nsi/ isi

• Explanations for conformity


  • Informational social influence
  • Normative social influence
• Normative social influence


  Need for humans to want to feel accepted, approved and led as a member of a group
• How normative social influence leads to conformity

  1. In order to gain acceptance by others we often conform to the behaviour of those groups or say that we agree with their viewpoint

  2. We do not wish to go against the group so that we are not rejected by them
• Type of conformity from normative social influence


  Compliance - individuals conform to a group publicly in order to be accepted/approved, but privately they disagree
• Duration of conformity from normative social influence

  Temporary behaviour change whilst the majority is present
• Example of normative social influence


  • Peer pressure and smoking - individuals want to feel part of a group and accepted, so they conform to the group's behaviour of trying smoking
• Informational social influence


  Need for humans to evaluate their behaviour, ideas and attitudes against other people's to make sure they are correct
• How informational social influence leads to conformity

  Individuals conform to others because they genuinely believe them to be right
• Type of conformity from informational social influence


  Internalisation - individuals change their private point of view, not just their public behaviour
• Duration of conformity from informational social influence


  Permanent behaviour change even if the majority group is not present
• Situations where informational social influence is most likely


  • Ambiguous situations where the right course of action is unclear
  • Crisis situations
  • Situations where we believe others to be experts
• Example of informational social influence


  • Going to a nightclub for the first time - individuals are unsure how to act, so they look to others to see how to sit, dance and behave correctly