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• Types of conformity according to Kalman 1958:

  • Compliant: agreeing externally with the group but keeping personal opinions
  • Identification: behaving according to group values only when with the group
  • Internalization: personal opinions genuinely change to match the group
• Explanation of informational social influence:

  • Individuals look for the majority for guidance on correct behaviors
  • Results in internalization and is a permanent change
• Explanation of normative social influence (NSI):

  • When individuals want to appear normal and be approved by the majority
  • Results in compliance, a superficial and temporary action
• Variables affecting conformity as investigated by Ashe in 1951:

  • Participants conformed to avoid rejection from the group
  • Conformity increased with group size and task difficulty
  • Conformity decreased with social support and disagreement within the group
• Milgram's study on obedience in 1963:

  • Participants obeyed authority figures up to 450 volts
  • Obedience dropped with proximity, location, and uniform variations
  • Criticized for causing distress and lacking ecological validity
• Excavations of resistance to social influence:

  • Social support reduces pressure to obey or conform
  • Locus of control affects an individual's ability to resist social influence
• Minority influence:

  • Requires individuals to reject majority beliefs and be converted to the minority view
  • Consistency, flexibility, commitment, and the snowball effect are key factors in social change
• Social change:

  • Social change occurs at the societal level
  • Minorities can change majority opinions through consistency, flexibility, and commitment
  • Social crypt amnesia occurs after societal change
• Implications for social influence processes in social change:

  • In-groups are more likely to influence members than out-groups
  • Governments can drive social change quickly through laws and enforcement