Explanations For Conformity Flashcards
(16 cards)
What theory gives two reasons why people conform to a majority ?
Dual process theory by Deutsch & Gerard
What are the 2 reasons why people conform to a majority as stated in dual process theory ?
- Normative influence
- Informational influence
Explain normative influence
A motivational force to be liked and accepted
What are the motivations, needs and wants of normative influence ?
An emotional process
wanting to be accepted by the group due to fear of being rejected.
Desire to be liked and accepted
What situation is normative influence most likely to occur in
When group membership and social approval are important to us.
Group size is 3 or more
There’s a cost associated with not conforming to
What research provides evidence to normative influence ?
Asch
what type of conformity does normative influence result in
compliance
Explain informational influence
A motivational force to look to others for guidance in order to be correct
What are the motivation, need and wants for informational influence
Cognitive process
Looking at others for guidance when we aren’t sure of the correct way to behave
We may copy others as they have more information and you feel there are right
What situation is informational influence most likely to occur in ?
It is ambiguous (cause of action is not clear)
In a crisis
When we believe others to be experts
Unfamiliar/ new situations
What research provides eveidence for informational influence
Sherif
what type of confomity is infomational influence most likely to result in
Internalisation
strengths: supporting normative
I: supporting evidence for nromative infleucne in the dual process theory
E: Ash found that conformity levels dropped to 12% when the ppts wrote down their answer privatley after hearing the confederates, as was less pressure to fit in with the majority and less chance of being ridiculed
C: this means that individuals conform to gain approval and acceptance when they feel under direct pressure from a majority group
Stregnth: supporting informational
I: supporting eivdence for informational influence in the dual process theory
E: lucas asked the students to given asnwers to maths problems that varied in difficulty. found higher conformity when answering the difficult maths problems than the easy ones
C: indiduals are more likely to turn to others for guidance and help when uncertain of the answer
Weakness: individual
I: dual process theory does not account for individual differences when it comes to conformity
E: not everyone will confrom beucase of informational influence as intellegence, education and confidence may affect this
Eg: highly intelligent indivuals are less likely to conform due to (Informational influence) as they feel that they are right. in Perrin and Spencers version of Aschs study ppts may have confromed less as they were well educated engineering students, had little need to look to others for guidance
C: means we need to take into account an individuals personality and intelligence when it come sto explaining why people conform
Weakness: explanation
I: difficult to establish which explanation of conformity in dual process model is affecting behaviour
E: as in most cases, both normative and informatinal process are invloved at the same time rather than operatingindependently and seperatley
EG:if conformity levels drop when participant has social support this could be becuase there is less pressure to fit in (reducing normative) or it could be becuase they no longer feel need to look to group for guidance (informational), as someone else supports your view
C: means its difficult to identify the explanation for conformity as its likley that confomrtiy can be explained by both processes
