Explanations for Conformity AO3

Question 1

What are the strengths of the explanations of conformity?

Answer 1

it’s supported by other researches:

• Shultz et al’s experiment
• Wittenbrick and Henley’s experiment

Question 2

Explain Shultz et al’s experiment.

that supports normative social influence

Answer 2

• he using guests of a hotel
• he exposed them to the normative message that 75% of guests reused their town each day rather than getting fresh ones
• this reduced the participants towel use by 25%

Question 2

Explain Wittenbrink and Henley’s experiment.

in support of informational social influence

Answer 2

• they exposed participants to negative information on African Americans that was implied to be believed by the majority
• later the participants reported more negative beliefes about black people
• this shows that informational social influence can shape social influence

Question 3

What is the weakness of the explanations of social influence?

Answer 3

• NSI doesn’t predict conformity in Affiniators who (according to McGee and Teevan) are more likely to conform
• this shows it’s clearly affected by individual differences