Social Influence - conformity

• Who investigated conformity and the demonstration of social influence?

  Asch (1951)

  
• What are the three variables that affect conformity rates (according to Asch)?

  Task difficulty, Group size and Unanimity

  
• Define conformity


  A change in a person's behaviour or opinions as a result of real or imagined pressure from a person or group of people.

  
• What occurs when group size increases?

  This increases the majority; thus conformity rates increasing. Only up to a point though, levelling off when the majority was more than three.

  
• define unanimity


  The extent to which all the members of a group agree.

  
• How did task difficulty affect conformity?


  The task became more difficult to work out, therefore conformity increases because naïve participants assume the majority is correct.

  
• Describe Asch's baseline procedure


  123 American males were tested, each one in a group with other apparent participants (confederates).

  
  

  Each participant saw two white pieces of paper with the line 'X' on the left-hand card and the lines 'A, B and C' on the other.

  
  

  One of the comparison lines was always clearly the same length as line 'X', and the other two, substantially different.

  
  

  Each trial, the participants had to say out loud which of the comparison lines was the same length as 'X'.

  
• What were the baseline findings?

  The genuine participants agreed with confederates incorrect answer 36.8% of the time.
• What year did Asch investigate the variables surrounding his previous baseline test?

  1955
• How did he test Group size, and what does this show?


  He varied the number of confederates from one to 15.

  
  

  when group size increased, conformity rose to 31.8%

  
  

  This suggests that most people are sensitive to the views of others.
• How did he test Unanimity, and what does this show?

  Asch introduces a non-conforming confederate who disagreed with the other confederates.

  
  

  = made conformity rates of the genuine participants drop to almost 0%

  
  

  Suggests that conformity relies heavily on the majority result being unanimous.

  
• How did he test Task difficulty, and what does this show?


  made the line-judgement task more difficult

  
  

  This increased conformity rates.

  
  

  = conformity increases when the result is more ambiguous and individuals will look to guidance and assume they are right.
• Limitations


  1. Artificial situation - Ppts knew that they were in a research study and may well have gone along with what they believed the aims of the study were (demand characteristics).

  
  

  - Fiske (2014) 'Asch's groups were not very groupy' = low ecological validity + cannot be generalised to real-world situationsI

  
• Strength


  There is research support from other studies on the effects that task difficulty have on conformity rates

  
  

  - EX. Todd Lucas et al.(2006) asked participants to solve 'easy' and 'hard' maths problems. They were given clearly incorrect answers by three other confederates, of which the participants conformed.

  
• Counterpoint


  Lucas et al.'s study found that conformity is more complex than Asch suggested.

  
  

  - Participants with high confidence in their maths abilities conformed less on the hard tasks than those with low confidence,

  
  

  = individual-level factor can influence conformity by interacting with situational variables. But Asch did not research the roles of individual factors

  
• ISSUES + DEBATES: Cultural Bias


  - Ach's baseline experiments were conducted in a Western cultural context, with solely American men (limited application)

  
  

  Therefore, findings may not be fully representative of conformity behaviour across different cultures

  
  

  Cultural values, such as individualism versus collectivism, may influence the degree to which individuals conform to group norms. E.g. individuals from collectivist culture might be more inclined to conform in order to maintain harmony within a group, whereas those from individualistic cultures might prioritise autonomy over conformity
• Define internalisation


  A 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.

  
• Define identification


  A moderate type of conformity where we act in the same way with the group because we value it and want to be part of it. But we don't necessarily agree with everything the majority believes.

  
• Define compliance


  A 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.

  
• Define informational social influence

  An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe that it is correct. We accept it because we want to be correct as well. This may lead to internalisation.

  
• Define normative social influence

  An explanation of conformity that says we agree with the opinion of the majority because we want to be accepted, gain social approval and be liked. This may lead to compliance.

  
• Who suggested that there are three ways in which people conform?

  Herbert Kelman
• Which year did Kelman gather this study?

  1958
• Example of compliance


  Smoking in the company of friends due to peer pressure and because everyone else is partaking, it disagreeing and not smoking when alone.

  
• Give an example of identification

  Wearing a uniform to school due to an authoritarian figure demanding you to.

  
• Give an example of internalisation


  If someone lived with a vegetarian at university and then decides to also become one too because they agree with their friend's viewpoint

  
• Who developed a two-process theory, arguing the reasons as to why people conform?

  Deutsch and Gerard (1955)

  
  

  The two explanations are:

  
  

  Informational social influence (ISI) - 'the need to be right'

  
  

  Normative social influence (NSI) - 'the need to be liked

  
• In what kind of circumstances does ISI normally take place?

  ISI is most likely to occur in situations that are new to a person and there is some ambiguity.

  
• in what sort of circumstances does NSI normally take place?

  NSI is most likely to occur in situations where an individual may feel concerned about rejection, or around friends where an individual is concerned about social approval.

  
• Strength: Research support for NSI

  When Asch (1951) interviewed his participants, some said that they conformed because they felt self-conscious giving the correct answer and they were fearful of disapproval.

  
  

  When they wrote the answers down, conformity dropped to 12.5%, this is because giving answers privately meant there was no normative group pressure.

  
• Strength: Research support for ISI

  Todd Lucas et al. (2006)

  
  

  Lucas et al. found that participants conformed more often to incorrect answers they were given when the maths problems were difficult.

  This is because when the problems were easy the participants 'knew their own minds' but when the problems were hard the situation became ambiguous.

  
  

  = ISI is a valid explanation of conformity because the results are what ISI would predict

  
• Counterpoint


  Unclear whether it is NSI or ISI is at work in research studies (or in real life).

  
  

  E.G. Asch (1955) found that conformity is reduced when there is one other dissenting participant.

  
  

  Dissenter may reduce power of NSI (because they provide social support)

  
  

  May reduce the power of ISI (provide an alternative source of social information).

  
  

  = hard to separate ISI and NSI and both processes probably operate together in most real-world conformity situations.
• ISSUES + DEBATES: Gender Bias

  - Research on conformity has historically focused on male participants (e.g. Asch's 123 American men), potentially overlooking differences in conformity behaviour between genders.

  
  

  - This bias could affect the generalisability of findings and the understanding of how conformity operates across different populations. For example, societal expectations and gender roles may influence how men + women respond to group pressure and conformist tedencies
• Define social roles


  The 'parts' people play as members of various social groups. They come with perceived expectations e.g. a mother or doctor

  
• Who researched conformity to social roles?

  Zimbardo (1973)

  
• outline Zimbardo's Stanford Prison Experiment


  .Set in the basement of Stanford University, a mock prison was created.

  . 70 volunteers whittled down to 21 male student volunteers who were interviewed and deemed as 'emotionally stable'

  - paid 15$

  . They were then randomly assigned the roles of prison guard or prisoner

  .The individuals assigned the role of 'prisoner' were arrested in the morning of the study, dorm rooms raided, ordered to strip naked, were blindfolded and subsequently taken to the mock prison

  . The study was expected to last two weeks

  . The prisoners wore a loose smock and a cap to cover their hair, and were identified by numbers (never called their names). Whilst guards were given a police uniform to assume their authoritative roles, with wooden clubs

  . Both the prisoners and guards were encouraged to identify with their roles; Prisoners - told instead of leaving the study early, they could apply for 'parole', Guards - reminded they had complete power over the prisoners.

  
• What did Zimbardo want to know that led him to conduct the SPE?


  Why police guards behaved brutally - did they naturally have sadistic personalities or were they conforming to social roles?

  
• What were the findings surrounded the SPE?

  The prisoners and guards assumed their roles with zeal. On day two, the prisoners revolted and the guards quelled the rebellion by threatening them with night sticks.

  The guards used "divide-and-rule" tactics by pitting the prisoners against each other and harassed them constantly; conducting frequent headcount at night, and lack of basic comforts like a bed-mattress.

  After the rebellion was put down, prisoners became subdued, depressed and anxious.

  One prisoner had to be removed after showing signs of psychological disturbance. Two more released on day four. One went on a hunger strike - guards tried to force-feed him and put him into the "hole".

  Identified ore and more with their role and continued acting in a sadistic manner.

  After interference by Zimbardo's psychology colleague, the study ended after six days instead of the intended 14 days.

  
• What conclusions were drawn?

  Social roles have a strong influence on individuals' behaviour. Guards became brutal and prisoners became submissive.
• Outline what occurred at the Abu Ghraib prison?

  In 2003-04, The U.S. military committed serious human rights violations against Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. They were tortured, physically and sexually abused, humiliated, and some were murdered.

  Zimbardo noticed some striking similarities between the behaviour of the personnel and the guards at the Stanford Prison Experiment.