Conformity

• What are the three types of conformity mentioned?

  Compliance, identification, and internalisation
• What is conformity?

  Conformity is changing behaviors to fit in with a group.
• What is majority influence in conformity?

  Majority influence refers to the tendency to conform to larger groups for safety.
• How does minority influence compare to majority influence?

  Minority influence occurs but is less common than majority influence.
• What is compliance in terms of conformity?

  • Agreeing with the group publicly
  • Disagreeing privately
  • Example: Eating vegetarian with friends but eating meat alone
• Why is compliance considered the weakest type of conformity?

  Because it involves only superficial change and ceases when not in the group.
• What is identification in conformity?

  • Temporarily adopting group behaviors
  • Valuing the group and wanting inclusion
  • Example: Dressing like college peers
• How long does change last in identification?

  Identification results in short-term change.
• What is internalisation in conformity?

  • Accepting group norms publicly and privately
  • Renouncing former beliefs
  • Example: Changing personal style to fit a new group
• Why is internalisation considered the strongest type of conformity?

  It leads to long-term change and deep acceptance of group norms.
• What are the two motivations for conformity?

  Normative social influence and informational social influence.
• What is normative social influence (NSI)?

  • The need to be liked or accepted by the group
  • Fear of rejection
  • Example: Attending church to fit in
• How does NSI affect behavior?

  It may lead individuals to go against their inner beliefs to avoid rejection.
• What is informational social influence (ISI)?

  • The need to know what to do in uncertain situations
  • Looking to the group for guidance
  • Example: Following others' behavior on the first day at work
• When does ISI typically occur?

  ISI occurs when individuals are unsure or lack knowledge about how to behave.
• What can happen if everyone in a group assumes others know what to do?

  This can lead to faulty decision-making in critical situations.
• What are the strengths of ISI as an explanation for conformity?

  • Good research support (e.g., Jenness study)
  • Validity shown through group estimates
• What are the strengths of NSI as an explanation for conformity?

  • High ecological validity (e.g., Schultz study)
  • Real behavior observed in natural settings
• What is a limitation of both NSI and ISI explanations?

  They do not explain why some individuals resist conformity.
• What was the sample size in Asch's study of conformity?

  123 male students from the USA.
• What was the main aim of Asch's study?

  To investigate the extent of group pressure on individual conformity.
• What was the procedure of Asch's study?

  • Participants sat with confederates
  • Shown cards with lines to compare
  • Task: Identify which line matched the length of another
• What percentage of participants conformed at least once in Asch's study?

  75% of participants conformed at least once.
• What conclusion did Asch draw from his study?

  People conform to the majority even in unambiguous situations.
• What are the strengths of Asch's study?

  • Standardised procedure enhances reliability
  • Replications show cross-cultural differences
• What is a limitation of Asch's study regarding its temporal validity?

  The study was conducted in the 1940s/50s, a time of higher conformity.
• What might participants have done during Asch's study due to the simplicity of the task?

  Some participants may have guessed the aim of the study.
• What does the term "procedure" imply in the context of a study?

  It means that the study can be replicated many times over
• Why is high reliability important in research?

  Because repeated replications should show consistent results
• What do replications of Asch's study help identify?

  Cross-cultural differences in conformity
• What is the relationship between conformity and group cohesion according to the study?

  Conformity is linked to group cohesion
• In which types of cultures were the highest rates of conformity observed?

  Collectivist cultures
• How do collectivist cultures prioritize individual needs?

  They value the needs of the group above individual needs
• When did Asch's research take place?

  In the 1940s/50s
• Why is Asch's study labeled 'a child of its time'?

  Because conformity was arguably higher directly after World War II
• What does the term 'temporal validity' refer to in research?

  It refers to the relevance of findings over time
• What might participants have guessed during Asch's study?

  The aim of the study due to the easiness of the task
• What is known as 'response bias' in the context of Asch's study?

  When participants go along with giving the wrong answer because they think it's required
• How does response bias affect the validity of findings?

  It reduces the validity of the findings
• What was Asch's variable related to group size?

  • Conformity dropped to 3% with one confederate
  • Increased to 12.8% with two confederates
  • Rose to 31.8% with three confederates
  • Conformity peaks with three confederates