explantations for conformity

Subdecks (1)

Cards (16)

  • deutsch & gerard 1955?
    • created dual process dependency model to explain compliance & internalisation
    • proposed 2 explanations to why people conform
  • name the 2 explanations for conformity?
    1. normative social influence
    2. informational social influence
  • explain normative social influence?
    • explains compliance
    • person conforms as its socially rewarding/gain approval
    • group can socially punish through exclusion from group
    • individual changes public behaviour not own private beliefs
    • motivated by need to be liked
  • how is nsi shows in aschs study?
    • participants claimed they conformed due to distortion in action only changing their public response
  • explain informational social influence?
    • explains internalisation
    • person conforms as they want to gain knowledge/believe someone else is right
    • this is more likely when individual has doubts about their own knowledge/judgements
    • changes public behaviour & private beliefs
    • motivated by need to be right
  • how is isi shown in aschs study?
    participants reported distortion in judgement so changed their response to fit majority when unsure of their own judgement
  • 2 * for explanations of conformity?
    1. evidence to support nsi from aschs study
    2. evidence to support isi from lucas study
  • 2 X for explanations of conformity?
    1. does not account for individual differences
    2. evidence to contradict from abrams study
  • * supporting evidence from ashs study?
    • found that participants showed compliance as they has their own private beliefs but changed views publicly to fit in with group
    • after participants said they conformed to gain approval & avoid disapproval
    • valid
    • aschs study provides evidence that people conform due to nsi
    • based on their need to be liked
  • * supporting evidence from lucas et all 2006?
    • asked students to answer range of easy/hard math problems
    • found there was more conformity amongst group when answering harder questions compared to easy ones
    • students more likely to conform when they found answer more complex
    • valid
    • shows that isi is accurate as lucas showed that people conform since they doubt their own judgements & believe others to be right
  • X ignores individual differences?
    • not everyone will conform due to isi - only explains why people of lower intelligence conform
    • nsi - only explains why people with lower self esteem conform as they may feel need to be accepted, more so than individual with high self esteem
    • ? population
    • suggests people with lower intelligence/self esteem will definitely conform
    • does not explain why everyone conforms so cannot be generalised to wider population
  • X contradictory evidence from abrams?
    • other factors such as whether person has things in common with group may play a role in their motivation to conform
    • abrams found there was 7 times as much conformity when other group members were part of participants in group (friend group) rather than out group
    • ? valid
    • fails to consider complexity of conformity suggesting it lacks explanatory power