conformity: types and explanations

• internalisation?

  deep type of conformity where we take on the majority view because we accept it as correct. it leads to a far reaching and permanent change in behaviour even when the group is absent.
• identification?

  moderate type of conformity where we act in the same way as the group because we value it and want to be part of it. but we don't necessarily agree with everything the group/majority believes
• compliance?

  superficial and temporary type of conformity where we outwardly go along with the majority view but privately disagree with it. the change in our behaviour only lasts as long as the group is monitoring us
• informational social influence?

  -an explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe its correct. we accept it because we want to be correct as well. this may lead to internalisation.
• normative social influence ?

  an explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of majority because we want to gain social approval and be liked. this may lead to compliance
• strength of NSI?

  P- evidence supports it as an explanation of conformity

  E- when asch interviewed his participants some said they conformed because they felt self conscious giving the correct answer and they were afraid of disapproval. when they wrote answers down, conformity fell to 12.5%. as when giving answers privately meant there was no normative group pressure.

  L- shows that at least some conformity is due to a desire to not be rejected by the group for disagreeing with them
• CA for strength of ISI?

  P- often unclear whether its NSI or ISI at work

  E- asch found that conformity is reduced when there is one other dissenting person. dissenter may reduce power of NSI (provides social support) or power of ISI (provides alternative source of social information). both interpretations are possible.

  L- hard to separate NSI and ISI and both processes probably operate together in most real world conformity situations
• limitation of ISI?

  P- NSI doesn't predict conformity in every case

  E- some people are greatly concerned with being liked by others (nAfilliators). McGhee and Teen found that students who were nAffiliators were more likely to conform

  L- NSI underlies conformity for some people more than it does for others. There are individual differences in cofmirty that can't fully be explained by one general theory of situational pressures.
• strength of ISI?

  P- research evidence to support ISI from study by Lucas et al.

  E- Lucas et al found that participants confirmed more often to wrong answers when maths problems were difficult as when problems were easy participants knew their own mind but when problems were hard situation became ambiguous. participants didnt want to be wrong so they relied on answers they were given.

  L- ISI is a valid explanation of conformity as results are what it would predict