Types of conformity: internalisation, identification and compliance, Informative and normative social influence Flashcards
(19 cards)
What is compliance?
There is a change in public behaviour. There is no change in private beliefs. The change is short-term.
What is identification?
There is a change in public behaviour. There is a change in private believes. The change is typically short-term, when in presence of a group.
What is internalisation?
There is a change in public behaviour. There is a change in private beliefs. There is a long-term semi-permanent change ; continues without the presence of a group.
When does normative social influence (NSI) occur?
Normative social influence occurs when individuals conform to be liked or accepted by a group.
What does normative social influence lead to?
It leads to compliance, where a person publicly agrees with the group while privately maintaining their own beliefs.
When is normative social influence most common in?
NSI is most common in social situations where fitting in is important, such as following fashion trend or agreeing with a group opinion to avoid conflict.
When does informative social influence (ISI) occur?
Informative social influence happens when individuals conform because they believe others have more knowledge or are better informed.
What is informative social influence (ISI) motivated?
This is motivated by the need to be correct, especially in uncertain or unfamiliar situations.
What is informative social influence (ISI) a result of?
ISI often a result in internalisation, where a person genuinely adopts the group’s views or behaviours.
When does informative social influence (ISI) occur?
It is most likely to occur in situations where the correct response in unclear, such as seeking expert advise or following the behaviours of other during an emergency.
What research supports Normative Social influence (NSI)?
Asch (1951) found that participants conformed to avoid disapproval. When answers were given privately, conformity dropped to 12.5%, showing the influence of group pressure.
Why did conformity decrease in Asch’s study when answers were written down?
Because private answers removed normative group pressure, suggesting some conformity is driven by the desire to avoid social rejection.
What research supports informational Social Influence (ISI)?
Lucas et al. (2006) found participants conformed more often to incorrect answers when math problems were difficult, suggesting they relied on others due to uncertainty.
How do Lucas et al’s findings support ISI?
The findings align with ISI because people conformed more when unsure, showing a desire to be correct in ambiguous situations.
What is a counterpoint to distinguishing NSI and Isi in studies like Asch’s?
It’s difficult to tell whether conformity is due to NSI or ISI, for example, a dissenting participant may reduce both normative pressure and provide alternative information.
What doe the difficulty of distinguishing NSI and ISIS suggest about conformity in real life?
It suggest that NSSI and ISI often work together rather than separately in real-world conformity.
What is a limitation of NSI in explaining conformity?
NSI doesn’t apply equally to everyone, People who are ‘Affiliators’ (motivated to be liked) are more likely to conform more than others.
What did McGhee and Teevan (1967) find about individual differences in NSI?
Students high in need for affiliation were more likely to conform, showing that NSI affects individuals differently.
What do individual differences mean for the NSI explanation of conformity?
NNSI cannot fully explain conformity alone, as personal traits like the need for social approval also play a role.
