conformity

• Asch's research


  • Investigated the extent to which people will conform to the opinion of others, even in a situation where the correct answer is unambiguous
  • Devised a procedure to assess conformity
• Asch's baseline procedure


  1. Participants were shown a line and asked to match it to one of three comparison lines

  2. Majority of participants (confederates) gave an incorrect answer

  3. Genuine participant had to decide whether to go along with the majority or give the correct answer
• Variables investigated by Asch

  • Group size
  • Unanimity
  • Task difficulty
• Group size


  Conformity increased with group size, but only up to a point
• Unanimity


  Presence of a dissenter decreased conformity
• Task difficulty


  Increased conformity
• Internalisation


  Genuine acceptance of the group norms, resulting in a permanent change in opinion/behaviour
• Identification


  Conforming to the group to be accepted, even if you don't privately agree
• Compliance


  Going along with the group in public, but not changing personal opinions/behaviour
• Informational social influence (ISI)


  Conforming because the group is perceived to have better information
• Normative social influence (NSI)

  Conforming to gain social approval and avoid rejection
• ISI is more likely in new or ambiguous situations, while NSI is more likely with strangers or in stressful situations
• Konformität


  Aufgrund des Wunsches, von der Gruppe nicht abgelehnt zu werden, wenn man mit ihnen nicht übereinstimmt
• Es gibt Forschungsunterstützung für ISI
• Daher ist es schwierig, ISI und NSI zu trennen, und beide Prozesse wirken wahrscheinlich in den meisten realen Konformitätssituationen zusammen
• Zimbardo und Kollegen führten in den 1970er Jahren eine der denkwürdigsten Studien der Psychologie durch