Conformity

• Conformity:

  When someone changes their behaviour or opinions to fit in with others/as the result of group pressure.
• Asch’s Experiment:

  Baseline Procedure

  • 123 American men were used.
  • Each one in a group with other apparent participants.
  • Each participant saw two cards on each trial.
  • The line X is the standard line.
  • Lines A,B,C are the comparison lines. One is the obvious same length as X, the others being obviously wrong.
  • On each trial they had to say out loud which comparison line was the same length as X.
• Asch’s Experiment:

  Baseline Procedure

  • Participants were tested in groups of 6 to 8.
  • Only 1 was a genuine participant and was only seated last or second or last.
  • Everyone else were confederates of Asch.
  • The confederates all gave a scripted incorrect answer each time.
  • The genuine participant was unaware everyone else were confederates.
• Asch’s Experiment:

  Baseline Results

  • 37% of genuine participants agreed with the confederates incorrect answers.
  • 25% of the participants gave an answer that didn‘t conform (never gave an incorrect answer).
  • 75% conformed at least once.
• Asch’s Experiment:

  Aim

  • To see what extent people will go to conform to the opinion of others even when the answer is obviously wrong.
• Asch’s Experiment:

  Variables: Group Size

  • Varied the number of confederates from 1 to 15 (total group size was 2 to 16).
  • Found a curvilinear relationship between group size and conformity. Conformity increased with group size but only up to a point.
  • With 3 confederates the conformity rate rose to 31.8%.
  • More people made little difference - conformity rate soon levelled off.
  • Suggests that most people are very sensitive to the views of others because just one or two confederates was enough to sway opinions.
• Asch’s Experiment:

  Variables: Unanimity

  • Introduced a confederate who disagreed with the other confederates.
  • In one variation this person gave the correct answer and in others gave a (different) wrong one.
  • The genuine participant conformed less often in the presence of a dissenter.
  • The rate decreased to less than a quarter of the level it was when the majority was unanimous.
  • Allowed participants to behave more independently. The influence of a group is dependent on them being unanimous.
  • Non-conformity is more likely when cracks are perceived in the majority's unanimous view.
• Asch’s Experiment:

  Variables: Task Difficulty

  • Increased the difficulty of the line judging task by making the stimulus line and the comparison lines more similar to each other in length.
  • Made it harder to see the differences between the lines.
  • Found that conformity increased. It is unclear to the participants what the right answer is, so they look to others for guidance.
  • Informational social influence increases when the task is harder.
• Asch‘s Experiment:

  Variables: Anonymity

  • The participant wrote their answer instead of saying it out loud.
  • Conformity decreased in these conditions by up to two thirds.
  • Power of a group decreases when anonymous.
• Asch’s Experiment:

  Evaluation

  • The task and situation were artificial - reduces the ecological validity.
  • Participants knew they were part of a research study - could have gone along - demand characteristics.
  • The task was trivial - no reason not to conform.
  • Findings do not generalise to real-world situations.
  • All participants were American men - limited application. Doesn’t tell us about conformity in women and collectivist cultures.
• Asch‘s Experiment:

  Evaluation

  • Support - Lucas’s study (participants were given maths problems. Mix of easy and hard). Participants were given answers from 3 other students (not real). The participants conformed more often when the problems were harder. Asch was correct saying task difficulty is a variable that affects conformity.
  • However, Lucas’s study is more complex. Shows an individual-level factor can influence conformity (higher confidence is maths abilities).
• Asch‘s Experiment:

  Evaluation

  • Unethical - participants were deceived. They thought that the others were actual participants and not confederates.
  • Lab experiment - all variables were controlled.
• Types Of Conformity:

  Internalisation

  • Where we take on the majority view because we accept is as correct.
  • Leads to far-reaching and a permanent change in behaviour even when the group is absent.
  • Private and public change of opinions/behaviour.
  • Change is permanent - attitudes have been internalised.
• Types Of Conformity:

  Identification

  • A moderate type of conformity where we act in the same way as the group because we value it and want to be part of it.
  • Don’t agree with everything the majority believes in.
  • Publicly change our opinions/behaviour but not privately.
  • Temporary change.
• Types Of Conformity:

  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.
  • Stops when group pressure stops.
  • “Going along with others” in public but not in private.
• Explanations For Conformity:

  Informational Social Influence (ISI)

  • We agree with the opinion of the majority because we believe it is correct.
  • We want to be correct as well - leading to internalisation.
  • We are uncertain about what behaviours and beliefs are right and wrong.
  • Cognitive process becuase it is to do with what you think. Leads to a permanent change in opinion/behaviour.
  • Most common to happen in situations that are new to people.
• Explanations For Conformity:

  Normative Social Influence (NSI)

  • We agree with the opinion of the majority because we want to gain social approval and be liked.
  • Can lead to compliance.
  • About norms - what is normal for a social group.
  • Don‘t want to appear foolish and want to gain social approval.
  • Most common to occur in situations where you feel concerned about being rejected.
• Explanations For Conformity:

  Evaluations

  • Evidence (NSI). Asch interviews some participants from his study. They said that they conformed as they felt self conscious giving the correct answer, afraid of disapproval.
  • Evidence (ISI). Lucas’s study. Found that participants conformed more often to incorrect answers when the maths problems were harder. The situation became more ambiguous. Didn’t want to be wrong.
  • However, in the evidence provided, it is hard to separate ISI from NSI - operate together.
• Explanations For Conformity:

  Evaluation

  • NSI doesn’t predict conformity in every situation. Some people are greatly concerned with being liked by others (nafilliators) - strong need for affiliation - more likely to conform. Shows NSI underlies conformity more than it does for others. Can’t be explained by one general theory of situational pressures.