explanations of conformity Flashcards
(16 cards)
conformity is
the tendency to change what we do
2 explanations why we conform
normative social influence
informational social influence
3 types of conformity
compliance
internalisation
identification
compliance is
appear to agree with others
disagreeing in private
linked to NSI
internalisation is
agree with others in public and private
identification is
behaviour changes in different groups
want to belong
normative social influence is
wish to be liked by the majority group
following crime in order to fit in the norm
agree if even we don’t on the inside
informational social influence is
conform because we genuinely believe its right
look to majority group for information
ISI supporting study
jennes
asked to estimate number of jelly beans in a jar - ambiguous task
then make a group estimate
interviewed individuals after and asked if they wanted to change their answer
almost all changed their answer
evaluation for jennes study
supports ISI need to supply information about what the majority is doing if we want people to conform no ecological validity doesn't identify the type of conformity good internal validity
NSI supporting study
Asch
2 large white with comparison lines
123 american male undergraduate students
naive participant sat with 6-8 confederates
12/18 were critical trials with wrong answer
75% conformed - the Asch effect
aschs variables
group size
unanimity
task difficulty
group size effect
1 confed - 0%
2 confed - 14%
3 confed - 32%
unanimity effect
one dissenting confed reduced conformity
task difficulty effect
made comparison lines similar - situation more ambiguous
conformity increased
contradictory evidence for Asch
Perrin and Spencer did the same with engineering students and only 1/396 trials conformed
