Explanations of conformity

Question 1

what is informational social influence (ISI)?

Answer 1

when uncertain about something, people look to others to help shape their behaviour

Question 2

what is the motivation behind ISI?

Answer 2

need for certainty helps people feel in charge of their lives and in control

Question 3

give examples of ISI

Answer 3

knowing which cutlery to use in a restaurant for first time

Question 4

what is a study that supports ISI?

Answer 4

Jenness - estimating how many jellybeans in jar - estimates were the same as others

Question 5

what is normative social influence (NSI)?

Answer 5

the need to be accepted by others by agreeing with them

Question 6

what is the motivation behind NSI?

Answer 6

want others to like and respect them & not reject them

Question 7

give examples of NSI

Answer 7

Asch - if pp’s said correct answers - risked being ridiculed - so they would conform publicly but not privately

Question 8

what is the procedure for Jenness’s jellybean study on conformity?

Answer 8

made estimates of no. of jellybeans in a jar - discussed in large group - after discussion, group estimates were made - then they made a second private estimate

Question 9

what are the findings for Jenness’s jellybean study on conformity?

Answer 9

typicality of opinion increased - 2nd estimate were similar to group estimate
avg change of opinion was greater among females

Question 10

what are the conclusions of Jenness’s jellybean study on conformity?

Answer 10

judgements of individuals affected by majority opinions esp in unfamiliar situations

Question 11

give evaluations for Jenness’s jellybean study on conformity

Answer 11

more ethically sound as others as the deception was less severe than other studies
lab based - artificial - lacks mundane realism as it isn’t an everyday event

Question 12

what is the procedure for Asch’s line study?

Answer 12

123 American male students - told study of visual perception
task - say which lines were same as stimulus line - really pp’s only answered last
control group of 36 pp’s who tested individually on 20 trials

Question 13

what are the findings for Asch’s line study?

Answer 13

CG had error rate of 0.04%
on 12 critical trials there was 32% conformity rate to wrong answers
75% conformed to at least 1 wrong answer
5% conformed to all 12 wrong answers
post-interviews - distortion of : action - conform to avoid ridicule, perception - believed they were actually wrong, judgement - doubts concerning accuracy of their judgements

Question 14

what are the conclusions for Asch’s line study?

Answer 14

judgement of individuals are affected by majority opinions even when majority are wrong
most confirmed publicly not privately, motivated by NSI

Question 15

evaluate Asch’s line study

Answer 15

unethical - deception
time consuming - only one pp tested at a time
lacked mundane realism
androcentrism - only male pps

Question 16

what is the procedure for Asch without actors - Mori & Arai?

Answer 16

104 Japanese undergraduates put in groups - had to say aloud which of 3 comparison lines matched a stimulus line
wore sunglasses - 3 pp in each group wore diff ones - made them see shorter/longer comparison line to others on 12/18 trials
questionnaire after

Question 17

what are the findings for Asch without actors - Mori & Arai?

Answer 17

78 pp’s who saw the correct-sized comparison lines answered incorrectly 8.2% of the time
26 minority pp’s who saw the different-sized comparison lines answered incorrectly 19.6% of the time - but female it was 28.6% of the time - males only 5%

Question 18

what are the conclusions for Asch without actors - Mori & Arai?

Answer 18

demand characteristics didn’t occur - noticed judgements were different but none reported suspicions concerning the honesty of majority pp’s answers
gender differences

Question 19

evaluate Asch without actors - Mori & Arai study

Answer 19

natural settings
still unethical - deceived
lack mundane realism