Conformity

• What is conformity?

  a change in opinions or behaviour due to real or imagined pressure from a majority
• what is internalisation?

  • a person genuinely accepts the groups norms and this results in both public and private change in behaviour / opinions
  • persists even in the absence of group pressure
• what is identification?

  • when we identify with a group and want to be a part of it, we publicly change our opinions and behaviour but privately disagree
• what is compliance?

  • publicly changing opinions / behaviour but not privately
  • this stops once group pressure does
• what did deutsch and Gerard state?

  we conform to be liked or to be right
• what is informational social influence?

  • we agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe it is correct.
  • can lead to internalisation
  • can occur when a situation is new or ambigious
  • cognitive process
• what is normative social influence?

  • We agree with the opinions of the majority because we want to be accepted, gain social approval and be liked.
  • Can occur when we feel concerned about rejection
  • Emotional process
• What did Lucas et al do?

  asked students to give answers to mathematical problems- both difficult and easy.
• what did Lucas et al find?

  • greater conformity to incorrect answers when they were difficult maths problems.
  • most true for students who rated their maths ability as poor.
• What people would be less affected by NSI?

  people who care less about being liked
• what is nAffiliation?

  people who have greater need for affiliation (need for being in a relationship with others)