Obedience and Conformity

What is obedience?

Obedience is a form of social influence where an individual responds to a direct order, usually from an authority figure

What is an authority figure?

a person who has or represents authority

What is the legitimacy of authority figure?

how well-known a particular authority figure is in a range of a groups (i.e. family, friends, school)

What is the appearance of an authority figure?

those that wear uniforms help to give status causing people to be obedient (easier to identify)

What is the proximity of an authority figure?

when the authority figure is close-by, obedience is more likely to occur

what is peer support in relation to obedience?

Peer support of friends decreases the likelihood of obedience occurring

what is deindividuation?

a state of becoming so immersed in the norms of a group that you lose your sense of identity and personal responsibility. This can lead to an individual relinquishing responsibility for their actions and sees behaviour as a consequence of group norms and expectations.

What is conformity?

Conformity is one form of social influence where individuals yield to group pressures.

What are the three main types of conformity in order of severity?

1. Compliance.

2. Identification.

3. Internalisation.

What is compliance?

When we publicly change our behaviour to be more like the majority but we do not privately change our minds about what we believe

What level of conformity is compliance?

Shallowest level of conformity

List two facts about compliance.

1. Usually results in short term change

2. Is usually a simple task

What is identification?

When we take on the views of individuals or groups that we admire.

What level of conformity is identification?

Known as a middle level of conformity

What does one do under identification?

A person changes there public behaviour and private beliefs but only in the presence of the group

What is internalisation?

When a person changes their behaviour to match those of the group. Other in the group have convinced the individual that their beliefs are correct, so the individual changes their beliefs which leads to a change In behaviour.

What level of conformity is internalisation?

The deepest level of conformity

All levels of conformity change behaviour in public…. yes or no?

yes

is compliance short or long term?

short term

is identification short or long term?

short term

is internalisation short or long term?

long term

What is Normative Social Influence (NSI) ?

When a person conforms to be accepted or belong to a group.

2 facts about NSI:

1. Socially rewarding and avoids social punishment

2. Usually associated with compliance or identification

What is Informational Social Influence (ISI) ?

When a person conforms to gain knowledge or because they believe that someone else is "right"

2 facts about ISI:

Usually associated with internalisation

Person changes or adopts beliefs and behaviour

Describe how the size of a group effects conformity:

Conformity tends to increase as the size of the group increases

Describe how the lack of group unanimity effects conformity:

The more people that disagree with a point within a group, the more conformity drops

Describe how the difficulty of a task effects conformity:

The more difficult a task is, the more conformity increases. (less common knowledge, confidence within the group)

Describe how answering in private effects conformity:

When people are allowed to answer/comment away from the group, conformity drops.

Describe how anonymity effects conformity:

When individuals cannot be identified within their answers, conformity drops.

Describe how the status of majority group effects conformity:

The higher the status of the group, the higher the level of conformity.

Describe how individual differences effects conformity:

Status in the group or personality traits can affect conformity, Those who are more concerned with being liked are more likely to conform.