Social influence

• What are the three ways in which people conform to an opinion of a majority?

  Internalisation, Identification, Compliance
• What occurs during internalisation in conformity?

  It is when someone accepts group norms, leading to a private and public change of opinion or behavior.
• How does identification differ from internalisation in conformity?

  Identification involves publicly changing opinions or behavior to fit in with a group, even if one does not privately agree with everything.
• What is compliance in the context of conformity?

  Compliance is going along with others in public without changing personal opinions or behavior privately.
• Who developed the two-process theory of conformity?

  Morton Deutsch and Harold Gerald
• What are the two main reasons why people conform according to the two-process theory?

  The need to be right (ISI) and the need to be liked (NSI).
• What does ISI stand for?

  Informational Social Influence
• How does ISI explain conformity?

  ISI explains conformity as agreeing with the majority because we believe their opinion is correct, especially when uncertain.
• When is ISI likely to occur?

  ISI is likely to occur in new situations, ambiguous situations, or crisis situations where quick decisions are needed.
• What does NSI stand for?

  Normative Social Influence
• How does NSI explain conformity?

  NSI explains conformity as agreeing with the majority to gain social approval and avoid rejection, leading to compliance.
• What year was Solomon Asch's research study conducted?

  1951
• What year was Asch's study extended?

  1955
• What is a strength of NSI as an explanation for conformity?

  • Research support from Asch's interviews
  • Participants felt self-conscious about giving correct answers
  • Conformity fell to 12.5% when answers were written privately
• What is a strength of ISI as an explanation for conformity?

  • Research support from Todd Lucas et al. (2006)
  • Participants conformed more to incorrect answers when math problems were difficult
  • Supports the idea that ISI leads to internalized change
• What is a limitation of NSI?

  • Does not predict conformity in every case
  • Some individuals (nAffiliators) conform more
  • Individual differences suggest NSI is a weak explanation
• What was Asch's baseline procedure in his research study?

  It was devised to assess the extent to which people conform to the opinion of others in a certain situation.
• What are the three variables affecting conformity according to Asch?

  • Group size
  • Unanimity
  • Task difficulty
• How did Asch investigate the variable of group size?

  He varied the number of confederates from one to fifteen and found a curvilinear relationship with conformity.
• What was the effect of having three confederates on conformity rates?

  Conformity rose to 31.8% with three confederates.
• How did Asch manipulate the variable of unanimity?

  He introduced a confederate who disagreed with the others, reducing the group's unanimity.
• What was the effect of introducing a dissenter on conformity rates?

  Conformity rates decreased to less than a quarter of the level in a unanimous group.
• How did Asch increase the difficulty of the task in his study?

  He made the stimulus line and comparison lines more similar in length, increasing ambiguity.
• What was the result of increasing task difficulty on conformity rates?

  Conformity increased because participants looked to others for answers when uncertain.
• What is a limitation of Asch's research study?

  • The task and situation were artificial
  • Participants knew they were in a study, leading to demand characteristics
  • Findings may not generalize to real-world situations
• What is another limitation of Asch's research regarding participant demographics?

  • All participants were American males
  • Women may conform more based on other research
  • Findings may not apply to collectivist cultures where conformity is higher
• What is a strength of Asch's research regarding task difficulty?

  • Research support from Todd Lucas et al. (2006)
  • Participants conformed more on harder math problems
  • Supports Asch's claim about task difficulty affecting conformity
• What time period did Philip Zimbardo conduct his study?

  The 1970s
• Why did Zimbardo and colleagues conduct their study?

  To understand why prison guards behaved brutally during prison riots in America.
• What does the term unanimity mean in the context of conformity?

  The extent to which all members of a group agree.
• What are social roles?

  Social roles are the 'parts' people play in various social groups, accompanied by expectations of appropriate behavior.
• How was Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment set up?

  • Mock prison set up in Stanford University basement
  • 21 emotionally stable male volunteers selected
  • Random assignment to prisoner or guard roles
• What was the purpose of uniforms in the Stanford Prison Experiment?

  • Created a loss of personal identity (de-individualisation)
  • Prisoners wore smocks and caps, identified by numbers
  • Guards wore uniforms reflecting their status with clubs and shades
• How were instructions about behavior used in the Stanford Prison Experiment?

  • Prisoners could 'apply for parole' instead of leaving
  • Guards reminded of their complete power over prisoners
  • Encouraged to identify with their roles
• What were the findings related to social roles in Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment?

  • Guards treated prisoners harshly and enthusiastically
  • Prisoners rebelled within two days
  • Guards became increasingly brutal and aggressive
• What conclusions can be drawn about social roles from Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment?

  • Social roles strongly influence individual behavior
  • Guards became brutal, prisoners submissive
  • Participants behaved as if in a real prison
• What is a limitation of Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment?

  • Lacked realism of a true prison
  • Participants may have been play acting based on stereotypes
  • Findings may not apply to actual prison behavior
• What is another limitation of Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment regarding ethics?

  • Criticized for being unethical despite ethics approval
  • Some participants experienced psychological disturbance
  • Participants were not protected from harm
• What is a strength of Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment regarding control over variables?

  • Control over key variables with emotionally stable participants
  • Random assignment to roles increased internal validity
  • Behavior attributed to roles rather than personalities
• What is another strength of Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment regarding participant behavior?

  • Participants behaved as if the situation was real
  • 90% of conversations were about prison life
  • Suggests the study replicated real prison dynamics