Conformity: Types & explanations

Question 1

Who suggested that there are three ways people conform?

Answer 1

Kelman

Question 2

What is internalisation?

Answer 2

• deep type of conformity where a person genuinely accepts the group norms as it has become apart of their value system
• results in a private as well as public change in opinions
• change usually permanent as attitudes have been internalised & persists even in absence of other group members

Question 3

What is identification?

Answer 3

• A moderate type of conformity where we conform to the opinions/behaviours of a group because we value the group & want to be a part of it
• leads to a public change in behaviour to be accepted by group but privately disagree with what the group believes

Question 4

What is compliance?

Answer 4

• A temporary & superficial type of conformity where we go along with others in public but privately not changing personal opinions/and or behaviour
• behaviour stops when group pressure stops

Question 5

Who developed the two-process theory for explaining why people conform?

Answer 5

Deutsch and Gerald (1955)

Question 6

What is informational social influence?

Answer 6

• An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we feel that they are right > cognitive process because its do with what you think
• Leads to internalisation, a permanent change in beliefs
• more likely to occur in situations that are new to a person or ambiguous

Question 7

What is normative social influence?

Answer 7

• An explanation for conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because of the need to be liked & gain social approval & fear rejection
• emotional process
• This may lead to compliance (temporary change in opinions/behaviour)
• more pronounced in stressful situations

Question 8

What is a strength of NSI as an explanation for conformity?

Answer 8

• research to support
• e.g. Asch interviewed his participants > some said they conformed because they felt self-conscious giving the correct answer & were afraid of disapproval
• when p’s wrote answers down conformity fell to 12.5%
  giving answer privately=no normative group pressure
• shows conformity is due to desire not to be rejected by the group for disagreeing

Question 9

What is a limitation of of NSI as an explanation for conformity?

Answer 9

• does not predict conformity in every case
• some ppl are greatly concerned with being liked by others (nAffiliators) > want to relate to others
• McGhee & Teevan found that students who were nAffiliators were more likely to conform
• there are individual differences in conformity that can not be fully explained by one theory

Question 10

What is a strength of ISI as an explanation for conformity?

Answer 10

• research support> Lucas et al study
• found p’s conformed more often to incorrect answers they were given when maths problems were difficult
• when problems were easy, p’s knew their own minds but when it was hard=situations became ambiguous
• did not want to be wrong so relied on answers given
• ISI= valid explanation

Question 11

What is a counterpoint for research support for ISI?

Answer 11

• often unclear whether it is NSI or ISI at work in research studies or real life
• e.g. Asch found conformity reduced when there is one other dissenting p> reduce power of NSI (social support)
• may also reduce power of ISI (provide alternative source of social information)
• hard to separate ISI & NSI as both probably operate together in most real world situations