Conformity

• Types of Conformity:

  • Compliance:
  • Going along with others in public, but privately disagreeing, resulting in a superficial change.
  • Behaviour stops as soon as group pressure stops.
  • Internalisation:
  • When a person genuinely accepts group norms. Change is likely to be permanent.
  • For example, becoming vegetarian permanently after being influenced by a friend.
  • Identification:
  • When we conform to opinions because we value the group.
  • For example, dressing a certain way for your friend group
• Explanations for Conformity: NSI

  • People do not like to appear foolish.
  • People prefer to gain social approval rather than be rejected.
  • NSI is emotional rather than cognitive.
  • Occurs in more stressful situations.
• NSI: Asch:

  • 128 male undergraduates participated in a ‘vision test’.
  • Line judgement Task, confederates gave wrong answers when answering A, B, or C.
  • The were 18 trials in total and the Confederates gave the wrong answer on 12 trials (called the critical trials).
  • About 1/3 of the participants who were placed in this situation conformed.
  • Over the 12 critical trials, about 3/4 of participants conformed at least once, and 1/4 never conformed.
  • Some said it was due to ISI and some said NSI.
• NSI: Schultz:

  • Found that they could change the behaviour of hotel guests by using printed messages encouraging them to save energy.
  • The messages that suggested that other guests used fewer bath towels were the most effective.
• Explanations for Conformity: ISI:

  • The reason people follow the behaviour of the group (the majority) is because people want to be right.
  • ISI is a cognitive process because it has to do with what you think.
  • Occurs when one person is regarded as an expert.
• ISI: Jenness (1932):

  • 811 white beans.
  • 101 psychology students.
  • Individually estimate, then discuss and then estimate.
  • Nearly all participants changed their original answer, females more than males.
• Explanations for Conformity AO3: Strength:

  • ISI is highly applicable to real world + a lot of proof.
  • Lucas et al (2006) found that in school, there was greater conformity in harder questions.
  • Jenness (1932) found that people changed answers after discussion.
• Explanations for Conformity AO3: Weakness:

  • NSI does not account for individual differences.
  • McGhee and Teeyen (1967) found that students who were assessed as affiliates were more likely to conform.
  • Shows how human differences are not accounted for.
  • However, Asch’s study shows how people did NSI to fit in.
• Variables affecting Conformity: Group size:

  • 3 confederates: conformity rises to 31.8%.
  • No need for a majority of more than 3, but equally too small of a majority won’t suffice.
• Variables affecting Conformity: Unanimity:

  • Asch introduced another confederate who gave the right answer sometimes and the wrong answer sometimes.
  • The presence of this dissenter made the participant act more independently.
  • The influence of the majority depends on the unanimity of the majority.
• Variables affecting Conformity: Difficulty:

  • If the task is more difficult, conformity increases.
  • ISI plays a greater role than NSI when the task is difficult
• Variables affecting Conformity AO3:

  • Asch’s study lacks temporal validity:
  • A child of its time.
  • McCarthyism
  • conformity in the USA
  • Ethical issues:
  • Deception
  • Participants were misled about the nature of the study.
  • However, it is essential for the design.
  • Lacks mundane realism
  • Line judgement task is not typical for everyday life.
  • Furthermore, participants were strangers.
  • Therefore, may display demand characteristics.