Conformity - Asch

• What is a commonly accepted definition of conformity according to Aronson?

  Conformity is a change in behavior or belief due to group pressure.
• Why do people often conform to group behavior?

  People conform to avoid social rejection and to fit in with others.
• In Ash's research, what percentage of participants conformed at least once?

  75% of participants conformed at least once.
• What are the three types of conformity according to Helman?

  • Compliance: Change in behavior due to pressure, but private beliefs remain unchanged.
  • Identification: Change in behavior to fit in with a group, aligning with their values.
  • Internalization: True adoption of group beliefs, resulting in lasting change.
• What is compliance in terms of conformity?

  Compliance is changing behavior in response to group pressure while keeping private beliefs unchanged.
• What motivates compliance according to the text?

  The primary motivation behind compliance is the desire for positive reactions from others.
• How does identification differ from compliance?

  Identification involves aligning with a group to strengthen social identity, while compliance is about avoiding rejection.
• What is internalization in the context of conformity?

  Internalization is when individuals adopt the beliefs and values of a group, resulting in lasting change.
• What drives internalization according to the text?

  Internalization is driven by the individual's desire for correctness and acceptance of the group's norms.
• What are the two explanations for conformity mentioned in the text?

  • Normative Social Influence (NSI): Conforming to be liked or accepted by others.
  • Informational Social Influence (ISI): Conforming because the group is perceived to have more knowledge.
• What is normative social influence (NSI)?

  NSI is the influence to conform to be liked or accepted by others, often leading to compliance.
• What is informational social influence (ISI)?

  ISI occurs when individuals conform because they believe the group has more knowledge about a situation.
• How did Ash's study demonstrate the effects of conformity?

  Ash's study showed that participants conformed to incorrect answers given by confederates in a visual perception task.
• What was the mean conformity rate found in Ash's study?

  The mean conformity rate was 32% across critical trials.
• What were the variations of Ash's experiment that affected conformity rates?

  • Group Size Variation: Conformity increased with 3 confederates but leveled off with more.
  • Unanimity Variation: Presence of an ally reduced conformity to 5.5%.
  • Task Difficulty Variation: Increased difficulty led to higher conformity due to ambiguity.
• What did Ash find about the effect of group size on conformity?

  Conformity increased with group size up to three confederates, then leveled off.
• How did the presence of an ally affect conformity in Ash's study?

  The presence of an ally reduced conformity to 5.5% by providing social support.
• What effect did increasing task difficulty have on conformity rates in Ash's study?

  Increasing task difficulty significantly increased conformity due to ambiguity.
• What are some strengths and weaknesses of Ash's study?

  Strengths:

  • High control over variables due to standardized procedures.
  • Clear demonstration of normative social influence.

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Lacks temporal validity due to being over 70 years old.
  • Cultural bias with an all-American sample.
  • Lacks mundane realism as it doesn't reflect real-life situations.
• What criticism did Perin and Spencer have regarding Ash's study?

  They criticized its temporal validity, suggesting it doesn't apply to modern society.
• What did Bond's meta-analysis reveal about conformity across cultures?

  Bond's meta-analysis found that collectivist societies are more conformist than individualistic societies.
• What is a dispositional explanation for conformity?

  A dispositional explanation suggests that personality traits influence an individual's likelihood to conform.
• How does an internal locus of control relate to conformity?

  Individuals with an internal locus of control feel responsible for their actions and are less likely to conform.
• Why is it difficult to determine the motivations behind conformity?

  It can be difficult to distinguish whether conformity is due to informational or normative social influence.
• What are the key features of normative and informational social influence?

  • Normative Social Influence (NSI):
  • Driven by the need for social acceptance.
  • Results in compliance.

  
  

  • Informational Social Influence (ISI):
  • Driven by the desire to make correct choices.
  • Results in internalization.