’s necessary
• want to be correct
• leads to internalisation
• cognitive (not emotional)

Question 9

16 marker: explanations for conformity AO1

Answer 9

AO1: –> 1-2 para (6 KEY POINTS FOR 6 MARKS)
- deutsch & gerard
- 2 definitions
- informational social influence = lack own knowledge, ambiguous situations, want to be correct, look to group for guidance, crisis situation, cognitive, leads to internalisation
- normative social influence = want to fit in, accept group behaviour/ norm, emotional, leads to compliance/identification, pronounced in stressful situations

Question 10

16 marker: explanations for conformity AO3 - 3-4 para

Answer 10

+)
P: practical application
E: this is evident as schultz et. al (2008) gathered datat from hotels over a week where guests were allocated rooms randomly (control or experimental). in the control, there was a door hanger stating the environmental benefits of reusing towels. in the experimental, the door hanger stated ‘75% of guests chose to reuse their towels each day’. the results showed, this reduced their need for fresh towels by 25%.
T: shows positive impact of NSI for encouraging people to be eco-friendly in society

+)
P: ISI has research to support
E: lucas et. al found participants conformed more to incorrect answers when maths problems were more difficult as situation was more ambiguous
T: shows ISI is valid explanation of conformity as results align with ISI’s predictions

-)
P: NSI does not predict conformity in every case
E: some people have a greater desire to be liked by others and a need for affiliation. McGhee & Teevan found such students were more likely to conform
T: shows that the NSI underlies conformity for some more than others & there are individual differences in conformity which cannot fully be explained by 1 general theory of situational pressures

+)
P: NSI has research support
E: evident as Asch (1951) found many participants went along with obviously wrong answers and when interviewed after, said they wanted to avoid group disapproval. furthermore, asch showed in a later variation (1955), when the pressure to publicly conform is reduced & write answers on piece of paper, conformity rates fell to 12.5%
T: shows how some conformity is due to desire to fit in